Sherry Simpson, associate professor in the UAA Department of Creative Writing and Literary Arts, contributor to the Anchorage Daily News and author of what we'll call the best headline ever printed in any Alaska publication, is the recipient of the 2015 John Burroughs Medal. The award was announced in January, but Simpson won't pick it up until next month at the annual meeting of the John Burroughs Association in New York.
The association, under the auspices of the American Museum of Natural History, is named for an early-day nature writer. Over the years the award has gone to some very prominent writers, including William Beebe (writing about pheasants, not his pioneering undersea exploits), Ernest Thompson Seton, Rachel Carson, Loren Eiseley and Aldo Leopold. Previous recipients with an Alaska connection include Adolph Murie (for "A Naturalist in Alaska"), Barry Lopez, John McPhee and Richard Nelson. Tellingly, there have been several years in which no award was given.
Simpson was honored for her collection of essays on Alaska's ursine residents, "Dominion of Bears: Living with Wildlife in Alaska." And the above-mentioned headline was on her article about devotees of the ill-starred wilderness adventurer Christopher McCandless published in the Press on Feb. 7, 2002: "I want to ride in the bus Chris died in." Quick, someone, hand me a guitar. I feel a song coming on.
Ordaz repeats in poetry contest
Anchorage West High student Maeva Ordaz won the Alaska Poetry Out Loud competition in Juneau on March 10. It's the second state championship for Ordaz, who also won last year's competition. She'll represent the state at the national finals in Washington, D.C., from April 28-29.
In addition to reciting poetry, she also writes it; she received an honorable mention in last year's UAA/Alaska Dispatch Creative Writing Contest.
Victoria Moloney from Fairbanks was the runner-up. Others in the competition included: Jillian Elaine Bjornstad, Sand Point; Brianha Gerlach, Glennallen; Madison Gilberto, Juneau; Jayne Hanna, Mekoryuk; August Kilcher, Homer; Angela Nashalook, Unalakleet; Juliana Smit, Palmer; and Alexandra Dawn Weber, Skagway.
The event can be seen at www.360north.org/poetry-out-loud-2015.
Geography and math competitions underway
The Alaska State Geography Bee takes place starting at 9 a.m. on Friday, March 27 in the Egan Convention Center. Some 99 students from around the state will vie against one another to see who knows the most about cities, mountain ranges and isthmuses. We'll list the winners next week before they head to the nationals. The event is open to the public, so show up and cheer for your favorites.
The Anchorage MATHCOUNTS Competition Series took place earlier this month and the first and second place teams will compete in the state championships in Fairbanks on March 28. The first place team, from Romig Middle School, consisted of Brynn Morse, Cameron Broshahan, Ana Keyser and Kaitlyn Theonnes. Romig also produced the top individual "mathlete," Sydney Martin. The team from Kenai placed second and also advances to the state competition.
History research class offered
Anchorage-based author and publisher Lawrence D. Weiss will present a half-day class focused on researching history with local and online sources. A former UAA sociology and public health professor, Weiss is the founder of Kennyhill Publishing Company, which specializes in American Southwest and Northwest historical works produced as electronic publications.
The class will take place 9 a.m.-noon on Saturday, April 4, at the Alaska Humanities Forum, 161 E. First Ave., Door 15. It's sponsored by 49 Writers. The cost is $50 for members of the group, $60 for nonmembers. Register at www.49writingcenter.org.
Final Homeskillet planned
Has it really been 10 years since the first Homeskillet Fest in Sitka? That's what we hear from artist/musician/entrepreneur Nicholas Galanin. He says he has some "wonderful record labels" co-sponsoring the alternative music showcase this year, which is good news. But he also says the upcoming event, scheduled for July 31-Aug. 1, will be the last. Participants are being announced as I type this and readers can get an updated calendar at homeskilletfest.com.
Earthquake anniversary
Friday, March 27, marks the 51st anniversary of the Great Alaska Earthquake. Unlike last year, I see no local commemorations listed for Anchorage in the Alaska Dispatch News calendar and can only assume that the cataclysmic event has finally passed into irrelevancy, at least insofar as most of the living are concerned. Nonetheless, survivors may want to join me in a moment of reflection at 6:36 p.m. in memory of those who lost lives and property in the disaster. I know, the quake actually started at 5:36 p.m., but that was back in standard time days.
'Detroit' in Mat-Su
Late word that the Obie-winning play "Detroit" will be presented this weekend by performers from Prince William Sound Community College at the new Glenn Massay Theater on the Mat-Su College campus. Tickets are $15 at the door for one show only, 7 p.m. Saturday, March 28. The blurb cautions that the show contains sexuality, violence and extreme language and is intended for adult audiences.