Spirit of Youth

Ramese Unutoa works at the Boys & Girls Club of Utqiaġvik, where he continues to grow his passion for becoming a helpful and impactful leader to younger ones in his community. Many teenagers come to the club to check-in with Unutoa, and he does his best to make himself available to listen and offer healthy advice. He also continues to be an active volunteer in and around high school sports, including volleyball, basketball, and football.

• Home Town Utqiaġvik
• School District North Slope Borough School District
• Award Category Role Model

Aura has always had a passion for plants, animals, and living things. She discovered a neglected fish tank in one of her high school classrooms, and jumped into action to took charge of the tank herself. When Aura finds an animal in need, she not only has the desire to help it, but she also takes the time to research how best to help it.

• Home Town Fairbanks
• School District Fairbanks North Star Borough
• Award Category Innovator, Discovery

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

Dustty Heckel volunteers with the Salvation Army and has helped with Operation Santa for the last 3 years by wrapping gifts, stuffing backpack with snacks, bathroom supplies, packing boxes and getting them ready for shipping. On an average week Dustty can log over 30 hours a week volunteering.

• Home Town Eagle River
• School District Denali Peak Correspondence

Shyanne Heckel volunteers with the Salvation Army and has helped with Operation Santa for the last 3 years by wrapping gifts, stuffing backpack with snacks, bathroom supplies, packing boxes and getting them ready for shipping. On an average week Shyanne can log over 30 hours a week volunteering.

• Home Town Eagle River
• School District Denali Peak Correspondence
• Award Category Humanitarian, Role Model

Dakoma Epperly-May is the current Alaska State Fair Teen. Dakoma is the youth chair on youth coalition for Healthy Voices Healthy Choices. Dakoma volunteers with the Salvation Army and has helped with Operation Santa for the last 3 years by wrapping gifts, stuffing backpack with snacks, bathroom supplies, packing boxes and getting them ready for shipping.

• Home Town Anchorage
• School District Denali Peak Correspondence
• Award Category Humanitarian, Role Model

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

Despite being born with a rare genetic disorder Ashley thrives on finding ways to give back. She started the Blessing Box program with the Anchorage School District. She was invited by the Superintendent to speak to all the principals in the district, the Mayor of Anchorage and the Governor to get her program going.

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

Trevor works to promote Native values. He has been very active in Native Youth Olympics. In addition to participating on the school team he is always recruiting others and teaching them the skills needed. He was a student-leader at the recent Elders and Youth Conference and presented an NYO workshop to demonstrate the history of these events.

• Home Town Fairbanks
• School District Fairbanks Northstar Borough School District
• Award Category Dreamer, Role Model

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

Brandon is student body President at Service High. Through his roles in Student Government he has led many projects including the Miracle Minute to buy gifts for children in the Child in Transition program. When Brandon realized a few youth didn’t have a basketball team he organized a team to ensure they had the opportunity to play.

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

Zoe created the Sandwich Project at Palmer High School. She makes lunches for kids so they have food over the weekends. This project that she initiated started by helping six kids and has grown to now serving students grades K-12 in the immediate Palmer area to ensure that youth have something to eat while they are not at school. All fundraising and donations have been led by Zoe. She started by just making the meals in her home, since the project has grown so much she has moved it to the high school where the National Honor Society helps her put the meals together.

• Home Town Palmer
• School District
• Award Category Humanitarian, Role Model

• Home Town Kenai
• School District KPBSD

Matt Davis and Jared Heaston saw a woman get hit by a vehicle and she projected six feet. They rushed to help her, and performed CPR and all life saving efforts prior to the arrival of the paramedics. They have shared their story with students and the community and they advocate for safe driving and helping those in need.

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

Eliyah is part of the Colony Middle School National Junior Art Honor Society. She also participated in the 2018 Tech Expo showcasing her 3D apartment which she designed during an interior design unit at Colony Middle School.

• Home Town WASILLA
• School District Matanuska Susitna Borough
• Award Category Discovery

This last year, for medical reasons, Macy faced some very serious challenges. Instead of becoming discouraged, Macy found ways to grow, shine, and thrive.

• Home Town Wasilla
• School District Matsu
• Award Category Phoenix

Taylor traveled to Ecuador with a group of middle schoolers to help a community in need. She helped build part of a school in a small community in the Andes.

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

Nyamiiri is a student leader at Bartlett High School where she mentors others. She overcame the obstacle of experiencing homelessness and now volunteers to provide food at shelters both locally and internationally.

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

Since her freshman year, Maria has volunteered at Children’s Lunch box and Stamp Out Hunger. Her family also runs the family clothing drive, collecting clothes to donate to the AWAIC shelter.

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

Karen offers insight to counselors and other adults when dealing with at-risk teens. She also applied and was selected to be on the local QPR team as well as the school leadership team.

• Home Town Wasilla
• School District Matsu Borough School District
• Award Category Lifesaver