By Makenzie Mirasole
AASG Public Relations Officer

BETHEL — Roughly 350 Alaska student leaders traveled from far and wide to experience and gather in the “Forefront of the Last Frontier” — Bethel, Alaska the largest community on the Kuskokwim river. For three days we cultivated student government skills and communicated with other delegates from around the state.

Delegates got to create and debate resolutions on issues students find important. Some resolution topics were: permitting seniors to decorate graduation caps, abolishing Unalaska City schools dress code, the implementation of an Alaska Native Teaching and Educational Program, ending child marriage in Alaska and our primary conference resolution: the continuation of funding to the Alaska Marine Highway System.

Workshops included a variety of different activities such as Yupik beading, a walk along the Kuskokwim river, survival skills, a debate class titled “Change My Mind”, line dancing, an improv class, Yupik dance and many more.

Nick Hanson, an American Ninja Warrior from Unalakleet, came to talk about the struggles Alaska youth face especially in rural villages. He touched on many topics, including suicide prevention and alcoholism, but his main message was to live up to your full potential every day.

The other speaker we got to hear from was Senator Lisa Murkowski. She spoke on the importance of Alaska youth and the power of student voice. She also spoke on many issues the State of Alaska is facing right now such as the Marine Highway System budget cuts. She opened the floor so delegates could ask her questions for a more personal touch.

This conference was the election of executive board positions. Open positions included: president, vice president, parliamentarian, secretary, treasurer, and public relations officer. Congratulations to the following new executive board members: Jake Wade, North Pole High School – president; Forrest Davis, Juneau Douglas High School – vice president; Brandon Gall, Robert Service High school – parliamentarian; Jenna Stringer, Barrow High School – secretary; Alyssa Saylor, Chugiak High School – treasurer; and Makenzie Mirasole, Tri-Valley High School – public relations officer. Each will serve a one-year term on the AASG board.

The 2019 Fall AASG conference will be hosted by Palmer High School, November 1-3, 2019. At this conference we will be “Growing Together.” Be sure to plan on joining us!

Thank you a million times to the Lower Kuskokwim School District, our Bethel hosts, the conference registrars, the community of Bethel and everyone who helped make the 2019 AASG Spring conference a stupendous success!

AASG Fall 2019 Conference
“Growing Together”

By Makenzie Mirasole
AASG Public Relations Officer

Through debate, cheers, excursions and much more the large delegation of Alaska student leaders who gathered in south central Alaska at the 2019 Fall AASG conference hosted by Palmer High School truly conquered the goal of “Growing Together.”

Students from every corner of the state gathered with great excitement in the home of the Palmer Moose. At this conference delegates from Utqiaġvik to Unalaska, from Bethel to Skagway — brought and debated resolutions that covered topics such as supporting the Global Eco Corps under the United Nations, the use of bathroom passes, the re-location of the Alaska State Legislature, the implementation of a suicide support club in every Alaska high school and many other well-researched and passionately-written resolutions. The resolution of this conference — chosen for its lengthy and thought provoking debate — was a resolution on the topic of removing industrial red meat from Alaska school lunch programs. Congratulations to Dori Getchell and Marirose Evenden for authoring such a controversial resolution.

Palmer High School offered the students an opportunity to show off their bowling skills, explore the streets of Palmer, visit the local musk ox farm, be enlightened on the process of recycling and enjoy some time ice-skating. Senator Dan Sullivan even stopped in to talk to us about the problems Alaska is facing and his love for student government and advocacy. The mayor of Palmer also came and educated us on the colony of Palmer and how it came to get its farming reputation.

AASG welcomes and congratulates our new region representatives elected at the conference: Region One – Caleb Kim, Bethel Regional High School; Region Two – Kami Vandevanter, Tri- Valley High School; Region Three – Jenessa Lorenz, Whittier Community School; Region Four – Cameron Witte, Eagle River High School; Region Five – Brennan Palmieri, Haines High School; and re-elected from Region Six – Ezra Adasiak, Lathrop High School.

The 2020 Spring AASG Conference will be hosted in the home of the Braves, Mt. Edgecumbe High School. Join us April 3-5, 2020 and start “Swimming for a Better Tomorrow.”

A very big thank you to the Palmer registrars and staff that put together this wonderful conference, as well as to the Palmer community for their support.

Interested in hosting a conference?
Conferences are an exciting opportunity for both the students that attend and the schools that host them.

Past conference hosts Anthony Jensen (Wasilla High), Danielle Lewis (Eagle River High), Elizabeth Bender and Lindsey Glenn (Kodiak High), Barbara Petukh Jackson (Mat-Su Career Tech), Vivian Meyer (Skagway) and Kassandra Mirosh (Tri-Valley) are available to lend support and guidance in your decision to become a conference host school. Host schools will also have the support of the AASG executive board. Our parent organization, the Alaska School Activities Association, has also agreed to forward-fund a portion of your conference, which will help with many of the up-front costs of the conference.

Please go to the conference tools page for more information and the application forms to host an AASG statewide conference.

The National Student Council Conference showcases of dozens of outstanding international speakers, delves into great service experiences, and gives time to make friends with students from all over the world. You can go to NASC next year. Go to www.nasc.us to learn more.