Four new leaders in human and polar bear safety are emerging in Kaktovik. Chelsea, Tori, Madeline and Archie give safety talks to visitors, serve as role models for their peers and are helping their community. The teenagers are part of the Kaktovik Youth Ambassadors program and are volunteering to help visitors and people within the community stay safe during the season when many polar bears come ashore near Kaktovik.
Kaktovik Youth teach visitors about Polar Bears

Petersburg teen Patricia Jackson, 17, lead the activities for Suicide Awareness Week at her school. She worked with other students to organize "The Hope Wall" where students and staff came and wrote words that inspire and bring joy. Hope Wall

This Alaska Day, nominate a teen for a Spirit of Youth Award.

Nanwalek youth build hoop houses for their eldersMeet our newest 2012 Nominee: the Nanwalek Summer Youth! These teens serve the elders in their community by chopping wood, house cleaning, delivering traditional foods and putting away fish for the winter. This week they are busy building a hoop house to grow veggies for their elders! As their nominator puts it “The elders value their assistance, and the youth value their teachings. It’s a win-win situation”.

Teens from around the state shared their ideas that with the Alaska State Fair on how the fair could be used to raise awareness about teen homelessness, feature and sell art by Alaska youth, and increase awareness about Alaska Grown products. The Fair was so impressed with the student's creativity they awarded more scholarships then they had intended!

This year's recipients are from Palmer, Wasilla, Galena, Fairbanks, and Anchorage. Read about all of the scholarship winners and their awesome ideas here:

http://www.alaskastatefair.org/blog/archives/1465

The Service High School B-Boys are a group of talented teenagers that break dance for pure enjoyment. They recently came together to use their talents to raise money for their friends battling cancer.

Check out their website: http://www.servicebboys.org/ServiceBBoys.org/Welcome.html

Although there were no student athletes from Kodiak Island Villages participating at the NYO games this past month, the Island still had important teen representatives here in Anchorage. A small group of dedicated teens called Students at Kodiak Island Learning to Lead (SKILL) took on the challenge of broadcasting the games to villages across the state.

Tuesona Tungwenuk takes time out of her busy post-high school life to volunteer at KNOM Radio. Each week Tuesona graces the airwaves across Western Alaska and provides amusing commentary and entertaining DJ-ing for listeners. Tuesona's spirit and passion for life shines through each time she is on the air. Over time, Tuesona has become a mainstay on the airwaves and, based on word of mouth, her show is one of the most popular on KNOM.

Between the RiversBetween the Rivers is an acoustic rock duo from Eagle River who spends their free time practicing and playing gigs in the community. Shana Sheehy caught up with them for an interview after one of thier performances.

2012 Award Winners MapTwenty-two teens and youth groups from around the state will be recognized at the 14th annual Spirit of Youth Awards Banquet. This year's Spirit of Youth award recipients come from 16 communities across Alaska and are being recognized for everything from acting to performing CPR to speaking out against domestic violence.

Michaela and Olivia Brown take the lead in serving meals to volunteers at the Changepoint church.

Spirit of Youth's Shana Sheehy has more on the story.

Spirit of Youth's Shana Sheehy meets up with Brave New Alaskan Voices to find out more about Southcentral's teen poetry slam team.

The suitcases will be taken by the Alaska Sudan Medical Project to Africa where they will be put to good use. Spirit of Youth's Shana Sheehy has more on the story below

Harlyn at a swift water rescue training
Harlyn Noel Andrews, 18, is an activist for healthy Alaska Native Communities. Harlyn is committed to providing training to young people in her community to learn outdoor survival skills such as swift water rescue and emergency preparedness involving both health and law enforcement emergencies.

This group of West High urban student photographers traveled to Brevig Mission to connect with new friends in rural Alaska and take photos of the environment. In exchange, they helped their counterparts take photos when they visited Anchorage. Spirit of Youth's Shana Sheehy reports.

West High Photo Exchangers

This past summer the Anchorage Public Library opened up the Teen Underground, a space for teens ages 12-18 to study, collaborate, research and interact.

Here, Spirit of Youth's Shana Sheehy interviews Spencer Mitton, the youth who designed the Teen Underground logo.

Spencer Mitton

Laura Fox is another outstanding teen from Takotna, Alaska. She is part of ongoing efforts that are to better her community. Laura's personal goal is to become a lawyer and more specifically to be instrumental in Alaska Native issues. She is currently attending the University of Alaska Fairbanks and working for the Tanana Chiefs Conference.

Here is Shana Sheehy's radio interview with Laura.

Laura Fox

From Girdwood, Alaska, thirteen-year-old Sarah Bartholomew and her family members Ian Wahl, Matt Faubion and Steve Bartholomew make up the band Sarahndipity. Sarah is a dedicated musician who enjoys playing, performing, and even composing some of the pieces that the band has played together. The band Sarahndipity has done many gigs such as playing at the Stizmark Bar and Grill, Forest Fair, Blueberry Festival, and the Anchorage Folk Fest.

Twelve-year-old Keefer Brown from Wasilla, Alaska recently raised $1,300 which he donated to the Alaska SeaLife Center. He designed and sold candles which he decorated with shells and seaweed he found on the beaches of Seldovia. Brown sold the items around Seldovia and far surpassed his initial goal of $50 by not only convincing people to buy candles but to donate to marine research and education.
Keefer Brown, his parents, and the SeaLife staff

APU Scholarships for Alaska Students: Alaska Pacific University has some great scholarship opportunities for Alaska High School graduates. The attachment details scholarship opportunities that are available to ALL Alaska High School graduates who meet APU's minimum admission requirements.