Good teachers are on the lookout for opportunities to expand their knowledge, and it would be hard to find a more appealing "classroom" than Alaska's Denali National Park and Preserve in the summer. Teachers can apply now for scholarships for seminars and training in the park next summer.

The scholarships will be awarded to teachers by the Murie Science and Learning Center, using funds provided by Alaska Geographic. The program covers accredited trainings and seminars that will take place in Denali National Park and Preserve.

These field-based courses are small group intensives that expose teachers to science, research, and educational opportunities using Denali as their classroom. Most courses are three days in length. Professional development credit (1-3 hours) is made available through the University of Alaska.

The scholarship awards cover 75% of the course tuition and University credit fee. Up to four scholarships in 2010 will cover 100% of the tuition and provide a $400 travel stipend for teachers of rural Alaska schools. The scholarship program is only available to full-time k-12 teachers within the United States.

The application deadline is January 4, 2010, and additional information and an application is available from the Murie Science and Learning Center website.

Teacher training sessions covered by the scholarships include the Geology of Denali (July 19-21), Science Writing in the Heart of Denali (June 28 - July 1), and iMovie:Movie-making & Podcasting in Denali (July 7-9).

Over a dozen field seminars will also be held during June, July and August on topics including birds, wildflowers, landscape painting, wildlife tracking and signs, and geology. You'll find a complete list of the field seminars at this link.

These small-group courses and science workshops bring participants into the field to explore the subject matter ‘up-close and personal’. These courses are led by distinguished biologists, botanists, geologists, published authors and excellent naturalists that take participants on a behind-the-scenes exploration of Denali.

The Murie Science and Learning Center is a collaborative between the National Park Service and several non-governmental partners. Alaska Geographic is the major funding source for the center. The center’s mission is to provide research, discovery, and learning opportunities within northern Alaska National Parks to promote understanding, appreciation, and caring for our national and cultural heritage.

Alaska Geographic is a non-profit bookstore, publisher, educator, and supporter of Alaska’s magnificent parks, forests, and refuges. The organization "provides extensive resources and information for planning an Alaska adventure, offer a range of classes and interpretive programs, and help people deepen their understanding of our magnificent state."

For additional information or questions about the scholarships, email courses@murieslc.org or call (907) 683-1269.

Attendance at both the Teacher Training sessions and the Field Seminars isn't limited to those receiving scholarships, and applications for those programs will open on Monday, January 11, 2010, at 9:00 a.m. You'll find additional information about all of these educational opportunities on the website for the Murie Science and Learning Center.