Douglas is a Native Tlingit freestyle rap artist. He frequently raps about his home of Klukwan. He is an advocate for music, his peers, for Native Alaskans, Tlingit culture and creatives everywhere. He speaks with intent in his raps and is always looking for solutions despite living though and enduring very troubling experiences.
Robert is involved in the Alyeska Ski Club and is a participant in the Native Games and the World Eskimo Indian Olympics. He voluntarily teaches and coaches his fellow ski team members in the Native Games. He has worked with local media to set trapping regulations for the State of Alaska in order to make trapping safer for others in the community. He also started his own business to sharpen knives and has designed and made his own traditional knives.
Mia helps to beautify Cordova by picking invasive species and helping to maintain the local native plant garden. She helps with community recycling efforts and to organize a youth-led march to garner support and attention for climate change. She is also an advocate for her generation — she serves as the student council representative to the School Board. Through all of her experiences and accomplishments, she remains level-headed, calm, reflective and enthusiastic for the next opportunity.
E has been a powerful example of LGBTQ inclusion. During the first year with the Anchorage Youth Symphony, E was instrumental in crafting Alaska Youth Orchestra’s revised Concert Black attire requirements, setting a nationwide example of this classical music norm, which has historically been gender specific. That revised policy has been shared with every youth symphony organization in the United States and has been used as the new standard for gender inclusive policy within that sector.
Hannah Yi and Sophie Mayers were instrumental at West High School in reviving the YANA club (You are Not Alone) after the pandemic and students returned to in-person learning. Once clubs restarted this fall (2021), Sophia and Hannah were the main students who picked up the work that had been left off. They also have put a lot of effort into restarting the presentations for classes and have recruited a team of students to make those presentations in February.
Sophie Mayers and Hannah Yi were instrumental at West High School in reviving the YANA club (You are Not Alone) after the pandemic and students returned to in-person learning. Once clubs restarted this fall (2021), Sophia and Hannah were the main students who picked up the work that had been left off. They also have put a lot of effort into restarting the presentations for classes and have recruited a team of students to make those presentations in February.
Jack organized, fundraised, bought, built and painted a work shed for Knik Little League. Knik Little League is a community-run nonprofit sponsored by the Eagle River Lions Club. It is run by volunteers. Without it, there would be no baseball for children in the Eagle River community. The shed Jack built is used to store lawn maintenance equipment. Jack is also a chairman of the National Honor Society at his high school.
In addition to being an Olympic swimmer (she won the gold medal in the 100 meter breaststroke and the silver medal in the 4 x 100 meter medley relay at the 2020 Summer Olympics), Lydia is unassuming and has extended herself to the Seward Community in various capacities. She makes an effort to encourage other youth to reach for their goals, pointing out that they are accessible through dedication and practice.
Kji displays perseverance in helping others by overcoming obstacles great and small. She is a member of Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) and has assisted native youth in exploring, learning about and engaging in the stewardship of their ancestral homelands. Kji also became an advocate for the Black Lives Matter movement. She has initiated many in-depth conversations about racism towards people of color and has helped to broaden the perspectives of those around her.
Anna has been on the Challenge Alaska Alpine Race Team since she was 8 years old (she began skiing at age 2). She has been the only middle-school-aged disabled athlete to compete among her peers in school sports such as cross-country running (in a handcycle) and Nordic skiing (in a sit-ski). She has been a frequent spokesperson for Challenge Alaska, and at age 6 was in the first feature-length, all-female alpine ski movie representing young girls and disabled athletes (Pretty Faces).
Alaina started a program called Operation Sweet Support, where she assembled care boxes for Alaskan troops stationed abroad. She was able to raise over $5,000, located private contributors and had the military fund one of the three shipments. Over 200 boxes were packed and shipped.
Sarah is one of the first females in the nation to earn her Eagle Scout badge. Two years ago, when the Boy Scouts allowed females to join, Sarah’s goal was to become an Eagle Scout. Only 6 percent of Boy Scouts receive this achievement, and Sarah is one of the very few women. She is in the Inaugural class of female Eagle Scouts Nation wide.
Ryann is a member of Student Council, Native Youth Olympics, a Sources of Strength youth leader at school, and a teen member on the Port Graham Native Council. Ryann also independently created artwork for a sweatshirt that amplified the voices of missing and murdered indigenous women.
For over twenty five years, Teen Council has provided teen leaders with comprehensive, medically-accurate sexual health training, empowering them to become non-judgmental resources to their peers through both formal presentations and informal social interactions. Members improve the quality of life of peers through direct instruction and informal conversations.
Darby has been a key member within the Youth for Sustainable Futures group and is a vocal advocate in addressing the climate crisis in Sitka and nationally. Her passion, knowledge and commitment to addressing the crisis with real solutions, concrete actions and science-based details has been nothing short of professional.
Anchorage Youth Court (AYC) has a mixed youth and adult Board of Directors. They currently have 10 youth board members, all in high school, and all active AYC volunteers. AYC youth board members attend monthly board meetings and bi-monthly committee meetings. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, AYC youth board members have really stepped up to engage their peers and improve the lives of their fellow teens.
Kinley is active in her church’s youth and early childhood programs. She is always patient and caring to children and has taken care of many special needs kids. During her lunch period, she created a Bible study to reach those she didn’t know. She baked the night before while balancing school and work so those without food could be included.
Alana is the President of the National Honor Society chapter at Steller, and she is also leading a Youth Volunteers program that involves delivering food monthly to Fairview Recreation Center. Additionally, she is a peer mentor at STARR, which reaches out to teens who are battling depression and suicide); and she is involved in GRIT (Girls Riding Into Tomorrow), which helps to promote healthy habits and self-confidence.
Michael was involved in every aspect of the virtual history of the veterans 4th of July parade that was broadcast on PBS on July 4 at 11am. He set up and interviewed politicians for the presentation, edited footage from the archives and helped to create narration for the production.
Naomi made items and sold them at the Saturday and Sunday market this summer to raise money for dogs and cats with cancer. She used the money raised ($700) to create 57 baskets to be distributed to families in coordination with the Pet Stop.
