2024 Award Recipients

Anika Biss

Anika has been a very active member of her church and her community. She helped form a teen volunteer program where teens spend time helping teach Sunday School to elementary-aged children and toddlers. Anika also uses her gift of music to play keyboard for worship at her church and school. She encourages young musicians to pursue their passions and inspires young pianists. Anika has been a part of American Heritage Girls for the past five years where she has hosted caroling nights in her neighborhood and participated in other events. She has also made items and set up her own entrepreneur booth to display and sell her items, donating a portion of her proceeds to charity.

Dimond NOAA Ocean Guardians

The Dimond NOAA Ocean Guardians have been involved for the past three years in remote beach cleanups near Whittier. The students have removed over 1,000 pounds of marine debris off of remote beaches in Prince William Sound over the last three years and worked with local engineer, Patrick Simpson, to learn how to sort the debris and grind some of it and extrude it to make recycled lumber.

They have also removed hundreds of pounds of trash from their school campus, performed weekly recycling of paper, aluminum, and plastic bottles, started a coral reef tank to teach their peers and students from nearby Chinook Elementary about the importance of coral reefs, and given out prizes of reusable water bottles decorated with student art and t-shirts decorated with student art to celebrate recycling and trash cleanups.

Evelyn Mills

Evelyn is an avid chess player in Fairbanks, AK.  Her passion for chess drove her to approach her teacher and ask if she would be the sponsor to start a club at her school.  The chess club is now incredibly active, hosting tournaments for the school and the community at large.  Most recently, Evelyn worked with UAF and coordinated a tournament on an even larger scale. Evelyn is a quiet leader who leads by positive example. She is incredibly respectful and works with the appropriate parties to allow for her idea to come a reality. This activity encourages individuals to stay off of technology and utilize their brains! 

Jack Boelens

Jack has identified a need in his community and has helped fill it. In the rural community of Aniak he secured a coffee machine and sells espressos, lattes, and breves along with food, starting his own entrepreneurial venture to reach his financial goals. He taught other students how to run the espresso machine as well as consumer math, profit margins and customer service. Community members look forward to hot lattes at morning athletic events or hot breakfast items to pick up on busy work days, along with great customer service.

Josephine “Josie” Herbert

Josie has been heavily involved in her community by volunteering for multiple fundraising efforts across Southcentral Alaska. Josie does not allow anything to hold her back, despite a traumatic start in life, and recently won the title of Miss Alaska High School.

Josie wants to be a pillar of hope to girls who might feel alone as they navigate through the emotions of being a teenager or subjected to a bad situation.

Lily Gosnell

Lily is a founding member of Ketchikan Youth for Change, a group of youth who are dedicated to substance misuse prevention. Additionally, she serves as the student body president and serves on the school board as the student member. She has volunteered on the Lords Table, a program serving home-cooked meals to community members experiencing homelessness. Lily works as an intern at the Women in Safe Homes Organization and as member of their peer education team.

Madeleine (Maddy) Reckmeyer

Maddy is passionate about inclusivity, respect, and dignity for the special-needs community in Alaska. She started working with special-needs students in middle school and continued her involvement at Service High in Partner’s Club, a social inclusion club for students with and without intellectual disabilities. Maddy has participated in Unified Track at Service (in which special needs students participate with partners in track and field events) since her freshman year, and helped lead her team to win State and qualify for the 2022 National Special Olympics competition. Maddy has also helped increase access to mental health resources for Alaska teens through her work as a mental health advocate. She has participated in Mental Health Advocacy Through Storytelling as a storyteller, advocate, and facilitator, founded the Health and Wellness Club at Service High, and developed her own mental health platform, The Future Is Good, to further help teens dealing with mental health issues.

Sara DeVolld

Sara is a 16-year-old, fourth-generation Alaskan whose L.E.D. “Artwear” creations have been recognized by 3M, Discovery Education, and The Alaska Society for Technology in Education for her innovative fusions of science and technology with art and design. Her design company, “Vintage Train Case,” produces dresses, jewelry, and ballet-performance costumes. She is introducing her generation to the beauty and class of the past while encouraging conversations about STEM, fashion, and arts! Sara has also developed and implemented fundraisers for the dance non-profit, Peninsula Artists in Motion (P.A.M.), while also teaching and mentoring 7-12 year old ballet students.

2023 Award Recipients

Abbey Markell

Abbey Markell started her own business from scratch, baking healthy, homemade dog cookies and cakes in attractive fun shapes and colors to support a local pet supply store’s two locations. Alaskans can now purchase locally-baked, customized options of cute cookies and adorable birthday and “Gotcha-Day” cakes that are nutritionally-balanced and free from preservatives.

Says Abbey’s nominator, “It’s clear to me that Abbey is not doing this for the money. Indeed, she makes many treats that are intended to give away. Abbey gives away very many treats to family, friends, and their friends. Expired treats (plus bonuses) go to the Alaska SPCA.”

 

Alora Wassily, Trista Wassily, Harmony Larson

Alora, Trista and Harmony, as 5th graders, began an initiative to change the derogatory name of a local creek in Dillingham after learning the origins of the name at a presentation at the Curyung Tribal Council. The girls discussed the slur amongst themselves and came to the conclusion that a change needed to be made, and got it done.

  • Home Town Dillingham
  • School District Dillingham City School District
  • Award Category Humanitarian
  • Radio Story Listen to their story here

Catheryne (Catey) Habberstad

Catey is a member of National Honor Society, South High School’s yearbook staff, and acts as the Community Relations/Service Projects Commissioner for South’s Student Government. She also has mentored other students with Cerebral Palsy at her school and online through a website called CHASA (Childhood Hemiplegia and Stroke Association).

Huffman Science Club Leaders

Through a partnership with the Huffman Elementary PTO, three students, Mo Narus, Skylar Berg, and Grainne Rogacki, students at South High School, started a Science Club for students at their former elementary school.

They wanted to inspire young students to love science as much as they do, and provided all of the planning and supplies for a six-session course that included a hands-on experiment.

Jaeden Binion

Jaeden is an incredible leader and is passionate about spreading the message of inclusion. He is a Special Olympics Alaska athlete and is one of two Special Olympics U.S. Youth Ambassadors representing Alaska. Jaeden takes seriously his role as an inspirational advocate for those with intellectual disabilities.

 

Lauryn Nanouk Jones

Lauryn is addressing problems like renewable energy and sustainability for rural Alaskans, and is focused on the bigger picture of helping remote communities regarding environmental issues, renewable energies, and gathering people together.

  • Home Town Unalakleet
  • School District Bering Straits School District, Mt. Edgecumbe High School Alumni
  • Award Category Discovery
  • Radio Story Listen to Lauryn's story here

Sophia Layos-Wagaman

Sophia Layos-Wagaman is an aspiring circus arts performer from Fairbanks. A competitive gymnast since 2013, Sophia has competed at U.S. Gymnastics invitationals in Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, Montana and Alaska. She has spent the last four years adding circus skills to her repertoire including straps, lyra, wire and partner acrobatics. She performed with the Golden Heart Performing Arts Studio in the 2021 Solstice Soiree at Golden Heart Performing Arts. Sophia was also the the first-ever recipient of the $5,000 CSAW Tuition Grant for a U.S. Circus Artist of Color.

Additionally, Sophia has volunteered for events at the Fairbanks Children’s Museum, offering her time and talent to brighten the days of her community’s kids. Sophia’s nominator states “Sophia’s backstory is one of tenacity and perseverance. It’s wonderful to see her blossom and pursue her desire to study and perform circus arts, and even more wonderful to see her contributions to the Fairbanks community and beyond through performance, volunteerism, and athletics.”

 

Sycely Wheeles

Sycely is a student leader with a passion for student mental health advocacy. Over the past year, Sycely has dedicated significant time and energy to raising public awareness of student mental health issues, and she has sought to improve conditions for young people in our state.

2022 Award Recipients

E Chythlook

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.

Emaline Buchanan

When Emaline was 13, she started a nonprofit called Duchess Foundation. The nonprofit provides feminine products to school nurses and school districts. She started it when she recognized that her friends needed some help. She turned 16 in February and continues to help her community through the nonprofit.

Hannah Yi

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.

Katrina Katoanga

Katrina is in her first year serving as both a TRIO Leadership Committee member and as a mentor for new students in TRIO. TRIO Upward Bound is a college prep program for students who have the potential to be first generation college students and/or of limited income households. Most recently, Katrina helped spearhead a community service project where she helped collect diapers and wipes for Afghanistan refugees newly settled into Anchorage.

Levi Anderson

Last year, Levi was determined to help the current music teacher build up the music program. Thanks to his recruiting efforts numbers in choir and band increased. He also helped a local fundraiser by leading a group of dancers from his school in a musical number. Overall, he has reinvigorated the entire music department and is bringing his enthusiasm to the entire community.

Mia Siebenmorgen Cresswell

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.

Mia Wiederspohn

Mia is working with KSTK 101.7 FM in Wrangell, Alaska to create a podcast series about the Tlingit language. By broadcasting Tlingit phrases and their English translations, she is helping to preserve the language Indigenous to her community.

 

Shandiin “Suella” Wendell

Suella is a facilitator and communicator of powerful and important social issues. Most recently, she has been focusing on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MAMIP) epidemic, bringing outreach to her community through her projects, participation in community events, and social networking. Suella is an ambassador of Alaska Native issues. She testifies at committees on Native children, works on podcasts with the community and keeps a dedicated presence of how we can all help.

Sophie Mayers

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.

2021 Award Recipients

Anna Boltz

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).

  • Home Town Anchorage
  • School District Anchorage
  • Award Category Phoenix

Austin Cline

Austin became an Eagle Scout by reopening the upper Homestead trail. He also was a two time finalist in the Caring for the Kenai competition, which asks students to create a proposal to improve the environment on the Kenai Peninsula.

  • Home Town Homer
  • School District KPBSD
  • Award Category Discovery

Collin Friedli

Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, Collin was evacuated from his dorm room in Washington and sent back to study remotely from his parent’s house in Eagle River, Alaska. During this time, he used his downtime to help small businesses in Anchorage who were struggling economically through his brand design abilities and social connections.

  • Home Town Eagle River
  • School District
  • Award Category Innovator

Eielson Youth Group

Being able to buy items for a reasonable price at the Eielson Thrift Shop is helpful to many airman and families at Eielson Air Force Base. Eielson Youth Group is helping keep Eielson Thrift Shop open on a regular basis by volunteering their time sorting, pricing and selling items to the community for a reasonable price. The money that is made at the shop goes directly back to the local community.

  • Home Town Eielson Afb
  • School District Fairbanks North Star Borough School District
  • Award Category Visionary

Ketchikan Youth Alliance

The Ketchikan Youth Alliance improves the quality of life in Ketchikan by providing young people with a platform to have their voices heard and the tools to create change. In addition to providing a source of social interaction and support during the pandemic, they are addressing the use of hate speech and slurs in the Ketchikan community and seeking to better the community through mental health education.

  • Home Town Ketchikan
  • School District Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District
  • Award Category Humanitarian

No More Mat-Su

No More Mat-Su is a youth-driven organization that seeks to end domestic violence and sexual assault in the Mat-Su Valley. They spread their message of kindness, respect and fidelity to the practice of active consent through their social media and live events such as Rock the Resilience, which is a performance art-based event that draws on the talent of secondary school music departments, community vocalists, spoken art, dance and visual artists.

  • Home Town Palmer
  • School District Matanuska Susitna Borough School District (MSBSD)
  • Award Category Life Saver

Ryann Esteban

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.

  • Home Town Port Graham
  • School District Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
  • Award Category Dreamer

Tajhrel Prescott

Through his participation at Boys and Girls Club Fairbanks, Tajhrel took the lead in launching the BeYou campaign, which promotes that 78% of Alaska teens do not drink alcohol. With the guidance of an adult advisor, Tajhrel led a group of his peers in creating media and hosting events that promoted the organization’s mission.

  • Home Town Fairbanks
  • School District FNSBSD
  • Award Category Role Model

2020 Award Recipients

Alicyn Bahnke

Alicyn is one of four teens who were inspired to take action due to their personal experiences with climate change in their communities.  In their resolution they wrote about the severe impacts climate change is having on Indigenous ways of life and the spiritual and cultural well-being of Alaska Native communities. Their resolution declares a climate emergency and creates a climate action leadership task force to advance Indigenous voices and advocate for strong climate policies that will ensure the survival of future generations.

  • Home Town Nome
  • School District Nome
  • Award Category Discovery

Anna DeVolld

Anna has developed a program called Promote Our Pollinators. This insightful, ambitious project strives to educate the public about the importance of pollinators and to provide easy to implement ways to support these essential creatures. Anna is educating hundreds of students, seniors, and business and community members about the importance of pollinators.

  • Home Town Soldotna
  • School District Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
  • Award Category Innovator

Derek Booth

Derek has learned how to produce professional looking traditional attire. He sews nightly with his aana, spending time with her and passing on traditions. Most of his garments, which are coveted by many in Kotzebue, are given away for free. He takes all his free time and spends it with his family, sewing, learning traditional sewing techniques, spending time learning the language, and simply being a constant companion for an elder.

  • Home Town Kotzebue
  • School District Northwest Arctic Borough School District
  • Award Category Dreamer

Garrett Graham

Garrett has demonstrated courage, resilience, and fortitude as he faces challenging personal difficulties. In June of 2018, he formed a team called “Garrett’s Got Guts” which participated in the Take Steps for Crohn’s and Colitis fundraising event. He has taken action to educate himself, his classmates, and his community members about genetic disorders with both humor and sincerity.

  • Home Town Anchorage
  • School District Anchorage School District
  • Award Category Humanitarian

Kevin Grimes

Kevin is a strong member of Facing Foster Care in Alaska. He mentors youth from all ages ranging from 13-25. Kevin fights hard to help foster youth around Alaska. While he is only 18, he has worked with political members like City Mayor Jim Matherly, Vice-Chancellor Keith Champagne, Former Governor Bill Walker, and others to spread his message.

  • Home Town Fairbanks
  • School District
  • Award Category Phoenix

Margaret Wolfe

For the past five years, Margaret has volunteered as the childcare provider for an Anchorage area women’s AA meeting on Saturday mornings. She also helps with youth group activities at her church, assisting with service projects and youth activities. Additionally, she has volunteered to serve as host family for interns and exchange students, and has participated in the Points of Light Youth Leadership Program.

  • Home Town ANCHORAGE
  • School District Dimond High School
  • Award Category Role Model

Nanieezh Peter

Nanieezh Peter is one of four teens who were inspired to take action due to their personal experiences with climate change in their communities.  In their resolution they wrote about the severe impacts climate change is having on Indigenous ways of life and the spiritual and cultural well-being of Alaska Native communities. Their resolution declares a climate emergency and creates a climate action leadership task force to advance Indigenous voices and advocate for strong climate policies that will ensure the survival of future generations.

  • Home Town Fairbanks
  • School District Fairbanks Northstar Borough School District
  • Award Category Discovery

Quannah Potts

Quannah, is one of four teens who were inspired to take action due to their personal experiences with climate change in their communities.  In their resolution they wrote about the severe impacts climate change is having on Indigenous ways of life and the spiritual and cultural well-being of Alaska Native communities. Their resolution declares a climate emergency and creates a climate action leadership task force to advance Indigenous voices and advocate for strong climate policies that will ensure the survival of future generations.

  • Home Town
  • School District Charter School
  • Award Category Discovery

Sarah Mixsell

Sarah founded Alaska Kids for Kids in 2011 when she was nine years old. Alaska Kids for Kids is a registered non-profit organization which annually selects a youth focused organization to serve for the next calendar year through fund-raising and other donations. Under Sarah’s leadership, the organization, has raised over $20,000 in funds and other donations that directly benefit youth in Alaska. As a youth herself, Sarah understands and empathizes with those challenges at a peer level.

  • Home Town Anchorage
  • School District Anchorage School Disrict
  • Award Category Visionary

Sheryl Swarner

Sheryl was recently involved in saving the lives of three teenagers. She was instrumental in the retrieval of the teenagers and taking action prior to when the paramedics arrived. Due to her quick actions and directions, the outcome of the event was not tragic.

  • Home Town Fairbanks
  • School District University of Alaska Fairbanks
  • Award Category Life Saver

Zoe Okleasik

Zoe, is one of four teens who were inspired to take action due to their personal experiences with climate change in their communities.  In their resolution they wrote about the severe impacts climate change is having on Indigenous ways of life and the spiritual and cultural well-being of Alaska Native communities. Their resolution declares a climate emergency and creates a climate action leadership task force to advance Indigenous voices and advocate for strong climate policies that will ensure the survival of future generations.

  • Home Town Nome
  • School District Nome
  • Award Category Discovery

2019 Award Recipients

Bai Thao

Bai’s parents came to Alaska as Hmong refugees. She is the eldest of nine children and Bai is responsible for taking care of her siblings and supporting her parents as they navigate their new state and country.

  • Home Town Anchorage
  • School District Anchorage School District
  • Award Category Phoenix

Bergen Davis

Bergen is constantly seeking out those who are under-served and finds ways to meet their needs. From early childhood, he has donated a portion of his income. He contributes 20 percent of every paycheck to buying fresh produce for the Glory Hall Homeless Shelter and Soup Kitchen.

  • Home Town
  • School District Juneau School District
  • Award Category Humanitarian

Carlee Rizzo

Carlee created and established the Nikiski Children’s Fund, which is now expanding to become the Peninsula Children’s Fund. She has fundraised thousands of dollars for Nikiski North Star Elementary and Nikiski Middle/High School that teachers and staff can use whenever they see that a child or family has a need.

  • Home Town Kenai
  • School District Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
  • Award Category Visionary

Denali Zero-Landfill Youth Ambassadors Program (a.k.a. ZLAP Council)

Zero-Landfill Ambassador Program (ZLAP) Council is run by a group of middle and high school students at Tri-Valley School in the Denali Borough School District. This program was created to tackle sustainability issues at the school and in the Healy/McKinley Village area.

  • Home Town Healy
  • School District Denali Borough School District
  • Award Category Discovery

Michael Wheatley

Chugiak Fire and Rescue members arrived to find Michael Wheatley home alone valiantly performing CPR on his 18 year-old brother Tristen, with whom he was rough housing just moments before. Michael’s recognition of cardiac arrest, notification of EMS and treatment played a significant role in Tristen’s survival.

  • Home Town Chugiak
  • School District Anchorage
  • Award Category Lifesaver

Natalie Fraser

Natalie founded a new organization called Mental Health Advocacy which uses storytelling to de-stigmatize mental health issues. She has been actively involved in suicide prevention.

  • Home Town Anchorage
  • School District Anchorage School District
  • Award Category Role Model

Native Student Leadership Council at East Anchorage High School

The Native Student Leadership Council (NLC) at East High School is an active group of Alaska Native and American Indian students who want to share their pride, cultural values and traditions with the community. NLC has initiated and led several activities this year, such as coordinating and carrying out a meeting each semester for Indian Education students at East High School, sharing cultural activities with 3rd and 4th grade students at Russian Jack Elementary, and helping new-to-Anchorage Alaska Native and American Indian Students transition to East High School.

  • Home Town Anchorage
  • School District Anchorage School District
  • Award Category Dreamer

William Deering

Will is avidly involved in science including groundbreaking research and supporting youth STEM activities.  One of his scientific endeavors was the development of synthetic honey that can be used in medical procedures which prevents bacterial growth.  Wills unique ideas solve real world problems.

  • Home Town
  • School District IDEA Homeschool
  • Award Category Innovator

2018 Award Recipients

Duncan Okitkun

Duncan shares his Yup’ik culture with the world every chance he gets. His songs and public speaking heals and strengthens people in his village. He has spoken and sang at numerous conferences. He is also involved in three different dance groups and is the leader of one of them. Additionally, he performs at his school, instilling pride in his peers and is a great role model for the young people of his village.

  • Home Town Kotlik
  • School District Lower Yukon School District
  • Award Category Dreamer

Gabriel “Gabe” Miller

Gabe decided to transfer to a larger school in order to pursue his passion for science. The move added three hours to his school day. Yet, when he comes home he makes time, through Ninilchik Tribe Teen Center, to work with others to build clubs, programs and places for Ninilchik youth to go for peer support. Miller sees himself as a scientist who wants to study the micro-systems that keep our world running.

  • Home Town Ninilchik
  • School District Kenai Peninsula
  • Award Category Innovator

Isaiah Dunegan-Lain

Isaiah was able to utilize his first aid/CPR skills and save a life. In a busy classroom, at lunchtime, he was the only person who observed a student choking on food. Adults and several other students heard the student coughing and then the silence, but they didn’t connect the silence with choking. Isaiah did. He sprang into action and did the Heimlich maneuver and a young person’s life was saved.

  • Home Town Anchorage
  • School District Anchorage School District
  • Award Category Lifesaver

Kaylynn Zagyva

Kaylynn leads a Girl Talk group at Colony Middle School. The group concentrates on anti-bullying, girls supporting each other, and increasing confidence in teen girls. She is also involved in community programs like Special Santa, a fundraiser for My House, and volunteers at the North Star Vet Clinic. She participates in all these activities despite recently having surgery for a brain tumor which caused her to have to relearn much of her speech.

  • Home Town Wasilla
  • School District Mat-Su Borough School District
  • Award Category Phoenix

Rafael Bitanga

Rafael displays intelligence and leadership skills beyond his years. His strong inner drive has resulted in an academically, emotionally and socially intelligent young man. He is the owner and director of the Crepe Escape, a food booth in Kodiak. He donates 10 percent of Crepe Escape’s profits to the Brother Francis Shelter.

  • Home Town Kodiak
  • School District KIBSD
  • Award Category Visionary

Robert Otto

Robert has served as a defense and prosecuting attorney with the Kodiak Teen Court. He is a skillful advocate for his clients, and masterfully applies the principles of restorative justice to all roles that he has taken on in the court. As a judge, he has mentored new youth attorneys and leads with integrity and honesty.

  • Home Town Kodiak
  • School District Kodiak Island Borough School District
  • Award Category Humanitarian

Robin “Puck” Van Dommelen

Puck is an assistant scout leader with Boy Scout Troop 209, where he earned the Eagle Scout Award. He has great knowledge of the natural world and extensive backcountry experience. He has developed a keen interest in conservation of the environment. He has lead projects on bird conservation, remediation of natural landscape, documenting and combating invasive species in Alaska. He also conducted an energy audit for his high school.

  • Home Town Anchorage
  • School District Anchorage
  • Award Category Discovery

Rylee Mcintosh

Rylee supported the Magic Yarn Project.  She and the crew made wigs for children with cancer. Over the years, Rylee has continued to grow her range of efforts and services, always shining light into the community and finding ways to be a positive contributor.

  • Home Town Palmer
  • School District Matanuska Susitna Borough School District
  • Award Category Role Model

2017 Award Recipients

Denali Schultz

During her time in high school, Denali Schultz became an involved member of the community. She volunteered often, and joined the Native Youth Leadership team in Kenai. While acting as a leader in her community, Denali was also working two jobs to help pay the bills for her family. Denali overcame a number of personal challenges, but continued to give back to her community and to her peers.

  • Home Town Soldotna
  • School District KPBSD
  • Award Category Phoenix

Jedediah Dean

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

Kaisa Reese Ahluniq Kotch

Kaisa Reese Ahluniq Kotch is devoted to combating suicide in her community. Kaisa is a member of the TECK Youth Leader’s Program, a school district program in which youth are trained in bullying and suicide prevention. She also serves as a youth representative with the Maniilaq Behavioral Health Program, which works to identify and combat primary causes of suicide. Kaisa volunteers frequently, singing for the community’s elders at the Long Term Care Unit, helping out with shiifish and hotcake feeds, and participating in Elders Council potlucks, among other pursuits.

  • Home Town Kotzebue
  • School District Northwest Arctic Borough School District
  • Award Category Lifesaver

Kaulani Napoleon

Kaulani Napoleon organized a donation drive aimed at collecting school supplies for refugee youth in the community. He began by presenting the idea to the Refugee Assistance and Immigration Services program run by Catholic Social Services in Anchorage. After receiving the green light from RAIS, Kaulani began reaching out, organizing, and educating the community. At the end of three months, Kaulani had collected hundred of school supplies from people across the country. The supplies were meticulously organized based on the individual needs of each student.

  • Home Town Eagle River
  • School District
  • Award Category Humanitarian

Maiya Anderson

Bringing together her passion for music and psychology, Maiya Anderson started a piano lesson program at the senior center in Kenai. The lessons bring joy to the elders in the community, while also helping to bridge a generational divide. Not only is Maiya able to create a strong bond with elders—the program also gives elders the opportunity to share their traditional knowledge and wisdom.

  • Home Town Kenai
  • School District Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
  • Award Category Dreamer

Savannah Rizzo

Savannah Rizzo has worked to establish an organization called T-Books, which provides new books to disadvantaged youth in her community. The goal is to ensure that all young people have access to literature. Through a number of fundraisers, the group was able to raise $3,000, which has been used to purchase new books for students throughout the Kenai Borough School District. They also provided Battle of Books books to Russian schools that would not otherwise be able to afford participation. T-Books is beginning to expand its programs, and is currently working to provide books to schools in Louisiana where many school libraries have lost their collections due to flooding.

Savannah is working hard to inspire youth in her community, and reduce poverty by promoting literacy.

  • Home Town Kenai
  • School District Kenai Peninsula School District
  • Award Category Visionary

Shaela Asbury

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

The Quantum Mechanics FTC Robotics Team #11168

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

Information about the 2017 Runners-Up can be found here.