Retiring teacher, coach urges Colony grads to ‘find their 68’
By Jeremiah Bartz Frontiersman.com A football coach using a hockey reference as the centerpiece for his keynote address may
2 min read
MAT-SU — Three Valley teens previously featured in the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman have been selected as 2014 Spirit of Youth award recipients in the categories of Media and Technology and Service to Peers. They were selected from among more than 150 students nominated statewide.
Valley winners are Heather Johnson, Samuel Allred and Gabrielle Zaleski. Zaleski also was honored with a Mat-Su Good Neighbor Award from the Frontiersman in September 2013 for the same service project that turned judges’ heads in the Spirit if Youth competition.
Johnson, 15, will receive a Business and Government award for her book “Hidden Voice: A Story of Discovering Strengths,” about helping youth build self-esteem and deal with bullies and negative comments. The Mat-Su Central School student is a delegate to the People to People Ambassador Program, member of the National Association of Professional Women and an instructor at this year’s Alaska Young Writers Conference.
Allred, 14, is being honored with the Overcoming Challenges Award. While battling a rare kidney disease since he was a toddler, he has created the nonprofit organization “Project Comfort,” which has made and distributed more than 3,000 travel-sized pillows to hospitalized children all over the U.S. in the past three years. He also is the author of “Opening Hearts,” a book that aims to provide hope and encouragement for kids who are chronically ill.
Zaleski, 17, was selected for the Service to Children award for her dedication to her community. The Colony High School student volunteers for several local causes and spends time with young children at her church and a local elementary school. She also created the Miss Snowflake Pageant, specifically designed to spotlight girls with special needs and their abilities.
The three teens will be honored with the other winners at the Spirit of Youth Awards Dinner at 6 p.m., April 5 at the Anchorage Marriott Downtown.
Tickets for the awards dinner are available online at spiritofyouth.org.
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