Located on the Noatak River, Noatak is 50 miles north of Kotzebue and 70 miles above the Arctic Circle. Settled by three different Inupiaq groups, the rich resources of the area have made it a site for hunting and fishing camps for over 5,000 years. Home to about 515 people, Noatak has a relatively new school that was built in 2008. The school serves about 147 students, 97% of whom are Alaskan Native. All elementary students participate in a bilingual course.