Spirit of Youth

Josephine exemplifies youth leadership through her dedication to cultural preservation, academic engagement, and service to her community. She collaborated with journalists from Alaska Public Media and KNOM to help produce a radio story amplifying the Siberian Yupik drum and dance tradition, Atuq, which was later shared nationally through National Native News. Josephine is deeply involved in academics, athletics, and cultural events, including performing at the Alaska Federation of Natives conference in October 2025 before Alaska Native leaders and statewide stakeholders. She also demonstrated exceptional perseverance by remaining on her high school basketball team during a difficult season, playing entire games without substitutions to uphold school pride and model resilience for younger students, while consistently seeking learning opportunities that benefit her community.

• Home Town Gambell
• School District Bering Strait School District
• Award Category Dreamer, Role Model