Spirit of Youth

06/25/2026

Do you know a young person making a difference through culture, community, or care for others? Nominate them for a Bering Straits Native Corporation Youth Leadership Youth Award!

• Young Provider – is a positive example through subsistence practices and contributes to the health and wellbeing of their families, communities, and culture.
• Youth Culture Bearer – actively preserves, practices, and shares cultural knowledge, traditions, language, or arts, helping ensure culture is passed on to future generations
• Young Leader - demonstrates leadership, initiative, and service by positively impacting their community, organization, or peers.

Each recipient will receive a $1,000 cash prize.

Submit nominations by mail, email: [email protected] or fax: (907) 443-2985. The deadline to submit nominations is July 10, 2026. Learn more and download the application at beringstraits.com/youth-awards. Nominate today and celebrate the next generation!

06/12/2026

Mark your calendars for this summer's Promote the Positive event!

Please join us Thursday, August 20, 6:00-8:00 p.m. for a fun summer evening for Spirit of Youth. We will have pizza, snacks, beer and wine, music, and an auction for two Alaska Airlines tickets!

Suggested donation is $25/person or $50/family and we will gather for the event rain or shine. This event is hosted by Elizabeth Manning and John Pearce in Anchorage.

Email [email protected] for the event address.

05/29/2026

Mark your calendars to tune in next Saturday, June 6, 4-5 p.m. for Alaska Teen Media Institute's "In Other News" on KNBA 90.3 FM!

05/28/2026

The Summer of Heroes program wants to hear about young people who are making their Alaska communities better. Selected local heroes will earn $2,000 scholarships. Nominate someone through Alaska Communications website. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Alaska

Know an amazing kid? Brag about a youth hero you know - someone who has made a positive difference in the community. Whether it's small neighborhood tasks that add up to a big help or an ongoing community effort.
The Summer of Heroes program wants to hear about young people who are making their Alaska communities better. Selected local heroes will earn $2,000 scholarships. Nominate someone through website. It’ll only take about 30 minutes to do a good deed for a kid who’s doing good deeds!

05/22/2026

With the 2025 tax season behind us, there’s a new incentive to give in 2026. Beginning with the 2026 tax year, taxpayers who take the standard deduction can now deduct charitable cash contributions: up to $1,000 for individuals and $2,000 for married couples filing jointly. We hope you'll consider a donation to Spirit of Youth in your giving plan this year!

05/14/2026

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Supporting youth mental health is a shared responsibility. Families, schools, healthcare providers, and communities all play a role in early identification and support. https://www.samhsa.gov/find-support/helping-someone

04/29/2026

When school is out, many children lose access to the meals they rely on during the school year. Meals To You (through Food Bank of Alaska) provides weekly meal boxes during the summer to children who receive free or reduced-price meals during the school year. Each box includes shelf-stable, kid-friendly foods designed to support children's health and well-being while school cafeterias are closed. Enrollment runs April 1-30, 2026. Apply at: https://foodbankofalaska.formstack.com/forms/mty_2026_application

04/01/2026

✨Thank you to all who attended the 28th Annual Spirit of Youth Awards Saturday, March 28th! It was a wonderful event and hearing about the amazing youth across Alaska left us feeling inspired. 🤩Congratulations once again to all of the recipients and runners-up for the 2026 Spirit of Youth Awards!

If you missed the event you can watch the ceremony on the Spirit of Youth page!

Read about these inspiring youth on our website! 🌟https://www.spiritofyouth.org/programs/positive-media-recognition-campaign/award-recipients/

03/27/2026

The Spirit of Youth Awards are made possible by the generosity of sponsors like the Atwood Foundation! We thank them for their support! Join us Saturday, March 28 at 6 p.m. for the ceremony at The Wildbirch Hotel (239 W 4th Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska).

03/26/2026

🌟 Congratulations to Spirit of Youth's Role Model Award recipient, Kinsey Shepard of Anchorage! As Nanuk Lodge Chief, Kinsey Shepard leads Scouting America's Great Alaska Council’s youth-run Order of the Arrow program. She guides teens in planning inductions, service projects, and lodge operations while coordinating major events and improving camp facilities. A dedicated mentor, Kinsey builds confidence in younger Scouts and strengthens an inclusive, youth-empowered Scouting community. 🎉

Join us Saturday, March 28 at 6 p.m. where we'll recognize all our Spirit of Youth award recipients and runners-up at The Wildbirch Hotel in Anchorage, Alaska. For more information and to purchase tickets to the event, visit our website: www.spiritofyouth.org.