Teens honored through Spirit of Youth

The Spirit of Youth award is used to recognize teens for their positive effects on the community. The Spirit of Youth group is a media-based organization with the goal of broadcasting a positive image of teens throughout Alaska and recognizing them for their dedication to their communities.

This award is divided into 11 categories, including; business and government, cultural pursuits, faith-based service, fine arts, lifesaver and prevention, overcoming challenges, service to community, service to peers, service to young children, and technology and media. Of these categories, two students or groups are selected as overall winners each year.

Since its formation in 1997, Spirit of Youth has recognized hundreds of Alaskans between the ages of 12 and 19. Many have been residents of the Mat-Su Valley, including three winners of 2009: Cody Vetter, Brianna Murphy and Lily Coyle, who have each made outstanding achievements for the community. Vetter, of Palmer, saw a need for a local skateboard park. He helped form the Palmer Skateboard Association and with the help of Mayor John Combs gathered $400,000 to cover expenses to build the park. Murphy formed a forum for teens to discuss politics, which she and Coyle have since made a weekly discussion at the Wasilla café and bookstore, Pandemonium, at 4 p.m. on Tuesdays.

Students can be nominated by anyone who notices their efforts by submitting a form on the Spirit of Youth website. At Colony High alone, 10 students have been nominated for their good deeds. These students include active Teens Against Tobacco Use (TATU) members Kelsey Boss, Lillian Cooks, Kyndra Kastnings, Sarah Stoppa and Alicia Burke, who work to show the dangers of tobacco to the Mat-Su Valley.

“I have been in TATU for two years now. We teach younger children about tobacco and go to schools and other places in the community,” said sophomore Lillian Cooks. “It feels awesome to be recognized for what we do.”

The youth coordinator, Sara Wilber, was also very pleased with the teens.

“All the youths that were nominated go above and beyond as far as work, they show great initiative and follow through with all their projects.”

TATU is only one way students have put forth positive efforts. Olivia Johnson, a Colony freshman, found herself on the nominee list through her work with the Junior ROTC. Johnson was nominated in the service to community category for doing highway clean-ups, raising money for muscular dystrophy and sending care packages to troops. Four of Johnson’s classmates, the Davenport quadruplets — Max, Nathan, Aili and Daisey — were also selected for dedicating more than 1,000 hours of service to Shaw Elementary School.

“Our mom works there, so every day after school we go and help out for a couple hours, organizing things, delivering messages to teachers, helping the office,” Aili Davenport said. “It’s really cool to be nominated. I didn’t think we were going to be just for helping out.”

However, Shaw Principal Karl Schleich thought differently of their work and believed they should be awarded.

Other valley resident nominees include Jessica Merrill, a TATU member, Zoë Fuller who co-founded the Mat-Su Valley chapter for the Alaska Youth for Environmental Action, and the local Torch Club who worked with the Tobacco Prevention and Control and built a greenhouse from recycled water bottles.

To nominate a teen or for more information go to the Spirit of Youth website at www.spiritofyouth.org. Information about TATU can be found at www.akafs.org/tpcp.htm.

Kayla Anderson is a sophomore at Colony High School.