Community-Engaged Fellowship spotlight: Dawn Smith

Dawn Smith spent her summer leading a coastal science camp and developing educational resources as part of the Alaska Sea Grant Community-Engaged Fellowship program. Her work centered in Whittier, Alaska, where she helped connect middle-school students with their local environment through hands-on learning.

Smith led the Coastal Connections Camp, a “Camp-in-a-Box” program that nurtures students’ cognitive, social, emotional and physical development. The camp activities included nature hiking, hands-on science, art, team building, cultural connections and building personal resilience.

“Working with Alaska Sea Grant allowed me to see how teaching and science intersect in meaningful ways,” Smith said. “Helping students explore streams, identify macroinvertebrates, and connect science concepts to the local environment was an experience I’ll carry into my future classroom.”

Leigh Lubin, a marine education specialist with Alaska Sea Grant and Smith’s fellowship mentor, praised her contributions to the program. “Our approach really helps students engage with science in ways that feel relevant and meaningful,” Lubin said. “It was exciting to see Dawn bring that approach to life in Whittier.”

In addition to camp leadership, Smith helped improve camp resources and the Alaska Waters K–8 curriculum website, ensuring that the resources developed would remain useful for schools and cultural organizations after the summer ended.

Smith is pursuing an undergraduate degree in K–8 special education with a focus in science at the University of Alaska Anchorage and the University of Alaska Southeast. “This fellowship was such a meaningful opportunity,” she said. “I gained knowledge and skills I can carry into the classroom and use to inspire my students.”