Alaska's geographic position at the crossroads between East and West and heavy trade with Japan have sparked widespread interest among Alaskans in education about Pacific Rim countries. In 1985 the Alaska Sister Schools Network was formed by the Alaska Department of Education and the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, to create opportunities for Alaskan students to experience the cultural and economic perspectives of their Pacific Rim neighbors. By 1989, 143 of Alaska's 543 schools had participated in the network. Most partnerships have been with schools in Japan (83), followed by the People's Republic of China (29), Australia (21), New Zealand (6), the Soviet Union (6), Korea (3), and the Philippines (2). Three levels of partnership encompass: (1) initial acquaintance, correspondence, and exchange of materials; (2) curriculum development that focuses on the culture, language, and economies of partner countries; and (3) actual visits by students, staff, and parents. In preparing curricula, network developers sought to feature comparative aspects of gender between cultures and worked with the state Office of Equity Education to meet state mandates concerning sex fairness. Resource kits providing 3-week units of study were developed that integrate issues of sex equity into experiential education about Japan, China, the Philippines, Australia, and the Soviet Union. (SV)