Youth Leadership

Youth testimonies on why Anchorage should be a 100 Best Community for Young People by P. Jacqueline Yang and Maddie Corbett:

P. Jacqueline Yang, Chugiak High School: "We live. We share. We cry. We unite. We are Anchorage. Anchorage has been not only a wonderful city with great scenery and fresh air, but a great place for everyone. Anchorage is a diverse city with over 94 different languages spoken and a place where opportunities grow. I believe my community is one of America’s 100 Best Communities for Young People because we are deserving and we live to see the younger generations grow. Anchorage is one of America’s 100 Best Communities for Young People because we try to make the world a better place. No matter if we’re raising money to buy bed nets for orphans in Malawi, Africa, organizing a Christmas party for homeless teens at Covenant House, or wrapping gift boxes for the hospital-everywhere we go, we spread our love of service and appreciation to those around us. At school, we raised over $500 in order to save the lives of millions of African children who are dying each year because of malaria. We let students in our school know that if they donate two dollars of their lunch money, just two dollars, they could save the life of a child because it only costs two dollars for a bed net to be placed over the child’s bed. Teens in my community have been making a difference all over the community, nation and world. We have all spent countless hours dedicating our time to better ourselves and our community. Anchorage is a great place for young people because we live and learn from each other. We all inspire each other’s dream to grow and head for success. We believe. If we believe, anything can happen. Anchorage is the place for opportunity. We make dreams and goals a success."

Maddie Corbett, Gruening Middle School: "Anchorage, Alaska is one of my favorite places in the world. It is a tranquil city, but it is always buzzing with activities. One of my favorite things about Anchorage is how there are so many activities for young people all year long. Youth have so many opportunities to enjoy Anchorage. Our schools open their swimming pools to the public. We are surrounded by parks and bike trails spread throughout the city. It seems like every neighborhood has an area for hiking, biking or playground equipment. Many organizations offer summer day camps to explore nature and the arts in our community. This summer kids even have the chance to paint murals in our city with a famous artist, Wyland. All year long youth can enjoy sporting events, sports leagues, ice skating, speed skating and some of the best skiing in the country right in our own back yard. For young people who are not interested in the outdoors, Anchorage offers shopping, movies and other indoor activities for youth. You can learn about the history of our city by going on one of the art or history tours where you walk around Anchorage and see the art museums and art shops. There are also a lot of year round opportunities to help others in our community. Anchorage has many great clubs that youth can be a part of: Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Boys and Girls Club, Adopt-A-Path/Park are just to name a few. I have moved around the country a lot, but feel that Anchorage is truly the best community that I have lived in that supports its youth and encourages them to help grow our city’s present and future, while celebrating our past."

You are an active participant in your community! There are several ways in which you can make a difference, influence, effect, or change your surroundings and opportunities:

Youth events around town:

¿Qué Pasa? Anchorage