Names and faces

2009 Young Alaskan Artist Award

Anchorage Festival of Music announces its 11th annual Young Alaskan Artist Award competition.

This award provides a solo, professional, debut recital in Anchorage and award money to a young, aspiring classical musician pursuing a music performance degree in college.

Jennifer Bacon, a soprano from Willow was one artist previously selected for this award.

Any Alaskan pursuing a college degree or program in music performance at an accredited institution is eligible. Applicants must be at least college freshmen to apply. They must also submit two letters of recommendation, a completed application form, a minimum of a 30-minute recording and the $25 application fee. Applications must be postmarked no later than May 5.

For applications and details, visit Anchorage Festival of Music at www.anchoragefestivalmusic.com, call (907) 276-2465 or E-mail Juliana Osinchuk at dawsinchuk@aol.com. Mailed applications go to P.O. Box 103251, Anchorage, AK 99510.

Senate pages

Matthew Neuman is serving as a Senate page for

the 26th Alaska State Legislature from Jan. 20, to April 19. He was born and raised in the Mat-Su area and has lived in Alaska all his life, though he has also spent some time in Canada as well as the Lower 48. After graduating from the I.D.E.A. correspondence program in 2007, Neuman attended Mat-Su Community College for a year. He is taking the year off from college to be a page. When he returns north, Neuman intends to enroll at UAA and work toward a degree in aviation.

Amanda Neuman is serving as a Senate page for the 26th Alaska

State Legislature from Jan. 20, to April 19. Neuman was born and raised in the Mat-Su area. She loves to snowboard and get out of the house whenever she can. Amanda graduated from the I.D.E.A. correspondence program in 2008. She loves to drive and is thinking about going into heavy equipment operations and perhaps eventually going on to be a correctional officer. She is excited to be in Juneau and is excited to work as Senate Page this session.

Miller in Reserves

PFC. Billy D. Miller Jr. of Palmer is now serving with the U. S. Army Reserves. After graduation from basic training at Fort Jackson, S. C. Miller is now at Fort Gordon, Ga., for advanced individual training for signal support system. After that, he will return to Fort Richardson. Miller attended ROTC at Colony High School and graduated from Alaska Military Youth Academy in March 2008. He is the son of Billy D. Miller Sr. and Cindy Miller of Palmer. His grandparents are Larry and Lucille Heater of Willow and

Lee and Vickie Winkelman or Grants Pass, Ore.

Speer selected

for seminar

Cadet 2nd Lt. Chad Speer of the Alaska Wing’s Birchwood Composite Squadron has been selected to attend the U.S. Air Force Summer Seminar leadership program in Colorado Springs in June. Speer, of Wasilla, said he is “excited and humbled by the unique opportunity to immerse himself in cadet life at the academy. He looks forward to sharing his experience with fellow cadets after returning to Alaska.”

The one-week program gives high school seniors-to-be a realistic feel for cadet life as they live in cadet dormitories, attend classes, participate in workshops ranging from aeronautics to humanities and take part in a variety of physical fitness activities.

At the end of the week, they become a “Doolie for a day,” experiencing what it’s like to be a 4th-class cadet at the academy and participating in such activates as marching, room inspections, military knowledge tests, obstacle courses and strenuous physical training.