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Alaskan Wild: Gilman Teacher Will Attend Sled Dog Race, Iditarod

BALTIMORE (WJZ)—North to Alaska. It's the trip of a lifetime. A teacher at Gilman School is preparing to be a big part of next year's Iditarod.

Ron Matz has more on the teacher on the trail.

At Gilman School, there's lots of excitement.

Students in Jen Reiter's third grade class have been learning about the Iditarod. Now Mrs. Reiter has been chosen to educate kids around the world about the 2014 race 1,000 miles through the Alaskan wilderness.

"To be at the Iditarod as an educator and to be there to bring to life for my kids and what they've studied and what they're interested in is really phenomenal," Reiter said.

There's a stuffed white toy Husky in her classroom, Iditarod posters, too. The race is used as an educational theme.

"It's pretty exciting. It's definitely the chance of a lifetime," Reiter said.

Reiter has attended the race twice before and her allergy to dogs hasn't been a problem.

"It's a great sport for the boys to learn about," she said. "It's the only sport where men and women compete equally. It doesn't matter how old you are. This year's winner was the oldest winner ever. Last year's winner was the youngest winner ever. It happened to be father and son. The stories that come out of it are just fascinating."

Reiter has an official Iditarod jacket. She'll be in Alaska for five weeks.

"Anytime you have Alaska and wilderness and dogs and competition, kids eat it up. It's been a really neat teaching tool," she said.

Reiter will attend a summer camp in Alaska in June. She'll return for the Iditarod in February.

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