Shanelle Afcan of Nunam Iqua is the current president of the Mt. Edgecumbe chapter of Alaska Youth for Environmental Action. She is being honored with the 2014 Spirit of Youth Science & Environment Award.
At the age of 15, Afcan began an initiative to integrate local seafood into school meals. To help support her cause, Afcan reached out to the Sitka Conservation Society and was able to garner administrative support as well as student demand for local food.
She educated students on the importance of local eating and took her campaign to the legislative session to further teach Alaskans about food security, cultural preservation and relevance.
In 2013, Afcan successfully brought local fish to her school. Now, as a leader in her community, Afcan continues to inspire through her actions and her words.
Last November, Afcan delivered an insightful commentary on Raven Radio - KCAW, Sitka about the disappearance of her Alaska Native culture in today's world. You can listen to it here.
You'll hear the other inspirational stories of this year's award winners at the 16th Annual Spirit of Youth Awards Dinner, Saturday, April 5 at the Anchorage Marriott Downtown. Visit www.spiritofyouth.org to reserve your seats!
Spirit of Youth
Anchorage Daily News Bloggers