Last Saturday we talked on the phone with the head of an archeological dig planned for this summer in Yukon Territory, Canada. Aly had contacted him by email, and sent him her unschool transcripts, a personal essay, and letters of recommendation for his consideration. The one possible challenge is that she should be 18 to participate in the program (which is, after all, a 200 level college course). She will not turn 18 until 4 days after the session ends. After reviewing her material and learning about her background, he expressed his confidence that Aly’s ideally suited to participate! We’re all very excited. As Aly said, it’s “this year’s opportunity of a lifetime!”The dig will be near Beaver Creek, up the ALCAN a ways north of Haines Junction. We’ve become somewhat familiar with the area in recent years. The professor assured Michelle and me that they maintain guest quarters at the dig each year, and that we’d be welcome to visit. He went on to say that at the end of the session, they all go up to Dawson for the music festival there, and urged us to come along. All work and no play, as they say . . . .
We’re really pleased about this. We wanted Aly to find some sort of archeological activity this summer, but we hadn’t thought she’d find one relatively close to home. When she completes the course she’ll enter college in the fall with additional college credits under her belt. Not only that, but the University sponsoring the dig is a very attractive “fall back” college, just in case she doesn’t get accepted for her first choice. If she attended college in Canada, we’d be more likely to see her at Thanksgiving and Christmas this year. Assuming she’ll be accepted at her first choice, we’re expecting that she will not be able to join us for these, or other holidays. We really want her to go to her first choice, but second best offers some nice perks!
But that’s for later. For now, she’s preparing her application for the summer dig, and getting very excited about heading to Canada later this year.