Youth Awards

BSNC is seeking nominations for the Young Provider, Youth Culture Bearer, and newly established Young Leader Awards. These awards annually recognize young shareholders and descendants who serve as positive examples through leadership, cultural stewardship, service, and commitment to the wellbeing of their families and communities.

The addition of the Young Leader Award reflects BSNC’s commitment to recognizing the next generation of leaders who are creating positive change in their communities, organizations, and among their peers.

These awards recognize young people who perpetuate Alaska Native culture and a positive lifestyle not by measure of academic or financial success, but by serving as positive examples and providing for their community in the one or more of the following ways:

• Providing for and caring for family through subsistence activities, harvesting, sharing traditional foods, Elder care, mentoring, or teaching traditional values and practices.
• Preserving and sharing cultural knowledge, language, arts, and traditions with others.
• Demonstrating leadership, initiative, and service that positively impacts their community, organization, or peers.
• Participating in activities that support community health and wellbeing, including youth programs, suicide prevention efforts, sports, cultural activities, or other community initiatives.

The recipients will be awarded $1,000 each. The deadline for nominations is July 10, 2026. Nominations will be accepted from family members, tribal and corporation board members, schoolteachers or administrators and community members.

Award Categories:

• Young Provider: Recognizes an individual under 29 years of age who serves as a positive example through subsistence practices and contributes to the health and wellbeing of their families, communities, and culture.
• Youth Culture Bearer: Recognizes an individual under 29 years of age who actively preserves, practices, and shares cultural knowledge, traditions, language, or arts, helping ensure culture is passed on to future generations.
• Young Leader: Recognizes an individual 18 to 29 years of age who demonstrates leadership, initiative, and service by positively impacting their community, organization, or peers.

Nomination Deadline

The deadline for nominations is July 10, 2026.