Spirit of Youth

West High School’s Interact Club supports human rights in a variety of ways. They have fundraised by doing miracle minutes at West High Assemblies and continuing to focus on current events and ways in which West High students and staff can get involved in human rights issues. This December they are focusing on human trafficking awareness by participating in Dressember—they’re wearing bowties and dresses all December and are explaining many facts to students about the horrors of human trafficking.

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

The Service High School Partners Club is made up of students with intellectual disabilities and their partners, staff members and peer teachers who work to develop activities that both promote awareness and inclusion of all students. The club works together on educational goals, life skills activities, and community inclusion. Observers and participants say it has encouraged a school culture at Service High where students with disabilities are actively included in school assemblies, drama productions, choir, prom and dances, sporting events, and after school activities.

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

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

Robin “Puck” Van Dommelen has exhibited enthusiastic devotion to the outdoors, to wildlife and to the environment. He was a leader as a Boy Scout, obtaining the Eagle rank, and all of the palms that can be awarded. After receiving his Eagle rank, Puck continued to devote his time to environmental issues, including leading several projects to survey invasive species, cleaning up Beluga Point in the Chugach State Park, and conducting an energy audit for his high school, Steller Secondary.

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

Tarzan is a committed member of Dimond High School’s Z-Club. Tarzan has been a member for 2 years and has taken every opportunity afforded to help our community. He has completed over 120 hours of service in our community and, in addition to working with programs at feeder schools, Tarzan is currently working with Priceless Alaska to help fundraise and increase awareness to provide services for victims and families of human trafficking.

• Home Town anchorage
• School District ASD
• Award Category Role Model

After applying for and receiving a Disney Grant to host an event, Abby organized a creative fundraiser for The Door Youth Shelter. Her Pool Party raised over $3,000 for the shelter, and cast a spotlight on the needs of homeless youth in Fairbanks.

• Home Town Fairbanks
• School District Fairbanks North Star Borough
• Award Category Humanitarian, Role Model

Alicia finds and creates healthy routines for herself and her peers. She participated in an Alaska Geographic summer program and she is always quick to participate and take a leadership role in school events like talent shows, open gym, or bi-monthly skating nights. She was the recipient of the Tyonek Tribal Conservation District’s (TTCD) Volunteer of the Year Award. TTCD facilitates a greenhouse and gardening project to supply the village with produce and, whenever free, Alicia made herself available to work at the garden and contribute to the efforts of getting nutritious food to her community.

• Home Town Tyonek
• School District KPBSD
• Award Category Role Model, Discovery

Khamariah not only excels in the classroom by taking several advanced placement courses, she is also part of her school’s varsity cheer teams, is a performer on the dance team and performs in school plays. She is also the current vice president for the Bartlett High School National Honor Society and has been a member of student government. She has volunteered countless hours and was awarded the Youth Citizenship medal by the Daughters of the American Revolution.

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

The Be [You] Team is sponsored by the Fairbanks Wellness Coalition and housed within the North Star Youth Court, where each member is a NSYC trained mediator. Their message is one that promotes being excited about who you are and understanding that youth are not alone in their decision to not drink alcohol. NSYC has set up at many events in Alaska over the past few months with information on teen alcohol consumption.

• Home Town Fairbanks
• School District Fairbanks North Star Borough
• Award Category Visionary, Role Model

Mattie’s goal is to help people who struggle with depression. She volunteers and fundraises for the Kodiak community, is a member of her high school swim team and student government, and has led the community sector on the Executive Board of the Kodiak Student Council. She also works at least 35 hours each semester as secretary for the Kodiak High School Student Body.

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

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

The You Are Not Alone club at West High School has been helpful in getting the word out about suicide awareness. They have created student-led presentations and even presented to the faculty at West. The club provides suicide prevention hotline bracelets and clearly explains that just because someone is suicidal once doesn’t mean they will necessarily dip that low again.

• Home Town Anchorage
• School District ASD
• Award Category Lifesaver, Role Model

Carlee Rizzo saw a need in her community and decided to do something about it. She started a non-profit charitable organization that she named the Nikiski Children’s Fund (NCF). NCF serves the needs of students at Nikiski Northstar Elementary School, Nikiski Middle High School, and children in Nikiski. The idea is simple; school staff often know of children’s needs and now when they see a need, staff can make a request to the NCF building representative.

• Home Town Nikiski
• School District Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
• Award Category Humanitarian, Role Model

Julian does as much as she can to help people realize that they have a reason to live. She has helped many people with problems that range from being sad to being suicidal. She keeps them talking to make sure they’re safe and, on occasions when it gets serious, she will contact parents or police.

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

Mary Pound is a highly self-motivated teen who is very community minded. She has reached Ambassador level in Girl Scouts, which is the highest level a girl can attain while still in school. She currently helps lead a Girl Scout Daisy troop (kindergarten to first grade).

• Home Town Dutch Harbor
• School District Unalaska City School District
• Award Category Role Model

Max Friedli helps other teens improve their ability to cope when things go wrong by being an effective listener and a teenager who is wise beyond his years. When Max notices that a peer is struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts he engages with them. Max co-led an anti-bullying themed school dance for his middle school.

• Home Town Eagle River
• School District Anchorage School District
• Award Category Visionary, Lifesaver

Sonny graduated high school despite being homeless. He is now the manager of Gathering Grounds at MyHouse and acts as a strong advocate for MyHouse and his peers in similar situations. He is a leader for his generation.

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

Ashley Smith was elected by her peers to serve as CEO of Northern Lights ABC School’s business with Jr Achievement. Her involvement in Anchorage Youth Court, Special Olympics and the Mobile Food Pantry testify to her selfless desire to be a positive impact on others and her efforts to address and improve the quality of life for others.

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

Katirina Mowrer is a self-motivated natural leader. In her position as Youth Intern in Summer Youth Culture camps around the Bristol Bay Region, she taught Native Dance, Native Youth Olympics, and skin sewing youth in grades K-9.

• Home Town Dillingham
• School District Dillingham City School
• Award Category Dreamer

The students of Napaaqtugmiut High School have been involved in a huge clean-up effort at a century old traditional hunting, fishing and camping location for their village. The project improves the traditional camping site and also improves the environment for plants and animals.

• Home Town Noatak
• School District Northwest Arctic Borough School District
• Award Category Discovery