Spirit of Youth

Isabelle Lopez is a member of the Kenai Peninsula Youth Leader Team at her school, Connections in Nikiski. Isabelle balances her education and family life, and is currently holding down a job while going to school in order to help her family. She is proud of her Alaska Native heritage, and shares her passion with her peers. Isabelle is a true leader in her community.

• Home Town Nikiski
• School District Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
• Award Category Cultural Pursuits, Overcoming Challenges

The Petersburg Interact Club is a youth group for students 12 to 18 years of age. This year, club members went above and beyond to help the Salvation Army with their Winter Coat Drive, partnering with a local business that sells coats to encourage donations from the community. Thanks to the creativity of the Interact Club, the drive was an immense success.

• Home Town Petersburg
• School District Petersburg City Schools
• Award Category Service To Community

Leneil Hafford is the heart and soul of Young Native Fiddlers, a nonprofit that offers guitar and violin lessons to Alaska Native youth, as well as numerous opportunities to perform. Leneil is a selfless and effective leader, and a professional performer who also sees to the needs of the group. She inspires the best in others—youth and adults alike.

• Home Town North Pole
• School District Yukon-Koyukuk School District
• Award Category Cultural Pursuits, Fine Arts, Service To Peers

The Quantum Mechanics is a rookie, community-based robotics team for the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC). The team has achieved success with a competitive robot that broke a world record. The members of The Quantum Mechanics team are highly motivated boy scouts that are working to expand STEM activities to all youth, including those with challenges.

• Home Town Eagle River
• School District various (ASD & Iditarod Distance Learning Center)
• Award Category Innovator

In 2014, Ivory Gerhardt-Cyrus started a youth group called OPT IN Kiana with money she obtained through a Stand Up Speak Up grant. OPT IN Kiana recognizes that everyone has value and seeks to engage youth who are often excluded from school activities.

• Home Town Kiana
• School District Northwest Arctic Borough School District
• Award Category Overcoming Challenges, Service To Peers

Sam has been an active member of the Anchorage Youth Court juvenile justice system, since the spring of 2015.  Sam has served as a youth jurist, bailiff, clerk, defense attorney, prosecuting attorney, and judge and averages approximately 140 hours of service a year.  He currently serves as lead attorney and judge in this year’s cases.  He is also on the Board of Directors and Ethics Committee for this program and plans to stay involved through his Senior year.

• Home Town Eagle River
• School District Anchorage School District
• Award Category Service To Peers

Shaela created, organized and directed Agents for Change, a youth-led initiative at Colony Middle School designed to study and raise awareness about local and global issues where children face adversity and crisis. Agents for Change members fundraise for organizations that support children. Shaela is driven by her immense compassion for others.

• Home Town Palmer
• School District MSBSD
• Award Category Role Model

Lucas Dinsmore has overcome immense health challenges, and continues to fight for his life. He exhibits great strength and kindness  in the face of adversity. The Colony Middle School community is rooting for him.

• Home Town Palmer
• School District Matsuk12.us
• Award Category Overcoming Challenges

Jason Riggs is an athlete competing for Lathrop in Wrestling, Cross Country, and Soccer. He is a vital member of the Lathrop Robotics Team. Jason has been an active leader and peer mentor in the youth group at First Presbyterian Church for 5 years. Jason is a hard worker, and always ready to step up.

• Home Town Fairbanks
• School District Fairbanks North Star
• Award Category Faith-Based Service, Science & Environment, Media & Technology

Fairbanks Skate Park Coalition was formed in April 2016 by a group of young skateboarders, BMX bikers and other action sport riders who want to create safe, fun skate parks in the Fairbanks North Star Borough. Since that time, they have gained non-profit status, assisted in designing and refurbishing the North Pole Skate Park and then hosted a grand opening and competition. They have started working with our Borough and Parks and Rec department to get a new skate park built in Fairbanks to replace the 20 year old park that has become unsafe.

• Home Town Fairbanks
• School District Fairbanks North Star Borough
• Award Category Service To Community, Service To Peers

Abigail Mainard  is always willing to lend a hand. She will often baby sit for free, and is a kind, hardworking member of her community.

• Home Town JBER
• School District Anchorage School District
• Award Category Overcoming Challenges, Service To Children

The Ninilchik chapter of Resilient Alaska Youth works to give back to the community through programs such as the Youth Education Leadership Program, and the Ninilchik Traditional Council.  Youth engage in activities ranging from arts and crafts to fishing, and by becoming engaged in the community, youth gain valuable experiences that can help them become successful adults.

• Home Town Ninilchik
• School District Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
• Award Category Service To Community, Service To Children

Tyler spent many days after school and during his lunch period to assist the teacher and his fellow peers on STEM projects. He fixed, rewired, and soldered motors and control boxes for an underwater robotics program called SeaPerch to ensure that all his fellow students would have access to working materials.

• Home Town Wasilla
• School District Mat-Su School District
• Award Category Science & Environment, Service To Peers

Anja Cheyette is a driven, hard-working, and motivated student at Colony Middle School. She delivers morning announcements,  and is a positive role model to students both in and out of the classroom. Anja is always eager to lend a hand and plays an important role in making her school a safe, positive, and caring place.

• Home Town Palmer
• School District Mat-Su Borough School District
• Award Category Service To Community, Service To Peers, Service To Children

Camden Kegley performs with the Lathrop Concert Choir, plays clarinet and saxophone, and has performed in a number of productions.  This past year, he performed at Carnegie Hall. Camden is an inspiration to his peers, as well as a professional and eager participant in the Fairbanks’ cultural community.

• Home Town Fairbanks
• School District North Star Borough
• Award Category Cultural Pursuits

Courtney O’Hearn has been playing the violin for 10 years. She taught herself to play cello, guitar and piano after learning the violin.  She has gone to state for solo and ensemble every year and received a superior rating each time.  Courtney inspires others with her music.

• Home Town Fairbanks
• School District North Star Borough
• Award Category Fine Arts

Students for Change takes on racism, bullying and other peer to peer problems at Hutchison High School. Members are from all different social groups and work to bring unity to the school. Students for Change is now working to spread their message across the district’s high schools.

• Home Town Fairbanks
• School District Fairbanks Northstar Borough
• Award Category Service To Community, Service To Peers

Tasha Elizarde works as a Peer Educator with the Juneau Teen Council,  which focuses on teaching teens about healthy sexuality and healthy relationships. Tasha attended the 2016 Teen Council Summit in Washington DC and co-presented a workshop about youth involvement in advocacy efforts. After the summit, Tasha was invited to write an article for an MTV news blog. Tasha exhibits exceptional skills in leadership, writing, and advocacy.

• Home Town Juneau
• School District Juneau School District
• Award Category Business & Government, Service To Community, Media & Technology

Maya Rivera is a kind and compassionate student at Colony Middle School. Her positive attitude and willingness to return to school after experiencing a traumatic accident has been an inspiration to her community.

• Home Town Wasilla
• School District MatSu
• Award Category Overcoming Challenges, Service To Peers

Alexia Briggs, Maddy Koehn, Sage Tedds, Amelia Frisby, Mia McCann, Emma Hopkins, and Kayleigh Brager make up the Colony Middle School Greeters.  These students volunteer to arrive 45 minutes before school starts, stand in the lobby, and greet every person who enters CMS with a smile, a handshake and a good morning.  They ensure that the first experience that every student has when they walk through the door is a positive one.

• Home Town Palmer
• School District MSBSD
• Award Category Service To Peers