Manny Budke

December 15, 2016

Manny Budke noticed that the Student Council at Hoonah High School did not have a structure, constitution, By-Laws or clear vision for its purpose. This year, he decided to run and was elected as Student Government President. His goal is to build a constitution, work with the principal and school board to advocate for student […]

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Jackson Blackwell

Jackson has been involved in Teens Against Tobacco Use for the past 4 years. He has given tobacco prevention lessons to his peers, and has also testified to the Alaska state legislature on the importance of a smoke-free workplace.

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North Star Youth Court

October 4, 2016

North Star Youth Court is a program that provides legal and mediator training for youth in Fairbanks. The organization aims to promote restorative justice and alternative dispute resolution practices. Youth adjudicate misdemeanor cases for 1st and 2nd time offenders, acting as clerks, attorneys, and judges. Participants are between the ages of 12 and 18. By […]

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Brandon Thomas

December 31, 2015

Brandon is deeply involved in Anchorage Youth Court as well as his school’s JROTC program, both of which give back to the community through peer intervention, leadership training and volunteerism. Through this, Brandon has amassed more than 600 hours of volunteer time in Anchorage and around the state.

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Conor Bolz

Conor is a corporal in the Marines JROTC where he is an example for his peers that setting goals is a positive step in achieving success. He is also an active member of North Star Youth Court where he serves as an attorney, board member, PR person and ethics council member.

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Zachary Mason

Zachary is an active member of North Star Youth Court where he serves as Chief Judge and as a board member. This year he successfully negotiated a challenging situation.  Zach showed outstanding leadership skills and used his training in mediation to achieve this outcome.

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Radio Broadcasting/ Youth Forum – Project Grad Kenai Peninsula

December 21, 2015

This group of Voznesenka students got first-hand experience in local government when they worked with Homer City Council on an agenda last summer. They also led and facilitated the Project Grad Village Youth Forum live on KBBI AM 890 in Homer where they discussed village youth issues and interests.

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Rest in Fleece

December 16, 2015

Middle schoolers at Northern Lights ABC School created the company Rest in Fleece, which sells student-made fleece blankets. The students pay wages to their employees, commission to their sales team, and made a 10% donation to Beans Cafe this year. They are empowered to run their own company, make their own decisions and experience the full life cycle of a business.

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Naomi Edenshaw

October 26, 2015

Naomi was president of Future Educators of Alaska and a youth tribal council member on St. Paul Island. She is currently a campus senator at University of Alaska Southeast.

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Cephas Ekuase

October 21, 2015

Cephas is the CEO of Second to None Café, which serves food and beverages to students at the King Career Center. He has also spent eight years helping his mom with her assisted living businesses. Through his entrepreneurial experiences he has learned to work well with others and be a problem solver.

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Sera Tuiniua

March 19, 2015

Sera is a member of West High’s Hearts of Oceania club where is a role model and tutor to other club members. She was the only high school students to attend the Pacific Islanders Leaders Of Tomorrow program at USC where she learned how to influence change through governmental structures when assisting her community.

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Naomi Krause

February 20, 2015

Naomi has taken an active role in advocating for public education for all students in the State of Alaska. She testified to state legislators in support of local, in-person school teachers as opposed to distance education. She believes schools can provide high-quality public education for all students despite budget cuts and legislative changes.

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