Receiving the awards were:
Sam Allred, 11, of Wasilla. Allred, who suffers from a rare kidney disease, created Kindness of Kids Inc., a nonprofit group that encourages people "never judge one another since you never know someone's full story."
Krista Stapleford, 12, of Anchorage. Born with spinal muscular atrophy, Stapleford is currently the State Goodwill Ambassador for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. To help peers understand what life is like in a wheelchair, she created a program at her school where students had to spend the entire day in a wheelchair. Her "Wheelchair Project" has since caught on at other schools.
Fred Falealili, 17, of Anchorage, acts as a friend and mentor to dozens of kids and teens throughout the Anchorage area. Fred volunteers as a teacher and choir director at his local church and as a sports coach at the Boys & Girls Clubs.
Mersades Basford, 18, of Anchorage, sews blankets for homeless children, works with toy and food drives, takes care of sick and homeless animals and passes out water and sandwiches to the homeless, among other volunteer activities.
Jayden Tumbaga, 17, of Kenai, battled numerous medical conditions as a child. But after his parents were injured in a major car accident, he stepped up to help care for his father, who needed intense daily care. He also volunteers at the Boys and Girls Club.
Reach Mike Dunham at mdunham@adn.com or 257-4332.
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