When Meghan Redmond first flew into Twin Hills—a Yup’ik village of 80 people tucked along Alaska’s western coast—she thought she’d stay for a year, gain some experience, and move on.
Instead, she spent six years teaching multiple grades and subjects in a school with barely 20 students, finding joy not just in the lessons taught, but in the community life that surrounded them. From fishing trips with students to berry picking with families, she discovered that in Alaska, teaching doesn’t end when the school bell rings.
By her second year teaching in Alaska, Meghan was entrusted as the lead teacher, a responsibility she took on at just 26.
That lead teacher role sparked a decade-long leadership journey that eventually made her an assistant principal—and later, the Alaska Assistant Principal of the Year. Soon after, she earned national recognition as the NASSP Assistant Principal of the Year, a testament to how quickly careers can grow in Alaska’s schools when educators commit to their communities.
She’s also quick to point out that Alaska’s school districts understand what new teachers need: cultural introductions, logistical support for bush living, and colleagues who step in to help solve the daily puzzles of life far from big-box stores and highways. And while the challenges are real, Meghan insists they’re outweighed by the rewards—both professional and deeply personal.
Looking back, Meghan says the decision to take a chance on Alaska gave her more than a job. It gave her a life of adventure, meaningful relationships, and the chance to make a difference she never imagined possible back in Wisconsin. And though her path has taken her beyond those tiny villages, the communities she taught in—and the students who taught her just as much in return—remain at the heart of why she stays.