Palmer, Alaska
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Remington Buckley, Tlingit, is passionate about his home state of Alaska and dreams of becoming a wildlife ranger one day. Although he is still in high school, ANSEP has put Remington on the fast track to a STEM career. He first became involved with ANSEP in sixth grade when he completed Middle School Academy. He then continued through the ANSEP pipeline and attended two STEM Career Exploration sessions. Now Remington is a full-time ANSEP student at Acceleration High School in Wasilla. We caught up with him to see how it’s going.
ANSEP: Tell us about how school is going this year at ANSEP Acceleration High School.
Remington: At Acceleration High School, I am taking upper-level, advanced classes that aren’t available at other schools. It is challenging, but I really enjoy how much I’m learning.
ANSEP: What is your favorite part about ANSEP?
Remington: ANSEP puts you ahead. Excelling beyond students my own age and already earning college credits is a huge confidence boost.
ANSEP: What is the biggest challenge ANSEP has helped you overcome?
Remington: Math used to be very challenging for me. At Acceleration High School, we attend recitations each Monday and Wednesday, and we work as a group to learn materials. Then, on Friday, the teachers provide one-on-one tutoring. With the support of my peers and teachers, I now enjoy math and am pretty good at it!
ANSEP: How is ANSEP helping you prepare for college and a career?
Remington: It is really cool that, as a freshman in high school, I’m already taking college-level courses. Many of my classes, like biology and wildlife sciences, are directly preparing me for my future career, too!
ANSEP: At this rate, you could graduate high school early. Is that your plan?
Remington: My teachers are inspiring, and I love being surrounded by other STEM-focused students. I am enjoying high school so much that I want to stay for four years and earn additional college credits.
ANSEP: What are you plans for the future?
Remington: I want to stay in Alaska and work as either a state trooper or fish and wildlife ranger. Protecting and conserving Alaska is very important to me.
When Remington isn’t working toward his college degree, he just enjoys being a typical Alaskan boy, engaging in activities like hunting, fishing and playing video games with his friends. ANSEP Acceleration High School has a 92 percent success rate. At his current pace, Remington could graduate high school with as many as 40 college credits!
A similar component is also coming to the University of Alaska Anchorage this fall as a full-time opportunity with ANSEP’s new Acceleration Academy (UAA). Students begin taking college courses immediately following eighth-grade, with the opportunity to earn credits toward bachelor degrees in science, engineering, business, education and many others.
