Fall Conference 2019 – Growing Together in Palmer!

The Alaska Association of Student Governments is excited to announce that our Fall Conference 2019 will be held November 1-3 at Palmer High School in Palmer.

The theme of our Fall Conference is “Growing Together.”

The conference committee at Palmer is working hard to put on another outstanding conference. They are busy organizing community trips, guest speakers, special events and (of course) the conference dance. Kim Akers and Scott Baker are our conference hosts. Feel free to contact them at kimberly.akers@matsuk12.us or scott.baker@matsuk12.us.

Elections planned for this conference include all six regional representatives and the Junior SBEED rep. Students interested in running can find the application forms here.

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION
Registration Form

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION DATES
• Registration ($130) begins as soon as the website registration link is live.
• Regular Registration ends Thursday, October 17 at 11:59 pm.
• Late Registration ($150) begins Friday, October 18 and ends Friday, October 25.
• Electronic Eligibility (for grades, etc) is required by Friday, October 25.
• Substitutions after October 25 will require a $20 change fee.
• No refunds will be issued for cancellations after October 25.

Reminder: Advisors will pay a $90 registration fee and the host school will be able to register up to 20 student conference volunteers at no cost.

CONFERENCE DATES TO KEEP IN MIND
• E-board meeting on Thursday October 31.
• Registration and “ice-breakers” begin at 2:00 pm on Friday, November 1.
• Opening ceremony – 4:00 pm, Friday, November 1.
• Closing ceremony – 11:30 am, Sunday, November 3.

HOUSING/TRAVEL
Delegations requesting bus transportation from the Anchorage airport are asked to contact Kim or Scott to coordinate times.

Availability of sleeping arrangements at the school are by request. More information will be forthcoming. Please contact Kim or Scott.

We’ll see you there!

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.

This article was written by our AASG public relations officer Makenzie Mirasole

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!

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.