Gallery • 18 Photos

Pannebaker overlooking the village of Gambell in the background

When 2012 Tyrone alum Courtland Pannebaker first arrived in Gambell, Alaska, almost ten years ago to teach preK at one of the most remote public schools in the United States, he didn’t know how long he would stay.

After all, teacher turnover in the remote Alaskan community, just 36 nautical miles from Russia, is incredibly high.

“Teachers have been known to step off the plane, look around, and get back on,” Pannebaker told the Eagle Eye back in 2021.

But Pannebaker is no quitter, and he promised himself he would stay for the entire school year.

Then, something about the place, its culture, and especially its people, clicked.

After the first school year ended, he signed up for another, then another, and another still, and this fall, Pannebaker will return to the island for his 10th school year.

This achievement is rare, given that the only other person with ten or more years of teaching experience in Gambell was a coworker of Pannebaker who stayed over 20 years. Other than that, the longest tenure of a teacher on the island in recent memory is five years.

Pannebaker first learned about teaching opportunities in Gambell at a job fair at Penn State Altoona shortly after he graduated. On a whim, he interviewed and was offered a job within several days.

“I always had an interest in traveling, and Alaska was always one of those states where it’s just like ‘wow, I would love to end up in Alaska somehow,’” said Pannebaker.

School district officials warned him that Gambell was not a “favorable location” for most teaching candidates, but Pannebaker’s sense of adventure as a former Boy Scout and avid outdoorsman kicked in. It was just the adventure the then 22-year-old was looking for.

He soon fell in love with the environment and the native Yupik people, and has been there ever since.

“It’s just been the adventure. I love it here. I like the toughness… Everything is a challenge,” said Pannebaker.

Less than 1,500 people live in the island’s two villages, Gambell and Savoonga. People get around the island by boat, ATV, or on foot. St. Lawrence Island is so remote that almost everything, including food, must be delivered by airplane.

Fresh fruit and vegetables are a luxury that cannot often be purchased, and when available, they are expensive. Internet access can be spotty, and residents might even wake up to find a polar bear outside their door. It’s light almost 24 hours a day in the summer, and dark for as many as 20 hours a day in the winter.

The Yupik people have inhabited the island for thousands of years and live a subsistence lifestyle that relies heavily on harvesting whales, seals, walrus, and fish from the Arctic Ocean.

Pannebaker’s mom, LeeAnn, recognizes these difficulties and admires her son’s dedication.

“I realize living where he lives can be difficult both financially and mentally, so I do worry,” said LeeAnn Pannebaker. “We try to be supportive of whatever choice he decides to make in his career. When he was going to college, I never dreamed he would choose to teach in Alaska.”

What was once a spontaneous decision has become an incredible opportunity for which Pannebaker’s mom is grateful, but she didn’t expect this particular adventure to last this long.

“When [Courtland] first approached us about the opportunity, he said, ‘It’s a yearly contract, so I’ll just come back when I’m done checking it out or if it doesn’t work out’. Well, 10 years later, I guess he isn’t ‘done’ yet,” LeeAnn said.

Pannebaker has learned a lot about the culture of the native Yupiks, who embraced him warmly into their community. He’s even been able to pick up parts of their language and customs like dancing.

“The people are amazing. I like learning new languages…I do value the language, and I don’t want them to lose it. I think it’s really cool that we have multiple languages. That’s really hard to create,” said Pannebaker.

At a recent community event, Pannebaker participated in a version of a native Yupik dance that was posted on TikTok and reposted by the Eagle Eye (click the video linked above).

“The dance that was shared was a celebration dance called Atuq, the dances tell stories and explains past hunts and ways of life. There was originally no written language for Yupik, so these dances held great significance to pass on knowledge. I participated in a freestyle version of the dance, so I had the freedom to create unique moves this time,” Pannebaker said.

He’s continued to devote as much of his free time as possible to being outside, learning the Yupik’s hunting, fishing, and other native traditions.

The decision to return for a tenth year wasn’t easy. He seriously weighed other career opportunities before deciding to return for a tenth year.

Thanks to his experience, Pannebaker was offered an administrative position that would allow him to visit the district’s other islands to support fellow teachers. Pannebaker enjoys travelling to the other villages because he gets to interact with new people, languages, and backgrounds.

But in the end, he felt a loyalty and responsibility to the people of Gambell to return for at least one more year.

“I think his love of the culture, community, and the children keeps him going back,” said LeeAnn Pannebaker.

Before making his decision to return, he contemplated remaining 3,843 miles away from home for another year.

“I had a lot of thinking to do, if I want to return to Alaska, or maybe go teach in Hawaii, or return to Tyrone,” Pannebaker said.

Pannebaker recently purchased his grandfather’s house in Tyrone, making the decision to return to Gambell even harder.

His family would love to have him back home, but remains strong and supportive of his journey.

“Each year, I think ‘this is the year’ that he will return. However, each year he feels a connection to his students, and wants to see them succeed, so he decides to return for yet another year,” said LeeAnn Pannebaker.

With nine years behind him and a tenth about to begin, Pannebaker is starting to look ahead.

“I’m definitely getting closer to the end of my time being here. I think when I originally came, it was supposed to be one year and it’s become nine,” said Pannebaker. “It’s been an incredible journey, but I just think it’s almost time to do something new.”

Until then, Pannebaker is looking forward to his tenth year in Alaska.

“Every day is an adventure,” said Pannebaker.