Enjoying and Defending Prince William Sound

Kenny Lake High School student Conner Nelson learns how to take a marine sample from PWSC students. Photo by Allison Sayer. 

By Allison Sayer

Last month, a group of students, educators, and marine workers gathered on a Stan Stephens ship to learn about oceanography, oil spill prevention, and the legacy of the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound. Some students came from Prince William Sound College’s oceanography class, including high school students from Glennallen and Kenny Lake: Maddy Hamby, Brooklyn Allain, Skyler Griffin, Joseph Hauptman, and Conner Nelson, who had attended the class remotely. 

The Prince William Sound Regional Citizens Advisory Council (RCAC) provided much of the funding for the day, and were joined by Ship Escort Response Vessel System (SERVS) and US Coast Guard personnel as instructors. Copper River Watershed Project (CRWP) staff also provided coordination. Edison Chouest contractors contributed their perspectives and listened and learned in groups. Stan Stephens crew were active participants throughout the day, and also served passengers a lunch that was funded by the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company. 

SERVS, RCAC, and US Coast Guard personnel explained operations that could be seen from the ship. These included on-water testing and training on the new Allison Creek oil spill response barge, and the entrance and exit of an oil tanker with tugboat escort from the Valdez Arm. 

When the ship arrived at Glacier Island, attendees broke up into small groups that rotated through different stations. 

RCAC oil spill prevention and response operations project manager Jeremy Robida discussed areas that had been identified for specific protection protocols if an oil spill occurs. He encouraged participants to view the landscape of Glacier Island and imagine what techniques would be most successful in protecting the area, and showed the group maps and photographs detailing what different protection strategies look like. 

Prince William Sound College (PWSC) students provided hands on instruction for one group on the use of various marine measurement tools. The students explained the purpose of different equipment and how to deploy it. High school students had the opportunity to take and interpret samples. 

RCAC Outreach Coordinator Maia Draper-Reich led a small group in nautical lesson. Participants identified different doo dads in a typical wheelhouse and learned about their purposes. They also learned to interpret features of a nautical chart, and a little bit about navigation. 

The group also had the opportunity to view wildlife including a large raft of otters, many hauled out sea lions, and a humpback whale. 

Organizers hoped to not only engage participants with the wonder of Prince William Sound, but also inspire them to be involved with the prevention of any more disasters such as the Exxon Valdez oil spill. RCAC volunteer board member Jim Herbert, who was fishing when the spill occurred, and CRWP program director Kate Morse told the story of the oil spill over the ship public address system. Herbert expressed the hope that the young people gathered on the trip would take up the torch to protect the sound. Continuing to tell the story of the spill is important, as anyone under 33 was not born before it occurred. 

Prince William Sound College has dropped “Community” from its name, but it seems to be providing the epitome of what a town could hope for from a community college. It is clear that the programs provided at the college are providing a bridge for diverse Alaskan students to start careers, or to be prepared for four-year institutions. It is also evident that students have found a supportive community of their own in peers and faculty who encourage them and take interest in their work. 

I spoke with students participating in the marine technician, marine natural resource technician, and natural resource technician certificate programs. Some had completed one certificate and enrolled in another. Students received free housing and tuition funded by grants from the American Rescue Plan, the Build Back Better program, the US Department of Agriculture, and the Congressional Perkins Grant. 

I also spoke with students pursuing associate’s degrees in outdoor leadership who had come to Valdez from throughout the country. While the outdoor leadership program is not free, it is relatively affordable. 

Kat Pugh completed the marine natural resource technician certificate, and you might see her on the docks this summer. She will stay in Valdez as a fisheries port sampler for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. 

Lysette Doran earned a certificate as a marine technician. At just 4’11”, she may not fit the stereotype of a mechanic, but she said her diminutive stature is extremely helpful for getting into the small spaces of boats. She said she already has more work working on small engines than she has time for. Lysette just finished the marine natural resource technician certificate, and hopes learning about the marine environment will help her adopt good environmental practices in her work. Lysette is originally from North Pole and is in her home school high school class of 2024. 

While Lysette is a youngster, Brittany Kuzma is coming into science as a second career. She had volunteered with a citizen science beluga watch program in Anchorage, and “I kept asking questions. They said, ‘You should go to school.’” She has enjoyed every opportunity available to learn at the college, and will travel to Finland this summer on a fellowship to participate in an ecology project. She said she is in the “following my yes” phase of life.