Alaska boy's 4-H project goes global
KENAI - Eleven-year-old Walker Boyle is working to help one big problem in a place far away - and so far people have been more than willing to help.
His 4-H project goal is to collect 400 children's books to send to elementary school students in Madina Village, Papua New Guinea.
"4-H is teaching kids there is a bigger world - with more problems than here," said Debbie Boyle, Walker's mother.
Walker's Nikiski Funky Farmers 4-H Club is supported by the state government through the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Private businesses, individuals and foundations also provide support.
In his first week, he collected 208 books, mostly from relatives. Now, the word is out at Kenai Peninsula schools, and the response is positive.
West Homer Elementary cleaned out a storage area and found some English textbooks, reading books and health books; the school is sending nine boxes of educational books to Walker.
At this point, Walker said he believes he probably will get more than the original goal of 400.
"I underestimated it," he said.
Walker learned about Madina Village from his uncle, linguist Craig Volker, who spent several years working with elders in the village on preservation of the Nalik language.
Volker actually created a Nalik writing system about 15 years ago, Boyle said.
With Volker's system, the village teaches Nalik and then students go to a government school to learn English.
"These are good changes, with academic results and student interest in schooling improving greatly," Volker said.
However, the country's economy has dropped and the amount of money given to the village schools has decreased.
"All this means is no books," Volker said.
The teachers plan to either adapt the younger children's books to Nalik, by translating the words, or use the books as they are for teaching English.
Walker realizes he will probably exceed his goal, with Seward, Nikiski, West Homer, North Star and Sterling elementary schools and Kenai Middle School all interested in helping educate children across the world.
"We can overcome having too many books," Boyle said.
Walker is asking different organizations to help cover shipping costs.