For many Alaskans, going back to school is an exciting time of year. Students are excited to see their friends and take on new challenges. And parents are proud — even sometimes a bit relieved — as their children get back on the bus after a busy Alaska summer. It’s a fresh start, a chance to build on past experience and an opportunity to develop new skills and knowledge.

But parents and teachers know that the learning doesn’t stop when the students aren’t in school. And what youths learn at home, at camp, or out in the Alaska outdoors can have a big impact on how a child performs in the classroom. Just as those experiences cannot, and should not, be standardized, students are not standardized either. As any parent knows, what works for one doesn’t necessarily work for another. And not all kids share the same opportunities or challenges.