The Mat-Su Borough is a vast geographical area located 30 miles north of Anchorage with just over 55,000 residents. Mat-Su is unique in rural Alaska for its ethnic makeup. The area is famous for growing marijuana, which is the chief crop of the valley. The Mat-Su District serves 12,727 students in 29 schools spread over 24,000 square miles.
Some schools are only accessible by dog sled, airplane or boat.
School officials estimate there are at least 1,000 school-aged children not enrolled in school. Because of limited resources, the district lacks social workers and necessary mental health services for at risk youth. As a result of various forms of commuting, many adolescent children are left unsupervised with little to do. There are no youth recreation centers, few after school programs, and no public transportation. MAP's goals are to promote healthy childhood learning and development, and to prevent violence and alcohol and other drug abuse among the youth in the valley.