HUMAN

Name: Annie McGuire

Residence: Skokie, Illinois

Age: 34

Occupation: I am a fourth grade teacher.

Years involved with Iditarod: I’ve been involved Iditarod for seven years, but I’ve been teaching it for 13 but formally involved for seven years. My role in Iditarod, I was the 2017 Iditarod teacher on the trail, and I’ve stayed involved with the education department.

Iditarod Role: Teacher

Current Location: Lakefront Hotel, Anchorage, Alaska
Date of Photo: March 3, 2022

Temperature: 68 F Indoors

What, who or how and when did you first get involved with the Iditarod?

I first became involved with Iditarod up in Alaska seven years ago when I attended the education summer conference, but I have been teaching with it since I started teaching 13 years ago and use it as a teaching tool with my students.

What is your Why? Why are you here TODAY and involved with the Iditarod?

I am here today and involved with Iditarod because I am helping with the education winter conference as a presenter and helping run the conference.

Tell me about just one of your most memorable Iditarod experiences.

One of my most memorable Iditarod experiences was when I was in Tanana in 2017, and I was sitting eating breakfast and working on my blog post, and I was really focused on my computer. And as people were shifting at the table and I looked up and it was like Joe Runyon and DeeDee Jonrowe and like all these Iditarod greats. And I was like, “Oh my goodness, this is amazing.” And so I just closed my computer and listened to everything they had to say. And it was really awesome.

What do you know for sure?

What I know in life for sure is that leaving the comfort zone and going out and exploring is worth everything and enriches you for the best.