K-Beach Elementary class wins contest to name new police dog

  • By KAT SORENSEN
  • Sunday, May 21, 2017 7:45pm
  • News
Alaska’s newest drug detection canine will be named Mak thanks to a suggestion from Hannah Dolphin’s sixth-grade class at Kalifornsky Beach Elementary School. (Photo Courtesy Office of the Governor)

Alaska’s newest drug detection canine will be named Mak thanks to a suggestion from Hannah Dolphin’s sixth-grade class at Kalifornsky Beach Elementary School. (Photo Courtesy Office of the Governor)

Move over, Fido — there’s a new dog in town, and his name is Mak, thanks to the students at Kalifornsky Beach Elementary School.

Mak and his pal M.O.C.H.A were named as a part of the Gov. Bill Walker’s Safer Alaska Initiative. The governor asked sixth-grade students across the state to recommend names for the two dogs via a Facebook poll. The name Mak, short for Kachemak Bay, was suggested by Hannah Dolphin’s class at Kalifornsky Beach Elementary.

M.O.C.H.A., an acronym which stands for meth, opiods, cocaine, heroin and Alaska, was suggested by Ryan Engebretsen’s class at Teeland Middle School in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District.

“M.O.C.H.A. and Mak will play important, integral roles in our efforts to create a safer Alaska,” Walker said in a release. “I’m so grateful for the participation of Alaska sixth-graders and citizens across the state in selecting these names. I look forward to seeing the important work these new dogs will do.”

Dolphin said her students started brainstorming ideas as soon as they heard about the competition. The name Mak was put forth by student Karley Johnson.

“Karley shared that she thought of the name when considering the times she has gone fishing with her dad in Kachemak Bay,” Dolphin said. “We also thought, ‘Catch ‘Em, Mak’ is a fun play on the word Kachemak.”

The class suggested the name and soon found out that Mak was in the top three contenders.

“We emailed and encouraged everyone we knew to vote for Mak,” Dolphin said.

The new names were announced May 16. There were more than 70 potential names submitted by sixth-graders, according to the release.

“The state troopers will use the K9s to help detect opioids and other drugs in a variety of places across the state in continued efforts to tamp down on drug use and trafficking,” the release states.

Dolphin said the contest was a great opportunity to involve students in law enforcement.

“The students at K-Beach work closely with law enforcement, specifically the Soldotna Police Department,” she said. “This competition was another great way to foster positive relationships between our students and law enforcement.”

Reach Kat Sorensen at kat.sorensen@peninsulaclarion.com.

More in News

tease
Man arrested for 3 shooting incidents at reproductive clinic, recovery org

Homer’s Kachemak Bay Family Planning Clinic was targeted twice Monday

Students sing “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee” at Mountain View Elementary in Kenai, Alaska, during a celebration of Veterans Day on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Mountain View Elementary recognizes Veterans Day

During a celebration of Veterans Day at Mountain View Elementary School on… Continue reading

The Kenai Municipal Airport is seen on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai misses out on grant for proposed Seattle air service

City officials look to reapply next year

The Kenai Peninsula College main entrance on Aug. 18, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Chiappone and Dunstan to speak at the KPC Showcase

Kenai Peninsula College continues its showcase with two new speakers this week and next

U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, D-Alaska, talks about issues of concern regarding the proposed merger of supermarket chains Kroger and Albertsons during a floor speech in the House chamber on Wednesday. (Screenshot from official U.S. House of Representatives video feed)
Begich leads in early results, but Alaska’s U.S. House race won’t be immediately decided

About 245,000 ballots had been counted by 11:32 p.m., and Peltola trailed by about 5 percentage points

The Alaska governor’s mansion on Wednesday. Gov. Mike Dunleavy is considered a contender for a post in Donald Trump’s second presidential administration. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Election summary: Trump wins, GOP takes over U.S. Senate, Alaska may get new governor

Begich and repeal of ranked choice voting narrowly lead; GOP may lose control of state House.

Nesbett Courthouse in downtown Anchorage on Oct. 7, 2024. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
Voters line up at the polling site at Anchorage City Hall on Nov. 4, 2024. City Hall was one of the designated early voting sites in Alaska’s largest city. It is not a designated site for Election Day voting. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
Alaska Republicans lose two seats in state House, increasing odds of leadership switch

Rural Alaska precincts had reported few results by 11:30 p.m. Tuesday night.

Most Read