Spirit of Youth

Check our 2025 Spirit of Youth Awards Radio Stories!

Produced by the youth producers at Alaska Teen Media Institute, these stories showcase the amazing 2025 awardees and their efforts around the state. Listen now!

Empowering Youth Voice to End Bullying – 2025 Grants

Approximately 20% of students age 12-18 in Alaska have experienced bullying. Spirit of Youth and the Alaska Department of Health are working together to build inclusive environments free from bullying in Alaska. We are offering three grants statewide of up to $3,000 for youth-led programs and projects focused on empowering youth voice to end bullying in Alaska. The Bullying Prevention Campaign Grants are specifically intended to support youth-led projects for middle and high school students in Alaska.

Join us at Promote the Positive in Anchorage August 22!

Mark your calendars for this summer’s Promote the Positive event! Please join us Friday August 22, 5:30-7:30 p.m. for a fun summer evening for Spirit of Youth. We will have Moose’s Tooth pizza, snacks, beer and wine, music, and an auction for two Alaska Airlines tickets! Suggested donation is $25/person or $50/family and we will […]

Spirit of Youth 2025 Annual Report

Spirit of Youth’s annual report is now available online. Read about Spirit of Youth’s many accomplishments over the last year. The annual report includes information on the 2025 Spirit of Youth Awards,  highlights from the Alaska Teen Media Institute and outcomes from Spirit of Youth’s programs. A financial summary can also be found in the […]

Suicide Prevention PSAs

Spirit of Youth’s Coalition developed public service announcements, promoting use of 988 and the Alaska Careline. These messages were crafted by local youth to share the significant protective role that supportive adults and community engagement play in youth mental health and the powerful negative impact bullying has on the lives of young people. The PSAs […]

Recently published statewide assessment of youth behavioral health in Alaska

Spirit of Youth recently published their statewide assessment of youth behavioral health in Alaska, conducted by McKinley Research Group. The assessment focused on behavioral health prevention and promotion and included analysis of a selection of youth behavioral health data, a facilitated discussion with stakeholders, and a review of other recently published assessments of youth behavioral […]

Meet the recipients of the 27th Annual Spirit of Youth Awards!

Families, friends, and community members joined together on Saturday, April 26 in celebration of the 2025 Spirit of Youth Award winners. Hosted by the Spirit of Youth Teen Advisory Council, the ceremony featured winners and runners up for each of the eight categories, and included descriptions of their projects and community innovations. Missed the ceremony? […]

Spirit of Youth is hiring!

Spirit of Youth is hiring! We are looking for the right person for our Coalition Coordinator position. The Coalition Coordinator builds and maintains a coalition of youth, people and organizations committed to youth well-being through education, advocacy, and support. The Spirit of Youth Coalition’s goal is to minimize risk factors impacting youth while strengthening protective […]

Join us for the 2025 Spirit of Youth Awards!

Join us as we recognize the recipients of the 2025 Spirit of Youth Awards! In its 27th year, the recognition ceremony will take place on Saturday, April 26, 6:00pm at the Heritage Theatre at 49th State (717 W 3rd, Anchorage, Alaska). READ MORE to learn about this year’s winners and to purchase tickets to the event!

Empowering Youth Voice to End Bullying

Spirit of Youth, in partnership with Anchorage Youth Vote, the Alaska Department of Health, and other community partners is offering grants statewide of up to $3,000 for youth-led programs and projects focused on empowering youth voice to end bullying in Alaska. Applications are open until October 25, 2024.

Promote the Positive: An evening for Spirit of Youth

Join us Tuesday, July 23, for a special summer event supporting Spirit of Youth!

Join us for the 2024 Spirit of Youth Awards!

Join us as we recognize the recipients of the 2024 Spirit of Youth Awards! In its 26th year, the recognition ceremony will take place on Saturday, April 13, 5:00pm at the Heritage Theatre at 49th State (717 W 3rd, Anchorage, Alaska). READ MORE to learn about this year’s winners and to purchase tickets to the event!

2023 Radio Stories

Listen to the 2023 Spirit of Youth Radio Stories here.

Empowering Youth Voice to End Bullying Grants

Spirit of Youth and a cadre of community partners are offering grants of up to $3,000 for programs and projects aimed at bullying prevention efforts. Applications are due November 17, 2023.

Spirit of Youth’s most recent annual report is now available. You can read about the organization’s accomplishments here.

Regular Connections Prevent Suicide

Teens who engage in regular, positive connections with both adults and peers show fewer signs of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, studies show. Spirit of Youth and Empowering Youth Voice to End Bullying, through the Alaska Teen Media Institute, recently produced PSAs for local radio stations, encouraging teens to reach out to each other on a […]

Watch the 2023 Spirit of Youth Awards Ceremony!

Families, friends, and community members joined together on Saturday, May 6 in celebration of the 2023 Spirit of Youth Award winners. Produced by Alaska Teen Media Institute members and hosted by the Spirit of Youth Teen Advisory Council, the ceremony featured winners and runners up for each of the eight categories, and included descriptions of […]

2023 Spirit of Youth Award Winners Announced

Spirit of Youth is pleased to announce recipients of the 2023 Spirit of Youth Awards, recognizing 16 teens and youth groups from communities across Alaska. Now in its 25th year, the recognition ceremony will take place on Saturday, May 6, 2023 via Zoom. The Spirit of Youth Awards highlight dedicated young people and unsung heroes […]

New Bullying Prevention Website Launches

Empowering Youth Voice to End Bullying has launched a new website to address the issue in Alaska. EndBullyingAK was built through partnerships with the Alaska Department of Health, Anchorage Youth Vote, and Spirit of Youth, and seeks to empower the community to work together to build inclusive, bullying-free environments across the state. One in five Anchorage […]

Grant Awardees Announced for Anti-Bullying Projects

Four youth-led projects were selected as awardees of the Spirit of Youth Coalition’s anti-bullying grants.