Earth Work Quest intern Alisha Sweat tackles a New Technologies course assignment at the National Conservation Training Center.

Earth Work Quest intern Val Blackburn checks his GPS as part of the "New Technologies" course taught at NCTC.

A group of five 15-19 year-old interns from the Earth Work Quest Internship Program in Alaska recently completed the "New Technologies" course at the National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. Their tuition was paid through U.S. Geological Survey's Federal Geographic Data Committee Training and Education Program, which funds training for American Indian and Alaska Natives while travel costs for the students were covered through a combination of a Challenge Cost Share grant and Earth Work Quest internships that give 14-20 year old rural Alaskans summer jobs with State, federal, and non-governmental resource agencies in Alaska.   

Pioneering the Earth Work Quest interns attending NCTC were Alisha Sweat, a high school junior from the village of Kaltag; Chad Nusunginya Jr., a recent high school graduate with family from Huslia and Barrow; Elias Saylor, a high school senior from Healy Lake; Shamariah Hale, a high school junior with family ties to Tanacross; and Val Blackburn, a high school senior that grew up at Lake Minchumina.