- Elizabeth Harrington

Michael Kellogg: Man of Values

       

         Within the first five minutes of our interview, I learned only a few superficial facts about the life of a man named Michael Kellogg. However, by the end of not only a journey on the Alaskan roads, but a journey through the mind of this native Marshall man, I found myself lost in the deep thoughts and opinions of Michael.
         Currently, Michael is a driver on our AGLP trip. He is a huge asset to our group, providing knowledge, humor, and musical talent. This is not Michael’s first journey to Alaska, however. He tagged along with the group in 1991 and 1992 as an eighth and then as a ninth grader.
         The trip was much different then than it is now. Michael made his first journey to Alaska shortly after the Exxon Valdez oil spill. At that point, the spill was so fresh that the group participants spent a lot of time exploring and digging on the beaches. Michael enjoyed counting organisms and commented, “That’s the thing I miss right now, I’d love to be down there.”
         When asked what got him interested in traveling to Alaska, Michael replied that, “It was kind of a transformative year for me… academically.” He further explained that he was in tune to environmental issues after studying science under AGLP leader Mr. Rosene. He was excited to go to a new place and experience it with fourteen or fifteen other people- he said that there was no question in his mind- he had to go.
          I was curious about the differences and similarities between his first two trips and the one he is currently partaking in. Michael says that there has always been a huge writing component to the trip. There has always been journaling involved in the trip. In fact, Michael remarked, he received his eighth grade journal back from Mr. Rosene about one year ago. He remembers that there was a photography committee then, but was not sure whether there was a journalism or interviewing committee. He noted that there was more science integrated into the trip then, but he likes a lot of the newer aspects to the trip. He is quite fascinated with the podcasting committee, and appreciates the leaders teaching the eighth grade participants. He told me that he thinks that the evolution of the trip is amazing.
         Michael had a great experience with his first journey to Alaska. He enjoyed discovering organisms on the beach and meeting Native Alaskans. He claims that the AGLP trips gave him confidence in doing things he liked. It inspired him to do work that he liked and gave him strength to be away from home.
         The AGLP project, Michael tells me in words that almost sound composed, has been part of the big picture of where he has been and what he has done. It has motivated him to travel and do things without direction, as well as helped with his inner confidence. It has helped bring to him self- direction and, “knowing what I want and figuring out how to get it.”
         Since his first two trips to the Last Frontier, Michael has done many things that were a result of the confidence AGLP gave him. In high school, Michael visited his uncle (who is also his mentor) in Washington, and traveled across the sea to Germany as an exchange student for two months. His junior year in college, Michael lived in Africa, and after graduating from Kalamazoo College, moved to Vermont, where he lives and teaches today. He is actively involved with the Land and Sea program that takes students to Ontario.
         During college and after, Michael worked to set up a compost department and taught many people about it. The majority of the people he taught were kids. As he taught them about the waste in the regulatory system, he fell in love with elementary kids (in particular, third, fourth, and fifth graders).
         Michael moved to Vermont to get out of Michigan. At that point, he was familiar with traveling, so it was an easy mental jump. There were many job opportunities, and he got an interview for a job with third graders over the phone. It went well, so he flew to a follow- up interview. He liked the location, “so I went for it.” 
         Now, as a teacher, Michael helps his students with emotional edgework and group skills. He likes to teach about the issues of the world. He is engaged with them and enjoys taking meaningful action. He states that it is possible to take action wherever you are, but there is something “inherently powerful” about going somewhere to learn. Michael uses this often in his teaching.
         When asked what his favorite thing about teaching is, Michael filled me with his thoughts and opinions about his career before he found his answer. He explained that his philosophy about teaching is giving kids the tools and getting out of the way. He helps this students figure out what is important to them and how to communicate that. He says that ultimately, kids benefit more from learning how to teach themselves. When I questioned the source of this theory, Michael answered that AGLP helped to bring it out. Some of it was already there, but a lot of it was highlighted by his trip to Alaska. It was a matter of “nature verses nurture.” H went on to say that, “it’s all complex.” When it came down to it, Michael said, “My time is much better spent helping others.”  In the end, he stated that his favorite thing about teaching is watching kids help themselves.
         So how did Michael get from Vermont to sitting next to me in a van driving down an Alaskan road? A couple of years ago, his sister got married, and Mr. Rosene attended the wedding. While there, he asked when Michael would be returning to Alaska with the AGLP group. They decided that this summer would be great timing. For Michael, his past trips proved to set a new trajectory for the rest of his life.  
         As a teacher, Michael has set goals for his students that are partly a result of what he took away from his AGLP trips. He wants his students to be able to discover their own skills and potential- just like he did. He likes to teach his kids about living environments and world cultures through traveling to places outside the classroom. He feels it gives them a chance to use their skills in an authentic place.
         Michael’s goal for this trip is to find inspiration, ideas, and get feedback from Mr. Rosene on his teaching theories. When asked whether he had met any of these goals, Michael replied tat he immediately found inspiration. He found affirmation that older peers teaching younger peers is a good thing. He hasn’t yet received a lot of feedback from Mr. Rosene, but he has talked with him about the beginning of the Alaska Great Lakes Project, and its evolution.
         Michael remarked that he is impressed and inspired by the podcasting committee, and with the high school students guiding the participants. He notes that it is the same program that he first participated in, but everyone learns different things and takes away from it different things. From this comment, Michael continued to tell me that he sees examples of this in the Land and Sea program he participates in.
         Michael has taken the year off of this program to journey with our group to Alaska. He does not yet know whether he will return to this wild country, but as for this trip, he is having a great time so far. He really enjoyed the Midnight Sun Run. He liked seeing everyone setting goals and pushing themselves. He also enjoyed the baseball game, the bus tour through Denali National Park, ad climbing Mt. Healy. The fact that everyone sets goals (both individual and group goals) and works together, are aspects of the trip Michael is quite fond of.
         Another part of the trip that Michael (as well as most of the other participants) admires, is the fact that a lot of people who would normally never talk, become very close on the trip and that walls come down. We both agree that people are more receptive, and that this group of acquaintances becomes family by the end of our three- week adventure.
         For him, even though the trip is only a three-week experience, it is something that has had an effect, and will continue to effect the life of Michael Kellogg- Man of Values.