Spirit of Youth

We will celebrate this year’s amazing honorees at the 28th Annual Spirit of Youth Awards, Saturday, March 28, 6:00pm in the Kenai Ballroom at The Wildbirch Hotel (239 W. 4^th Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska).

The Spirit of Youth Awards will recognize 17 teens and youth groups from across Alaska who have demonstrated outstanding dedication to their communities. The ceremony is an opportunity to share their stories of courage, inspiration, and innovation.

Tickets to the event are now available and can be purchased here:

Individuals and groups will be honored by category:

PHOENIX AWARD
The Phoenix Award celebrates youth who display exceptional determination and perseverance as they overcome significant life challenges.

Wesley Hewson-Lastimosa (Ketchikan) has been an active member of Ketchikan Youth for Change for years, leading youth advocacy on substance use prevention and homelessness awareness. He helped run programs like Red Ribbon Week, Your Choice Carnival, Ghost Out, and Sleep-Out. Through peer education, Wesley fosters safe spaces, reduces stigma, and brings authentic leadership to his community.

Runner-Up: Tehani Samoa Taugofie (Anchorage) is an active youth leader involved in Color Your Mine: Art Youth, Multicultural Youth Educational Summit, and community cricket culture. She led art projects helping youth with disabilities express their emotions and represented Pacific Island students at the Youth Court Summit, presenting on cultural awareness of child abuse, neglect, and discipline.

DREAMER AWARD
The Dreamer Award recognizes teens who are actively engaging in their community through the preservation of cultural practices and arts, those who share personal expression through visual or performing arts, and those who cultivate youth voice through media and digital art forms.

Mazelle Joseph (Juneau) is a youth organizer with Alaska Youth for Environmental Action, inspiring peers, especially Alaska Native youth, through her dedication to culture and language. She created a Tlingit-language short film for a youth-led climate and storytelling project, showcasing her connection to the land and culture while urging protection against pollution and climate change.

Runner-Up: Angel Jack (Angoon) is a leader focused on cultural preservation, storytelling, and healing. She represented Southeast Alaska nationally and internationally, using filmmaking, journalism, and geocultural research to document the Angoon Bombardment and protect culturally significant sites through technologies like LiDAR and photogrammetry.

HUMANITARIAN AWARD 
The Humanitarian Award recognizes youth who have put forth efforts to make their community a better place or are active in local or state government.

Emily Brubaker (Anchorage) is a young leader driving policy change at the local, state, and national levels. She is one of the team members of the BioGlitter Initiative, prompting the Anchorage School Board to end purchases of plastic glitter, and, as Alaska’s State Lead for the Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act, she helped advance SJR 16. Through advocacy and civic engagement Emily empowers others to participate in democracy.

Runner-Up: East High School Interact Club, Anchorage (Anchorage) leads service projects locally, nationally, and internationally. Students run the T-Bird Boutique, distribute hygiene kits and shower bags, and support mobile food pantries and fundraisers benefiting nonprofits. The club empowers a diverse group to address community needs while building leadership, social responsibility, and a culture of giving back.

VISIONARY AWARD
The Visionary Award recognizes youth who have turned their creativity and knowledge into an entrepreneurial or economic venture.

Lola Swanson (Seward) is a young leader from Seward, Alaska, who runs a year-round dance program providing accessible, high-quality arts opportunities to over 100 local youth, strengthening creativity, confidence, leadership skills, and long-term community engagement across families.

Runner-Up: Yedidia Diboue (Anchorage) is a driven youth leader combining entrepreneurship, innovation, and service. At 11, she founded YY Sweets, managing the business and donating 10% of its profits to causes such as St. Jude’s and Women LISTEN. She led a CRISPR-based cancer treatment project and earned the Arctic Innovation Competition Fan Favorite Award.

LIFESAVER AWARD
The Lifesaver Award celebrates youth who have gone above and beyond “the call of duty” by preventing injuries and illness and saving lives.

Sophia Pilgrim (Ketchikan) leads transformative youth initiatives in Ketchikan, securing $3.5M to launch the community’s first low-barrier youth center and creating a free lunch program serving 300+ youth. Through Rotary Interact and Ketchikan Youth for Change, she mobilizes peers, raises $10K+ annually, and delivers drug-prevention education through multiple community events each year.

Runner-Up: Jillian Dolph (Anchorage) has volunteered widely, supporting Anchorage Firefighters, Special Olympics, and Dimond High’s Partners Club. She led a blood drive that collected 30 units and a food drive that provided nearly 2,500 meals. Jillian also helps clean veterans’ headstones, and inspires peers to serve, demonstrating compassion, and dedication that strengthen her community.

ROLE MODEL AWARD
Teens nominated for the Role-Model Award lend a helping hand to peers and younger youth in their community.

Kinsey Shepard (Anchorage) As Nanuk Lodge Chief, Kinsey Shepard leads the Great Alaska Council’s youth-run Order of the Arrow program. She guides teens in planning inductions, service projects, and lodge operations while coordinating major events and improving camp facilities. A dedicated mentor, Kinsey builds confidence in younger Scouts and strengthens an inclusive, youth-empowered Scouting community.

Runner-Up: Gabrielle Morton (Eagle River) leads with purpose and heart. She founded Color Them with Kindness to help youth stand up to bullying, grow in faith, and build confidence. She has reached 2,000+ people across Alaska and beyond through kindness kits and outreach. Gabrielle volunteers 500+ hours annually and has earned multiple awards, including a feature in Uplift Universe Magazine.

INNOVATOR AWARD
The Innovator Award shines the spotlight on the efforts of youth who have shown excellence in the fields of math, science and engineering through research, study, or improvement in their community.

Olivia Okeahialam (Anchorage) is a motivated student. As Alaska’s youth ambassador for STEM Next, she tutors math, educates the public on climate issues, and volunteers with a food pantry, the Teen Media Institute, and Junior Achievement. Through advocacy and leadership, Ollie inspires peers to take action, promoting equity, education, and environmental awareness.

Runner-Up: Lynx Initiative (Anchorage) is a youth-run robotics program founded by Anchorage teens to expand STEM access, especially in Title I schools. In two years, it built the city’s first K–12 robotics pathway, growing to 13 teams across 23 schools. Teen leaders volunteered 1,750+ hours, delivering inclusive STEM outreach to diverse communities.

DISCOVERY AWARD
The Discovery Award highlights accomplishments made by youth in science with a specific focus on the environment.

Phoebe Tschappat and Morgan Saiget (Cordova). Both Discovery Award recipients are leaders with the Copper River Watershed Project, promoting environmental stewardship in Cordova. They lead a recycling program, engage students, and support community outreach. Phoebe and Morgan provide hands-on education about watersheds and salmon life cycles and foster long-term community sustainability.

Runner-Up: Gavin O’Neil (Petersburg) is a caring leader in Petersburg who served as a youth mentor with the Kinderskog outdoor education program, supporting younger children through nature learning, safety, and emotional support. He is also an early member of the Devil’s Thumb Shooters skeet team. Through both programs, Gavin helps create a welcoming, healthy outdoor community for local youth.

Sponsors of the Spirit of Youth Awards include: Alaska 529; Alaska Airlines; Alaska Children’s Trust; Altman, Rogers and Co; Atwood Foundation; Enstar; Nicholas J. and Pegge Begich Public Service Fund; Northrim Bank; and Recover Alaska.