Sara DeVolld

December 31, 2023

Sara is a 16-year-old, fourth-generation Alaskan whose L.E.D. “Artwear” creations have been recognized by 3M, Discovery Education, and The Alaska Society for Technology in Education for her innovative fusions of science and technology with art and design. Her design company, “Vintage Train Case,” produces dresses, jewelry, and ballet-performance costumes. She is introducing her generation to […]

Read More

Jamie Twitchell

December 26, 2023

Jamie is a stand-out alum of a year-long Ilakucaraq cohort, a program that brings together Alaska Native youth in 9-12th grades. This program is designed to form friendships, learn and share about Indigenous cultures, and build confidence in their cultural identities. Although Jamie would never call herself this, she is a great example of an […]

Read More

Tristan Evanoff-Stickman

December 19, 2023

Tristan is a kind and insightful deep thinker. He connects with Elders and learns cultural practices while working at his family’s fish camp in Nondalton. Additionally, he has interned at a culture camp held on indigenous lands in partnership with Lake Clark National Park. He is stand-out alum of the year long Ilakucaraq cohort, a […]

Read More

Anamanu Tu’uholoaki

December 17, 2023

Anamanu is an exceptional young person. She currently works with children at the Hmoob Cultural Center of Alaska. Anamanu has volunteered by cleaning Anchorage, contsructing a blessing box to feed homeless. She’s spent time volunteering with Clare House, Beans Cafe, Food Bank of Alaska and Suicide Prevention Awareness. Additionally, Anamanu has gone on two missions, […]

Read More

Innoko River Middle and High School

October 6, 2023

Shageluk has a three-mile road between the village and the runway which is under construction. There are ancient pit houses of Shageluk ancestors along the road. This spring, students at Innoko River School ensured their community’s history was being preserved while a construction company came in to resurface the road. Students put markers out that […]

Read More

Kaycie Nelson

February 27, 2023

Kaycie is a student from Metlakatla who excels in school and at the Metlakatla Boys and Girls Club teen events. She was recently accepted into the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth class and looks forward to her goal of attending an Ivy League university.

Read More

Mazzy Adkins

December 31, 2022

Mazzy is a skilled beader. An important part of her Athabaskan culture, she wanted to teach beading to other kids, so Mazzy created a class for third and fourth-graders at her school. Mazzy helped shine a light on Indigenous knowledge and made it something desirable and important.    

Read More

Sophia Layos-Wagaman

December 12, 2022

Sophia Layos-Wagaman is an aspiring circus arts performer from Fairbanks. A competitive gymnast since 2013, Sophia has competed at U.S. Gymnastics invitationals in Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, Montana and Alaska. She has spent the last four years adding circus skills to her repertoire including straps, lyra, wire and partner acrobatics. She performed with the Golden Heart […]

Read More

Sean Middleton

Sean works hard to improve the community by being a great student, a wonderful teammate, and a great friend to others. He encourages everyone to work hard, and cheers for not only his team, but also for those friends on rival teams. Sean encourages everyone (including adults) to work hard. He is so gregorious and […]

Read More

Yedidia Diboue

December 8, 2022

Yedidia embodies the spirit of fine arts, with a love of singing, violin, and drawing as her primary interests, using these media to express her feelings in a positive way. She also serves as an officer of the Anchorage Youth Court, and created her own business called “YY Sweets,” donating profits to charity.

Read More

Cheyenne Kookesh

November 6, 2022

Cheyenne is dedicated to her Tlingit heritage, taking advantage of all learning opportunities, including formline design, beading, dancing and singing, and talking with community elders. As a young woman invested in learning about and preserving her Tlingit culture, she invites and normalizes this level of cultural engagement amongst her peers.

Read More

Shannon McCarty

October 26, 2022

Shannon McCarty lives in Metlakatla in Southeast Alaska, a small community where Tsimshian traditions are a foundation of daily life. Shannon is a well-respected caregiver for local children, even encouraging her peers to become babysitters so that other families of Metlakatla will have safe, responsible childcare services for their youngsters. Shannon is also a student-teacher […]

Read More

Emil Lopez

Emil Lopez believes that all young people deserve to be heard, and he’s working to bring awareness and solutions to amplify the youth voice in Alaska. A keynote speaker for a recent youth summit, Emil brings to the table an awareness of and solutions for the role of young citizens. A student at Bettye Davie East […]

Read More

Adreanna Nash

Adreanna both participates in and volunteers with the Fairbanks arts community through dance and performance. She uses her talents to speak up and motivate others to live creatively.  Adreanna often travels for performances, and has won awards while representing various Alaska dance companies. She also volunteers her time to the dance community, performs at local charity […]

Read More

Max Pfeiffenberger

August 29, 2022

Max took initiative to refurbish Seward’s only outdoor basketball court as a recreational gathering place for older youth. He organized a group of volunteers to replace the aging cement court with a new play surface, raising funds and gathering donations from local businesses to complete the project. Max took on fundraising and business donations, and in […]

Read More

Ethan Zawodny

December 24, 2021

Ethan’s contribution to the Anchorage music community is significant. He is involved in numerous performing ensembles throughout Anchorage. He has contributed heavily to the Eagle River High School Band, Jazz Band, and other specialty ensembles. Additionally, he’s been an integral part of the Robert Arms Jazz program and the Youth Symphony. Ethan has also started […]

Read More

Isabelle Williams

December 5, 2021

Isabelle is a talented actress and has performed in almost every school and community theater production in Sitka for the past four years. The performances she’s involved in help share important social, emotional and intellectual messages. They also entertain and help viewers escape from their daily challenges.  

Read More

Mia Wiederspohn

November 3, 2021

Mia is working with KSTK 101.7 FM in Wrangell, Alaska to create a podcast series about the Tlingit language. By broadcasting Tlingit phrases and their English translations, she is helping to preserve the language Indigenous to her community.  

Read More

Douglas Adams

November 2, 2021

Douglas is a Native Tlingit freestyle rap artist. He frequently raps about his home of Klukwan. He is an advocate for music, his peers, for Native Alaskans, Tlingit culture and creatives everywhere. He speaks with intent in his raps and is always looking for solutions despite living though and enduring very troubling experiences.

Read More

Robert Ahmasuk

February 4, 2021

Robert is involved in the Alyeska Ski Club and is a participant in the Native Games and the World Eskimo Indian Olympics. He voluntarily teaches and coaches his fellow ski team members in the Native Games. He has worked with local media to set trapping regulations for the State of Alaska in order to make […]

Read More