Cradled on a three-mile-long gravel spit within the Kobuk, Noatak, and Selawik Rivers, Kotzebue is about 30 miles north of the Arctic Circle on the Baldwin Peninsula. Originally a trading site for local Native People for over 600 years, Kotzebue remains a hub for the area and is the first stop for travelers heading to the villages. It contains grocery stores, restaurants, a bank, a regional hospital, multiple airlines, a University of Alaska campus, and the District Office, as well as a mix of cultures and religions. KMHS (middle/high school) and JNES (June Nelson Elementary School) are the largest schools in the district, with 394 students enrolled at JNES and 309 students enrolled at KMHS.