Spirit of Youth

Elsa O’Neil is an openminded student who is always willing to stand up for those who need a friend, and speak her mind.

• Home Town Wasilla
• School District Matanuska-Susitna Borough
• Award Category Overcoming Challenges, Service To Peers

Ruby and Sophie Wright have decided to organize a Community 5K to support and raise money for a student at Colony Middle School who has cancer.

• Home Town Palmer
• School District Matsu Borough
• Award Category Service To Peers

Tavis Russo is a highly involved student at Colony High School and participates in student leadership, including student government. Tavis is always willing to help others, and is a positive role model to his peers.

• Home Town Palmer
• School District Matanuska Susitna Borough School District
• Award Category Service To Peers

Emily Montanez Rodriguez is part of Colony Middle School’s morning crew. She helps read announcements and makes sure that our students are well informed of upcoming events.  Emily is also an active leader in planning classroom and school activities.

• Home Town Wasilla
• School District Mat-Su Borough School District
• Award Category Service To Peers

Ella Jordan is involved in an school program at Colony Middle School that works with students who have special needs.

• Home Town Wasilla
• School District Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District
• Award Category Service To Peers, Service To Children

Isa Weiss volunteers her time at a local nursing home in Wasilla. She has also helped elders relay their memoirs by recording their stories, and then transcribing them to print.

• Home Town Palmer
• School District MSBSD
• Award Category Service To Community, Media & Technology

Jeffrey Asbury is a dedicated volunteer at Colony Middle School. He volunteers his time to assist the school’s lunch workers with cleaning, and is always willing to help his teachers.

• Home Town Palmer
• School District Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District
• Award Category Service To Community, Service To Peers

Grace Hunter is an involved member of her community. She goes above and beyond in all that she does, excels academically, and is a viewed as a role model by her peers.

• Home Town WASILLA
• School District Matanuska Susitna Borough School District
• Award Category Service To Community, Service To Peers

Makenzie Wikheim has begun advocating for herself and standing up to bullying, which sends a positive message to her peers.

• Home Town Palmer
• School District Matsu Borough School District
• Award Category Overcoming Challenges

Kali Metlicka is a kind a respectful student.  She is always willing to help her peers or volunteer to support a teacher.  Kali has a great attitude and gives 100% in all that she does.

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

Kenny Stiebritz has had to overcome many challenges in life, but always maintains an upbeat and positive attitude. Kenny enjoys taking on leadership roles and is always willing to help his peers.

• Home Town Palmer
• School District Mat-Su Borough School District
• Award Category Overcoming Challenges

This year, Sage Tedds led a fund raising effort aimed at providing support for one of our students who is currently struggling with cancer.  Sage also is a part of a youth group at Colony Middle School that presents information on suicide prevention to peers.

• Home Town Wasilla
• School District Mat-Su School District
• Award Category Service To Peers

Duncan Okitkun is involved in a youth-led Alaska Native singing and drumming group, and is always ready to share his knowledge with others in the community. Following in the footsteps of his family members, Duncan is continuing to learn and live by past traditions.

• Home Town Kotlik
• School District Lower Yukon School
• Award Category Cultural Pursuits, Service To Community

The Sitka Youth Leadership Committee is a youth group dedicated to promoting respect and building bridges among youth in Sitka and across Alaska. Most recently, SYLC has worked to ease inter-school rivalries and tensions between Sitka High School and Mt. Edgecumbe High School.

• Home Town Sitka
• School District Sitka School District
• Award Category Service To Peers, Media & Technology

Alyssa Madrid has been a member of Kodiak Island’s Alutiiq Dancers since 2011, and is now training to become a leader drummer and song caller. Alyssa has also served as a youth ambassador for the Alaska Tobacco Control Alliance, and currently acts as the Cultural Programs Assistant for the Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak.

• Home Town Kodiak
• School District KIBSD
• Award Category Cultural Pursuits, Service To Children

Manny Budke noticed that the Student Council at Hoonah High School did not have a structure, constitution, By-Laws or clear vision for its purpose. This year, he decided to run and was elected as Student Government President. His goal is to build a constitution, work with the principal and school board to advocate for student concerns. He also works with the student body informing them about the purpose of student government  and how it works.

• Home Town Honnah
• School District Hoonah Public Schools/ Raven Home School
• Award Category Business & Government, Service To Peers

Jivan has led a Make A Difference Day project in October every year for the past 4 years.  He has also been involved with the Alaska Tobacco Control Alliance Youth leaders program for over a year, and has attended two trainings in Anchorage on tobacco education, prevention, and advocacy topics. Jivan has worked and volunteered for Green Star, and raised awareness of plastic bag waste.

• Home Town Fairbanks
• School District Fairbanks North Star
• Award Category Science & Environment, Service To Community, Service To Children

For the past four years, Colony High School Senior Jedediah Dean has been conducting independent research to determine whether radiation levels have been rising on the beaches of Prince William Sound as a result of the 2011 nuclear disaster at Fukushima. Jedediah has won a number of awards at the Alaska State Science and Engineering Fair, and placed second at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.

• Home Town Palmer
• School District Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District
• Award Category Discovery

Jackson has been involved in Teens Against Tobacco Use for the past 4 years. He has given tobacco prevention lessons to his peers, and has also testified to the Alaska state legislature on the importance of a smoke-free workplace.

• Home Town Soldotna
• School District Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
• Award Category Business & Government, Lifesaver & Prevention, Service To Peers

Shannon Guthrie attended the Fall 2016 Eastern Interior Regional Advisory Council, and testified on issues surrounding subsistence living. The council has said that Shannon is a youth leader and will be an asset to the upcoming meeting in February 2017. Shannon was also one of two chosen students who represented the Yukon Flats School District at the 2016 Association of Alaska School Board (AASB) Advocates for Youth.

• Home Town Beaver
• School District Yukon Flats S.D.
• Award Category Cultural Pursuits, Overcoming Challenges