Prince of Wales Island sits at the southern tip of Alaska’s Alexander Archipelago, its dense forests and tiny communities accessible only by boat or an hour’s float plane flight from Ketchikan. …At six public schools across the island, the installation of modern wood heating systems has fueled a surge of energy savings, student entrepreneurship and, surprisingly, improved nutrition. By switching from expensive heating oil to wood heat, schools save money and students and residents earn pocket money by cutting firewood and stoking the boilers. …Across Alaska, 13 schools heat with wood and two more under construction. Statewide, 39 modern wood heat systems are operating, most with strong performance records. …But the local employment benefits of using wood heat are reliable and significant. The twin desires to provide local jobs and bolster local self-reliance motivate community wood heat champions.