Contributed by Becky Stoppa
PALMER – Thrive Mat-Su is pleased to announce the winners of the 2020 Youth Making a Difference award, which honors Mat-Su students in grades 6-12 for their contributions to their school or community through volunteerism.
Rachel Hartman, a 2020 Mat-Su Career & Technical High School graduate, won the high school division. Hartman volunteered consistently throughout high school, contributing time to Alaska Youth for Environmental Action, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the public library, and Mat-Su Youth Court.
Since 2016, Hartman devoted approximately 250 hours to MSYC alone, which places her among the top volunteers in the organization’s 23-year history, according to Krista Maciolek, the MSYC director, in her nomination letter. She filled many roles over that time, including prosecutor, defense attorney and judge during sentencing hearings. Hartman also served as president of the MSYC Student Bar Association and as secretary of the statewide organization of youth courts, United Youth Courts of Alaska.
“Rachel’s commitment to Mat-Su Youth Court has been invaluable. The community is well-served by the program and the program has been well-served by Rachel,” said Maciolek.
The middle school Youth Making a Difference award went to the Teeland Middle School National Junior Honor Society. This 40-member band of eighth graders took on an array of service projects throughout their school and the community, from tutoring local elementary school students in math and reading, to volunteering and fundraising for Halloween Hallow and the Mat-Su Special Santa program, to helping plan and execute school-based activities like dances and wrist-band sales to help raise money for a wheelchair swing for Teeland’s disabled students.
“NJHS members are making a difference in small but important ways by helping these causes,” said Tracy Verrall, the Teeland National Junior Honor Society adviser, in her nomination letter.
Hartman and the Teeland NJHS program each received a cash award of $250.
Taylor Miller, a junior at Mat-Su Career & Technical High School, and Eli Knapp, a 2020 graduate of Houston High School, were selected as finalists.
Thrive Mat-Su is a community coalition dedicated to preventing and reducing underage substance use. The annual Youth Making a Difference award program is part of Thrive’s ongoing effort to support positive youth development by recognizing and enhancing young people’s strengths.
If you know a Mat-Su teen who is making a difference in the community, email details and a photo to impact@unitedwaymatsu.org, for a spotlight in Thrive’s monthly newsletter and social media platforms.
