Young People

The lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender community celebrated the culmination of the annual Pride festival on the Delaney Park Strip. More than five-thousand people attended the festivities on Saturday to mark the end of a week-long celebration. Officials say the first PrideFest began decades ago in honor of the Stonewall Riot of 1969. ( Jared Woods performs on Park Strip June 16, 2013. Photo: Phil Walczak, KTUU-TV) Organizers expressed satisfaction with this year's event and its message.

West High School's vice principal, 42-year-old Patsy Shaha, has been charged with child abuse after police say Shaha disciplined a child at her home strongly enough to leave bruises. "There was bruising that was noticeable on the child's face," said APD spokesperson Lt. Dave Parker. "After a consultation with the prosecutor's office, they decided that this went beyond the pale. " Shaha faces one count of misdemeanor child abuse. The alleged domestic disturbance was reported on Dec. 22 by a mandatory reporter -- a professional legally obligated to report abuse, from occupations including teachers, medics and child care providers.

It's a tragic problem that impacts Alaska's youth and their families, especially in rural communities. Suicide rates are six times the national average in western Alaska, a leading cause of death for teens and young adults.   State leaders including Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Gov. Sean Parnell, along with health service officials, participated in a round table discussion Monday in Bethel to discuss the issue. The president of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation said at the conference the region experiences more than 13 suicides each year.

by Christine Kim Wednesday, January 27, 2010 NOORVIK, Alaska -- One rural village has brought back a tradition that was banned for years. For the first time, the new dance group in Noorvik performed in front of an audience other than their own. For Native Alaskans, these dances are a part of their history that began to fade away with the ban. Now it's the young generation that's restoring what's lost and carrying it into to the future. The beat that resonates from the drums and the tunes that disperse into the air join movements that show history is no longer broken.

The candidates for Alaska governor are trying to convince young Alaskans that this upcoming election is worth their time. They gathered for a debate Monday afternoon at West High School. The youth voter turnout is notoriously low. Young people are often too busy or they just don't care, but that's something candidates are trying to change. Most of the audience at the debate was interested in college, not campaigns, but that does not mean they're ignorant of topics that affect them and their families.

Help for Alaska's homeless is the topic under discussion this week in Anchorage. Hundreds of shelter directors and community leaders are participating in a 3 day conference on the issue. At the Covenant House Alaska directors say the issue for many homeless is a reoccurring one and that's what they aim to stop. Being homeless is an issue a person can face at any age. "Right now our econonmy is pretty tough and families are having to make tough decisions," said Covenant House Alaska associate executive director Carlette Mack, "and some youth because of their age, at the age of 18, are asked to leave their home.

All over Anchorage, there are plenty of places celebrating Kids Day on Saturday, April 20. The main fun center is at the Dena'ina Center where over 75 youth-serving agencies and organizations have booths set-up with activities geared at young people. The event ends at 4 p.m. Saturday and the convention center is at 600 W. Seventh Avenue. The Alliance for Youth has coordinated " Kids Day ," since 2004 in order to promote its "five promises," for young people; safe places, healthy start and future, caring adult, effective education, and give back to their community in a valuable way. Admission is being waived for youth at several attractions: Alaska Zoo - All Youth 17 and under are free - Open 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., 4731 O'Malley Rd. Alaska Aviation Museum - All Youth Free - Open 9 a.m. -5 p.m., 4721 Aircraft Drive Alaska Museum of Science and Nature, formerly AK Museum of Natural History  - All Youth Free - Open 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., 201 N. Bragaw Anchorage Museum - Youth 12 and under are free - Open 10 a.m.- 6 p.m., 625 C Street People Mover - All Youth 18 and under can ride free on Sat, April 20th Also this Saturday, the Anchorage Police Department and Anchorage Fire Department will hold a public safety and job fair at the Dimond Center from noon to 5 p.m. at 800 E. Dimond Blvd.

by Channel 2 News staff Saturday, February 6, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The Alaska Native Heritage Center hosted the Indigenous World Film Festival this weekend. The festival kicked off Friday, and showings continued through Saturday evening. The goal of the event is to showcase films from around the world that are directed, produced or written by indigenous people, or are about indigenous issues. The festival also aims to promote the business of filmmaking and inspire young people to get their voice out. "As a young person, I feel it's really important to really have a clear understanding of your history and where you come from in order to have a clear view of the future," said actress Q'Orianka Kilcher.

Seventeen-year-old Joel Fletcher Armstrong was pronounced dead early Saturday morning after a group of friends brought him to Mat-Su Regional Medical Center, says Megan Peters, spokesperson for Alaska State Troopers. The group went camping Friday evening at the Knik River Campground, and troopers believe they were drinking and that alcohol was a factor in Armstrong's death. "Friends said that they woke up and found him unresponsive, cold to the touch," said Peters. "Unfortunately he wasn't able to be revived.

A West High choir teacher's confession that he had sex with students triggered a lot of soul-searching at Anchorage schools this week.   All you have to do is take a look at a hit ABC show, "Pretty Little Liars" to see how teenagers, especially girls, are increasingly sexualized in today's pop culture. In fact, one of the storylines in the series is about a student's torrid relationship with her English teacher that began in a bar, where she passed herself off as a college student.

The lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender community celebrated the culmination of the annual Pride festival on the Delaney Park Strip. More than five-thousand people attended the festivities on Saturday to mark the end of a week-long celebration. Officials say the first PrideFest began decades ago in honor of the Stonewall Riot of 1969. ( Jared Woods performs on Park Strip June 16, 2013. Photo: Phil Walczak, KTUU-TV) Organizers expressed satisfaction with this year's event and its message.

All over Anchorage, there are plenty of places celebrating Kids Day on Saturday, April 20. The main fun center is at the Dena'ina Center where over 75 youth-serving agencies and organizations have booths set-up with activities geared at young people. The event ends at 4 p.m. Saturday and the convention center is at 600 W. Seventh Avenue. The Alliance for Youth has coordinated " Kids Day ," since 2004 in order to promote its "five promises," for young people; safe places, healthy start and future, caring adult, effective education, and give back to their community in a valuable way. Admission is being waived for youth at several attractions: Alaska Zoo - All Youth 17 and under are free - Open 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., 4731 O'Malley Rd. Alaska Aviation Museum - All Youth Free - Open 9 a.m. -5 p.m., 4721 Aircraft Drive Alaska Museum of Science and Nature, formerly AK Museum of Natural History  - All Youth Free - Open 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., 201 N. Bragaw Anchorage Museum - Youth 12 and under are free - Open 10 a.m.- 6 p.m., 625 C Street People Mover - All Youth 18 and under can ride free on Sat, April 20th Also this Saturday, the Anchorage Police Department and Anchorage Fire Department will hold a public safety and job fair at the Dimond Center from noon to 5 p.m. at 800 E. Dimond Blvd.

Hundreds of people gathered in downtown Anchorage to show support for the city's homeless youth population Tuesday evening. It was the Covenant House Alaska's annual  Candlelight Vigil for Homeless Youth, and people showed up to help support and show solidarity for the population of children. Kevin Ryan, the president of Covenant House International, said the organization takes care of thousands of those kids, who would otherwise have nowhere to go.  “If not for Covenant House, there are so many kids who end up making so many terrible decisions; kids who are going to affiliate with gangs, young people who are going to end up spiraling downward in drugs, kids who are going to end up dead because it's too cold on the streets, kids who are going to get preyed on by pornographers, predators and traffickers,” he said.

Help for Alaska's homeless is the topic under discussion this week in Anchorage. Hundreds of shelter directors and community leaders are participating in a 3 day conference on the issue. At the Covenant House Alaska directors say the issue for many homeless is a reoccurring one and that's what they aim to stop. Being homeless is an issue a person can face at any age. "Right now our econonmy is pretty tough and families are having to make tough decisions," said Covenant House Alaska associate executive director Carlette Mack, "and some youth because of their age, at the age of 18, are asked to leave their home.

Mendeltna is off the Glenn Highway about 153 miles from Anchorage.  You have to watch for the sign, otherwise you might miss it. No more than a few dozen people live there. But on Memorial Day weekend, all that changes, thanks to the Mendeltna Creek Music festival. For three days, several hundred people gathered at the Mendeltna Creek Lodge, bringing their fiddles, guitars, stand-up basses, banjos and mandos, or mandolins. Nick “the Dream” Weaver came packing his guitar and ukulele, as well as his bongos.  “It really is a heart-felt experience for me,” says Weaver, an Anchorage singer-songwriter.  “I wish life could be like this, just on a regular basis.”  Weaver can be found leading jam sessions at the lodge into the early morning hours, which were a lot more packed this year, due to the chilly weather.

If you've lived in Anchorage long enough, you might remember Rosa Foster. She was an elementary teacher in the 60s and later retired as a principal from the Anchorage School District. She came to Alaska from Virginia and she says she remembers the strong racial tensions in the 50s when she lived there. "When I was growing up it was all one way of the other. It was either white or black. That was it. That was the way it all was. That was the law," she said. "If you were in school, it was all segregated.

The history of suicide in Alaska is a complex one. James Gallanos is a suicide prevention program coordinator who works for the state. He says the state has learned more information about suicides in Alaska over the years. “Over a period of years we've gotten better at understanding and reporting the accuracy of what's really happening out there,” Gallanos said. Gallanos says during Alaska's statehood years, no one was truly concerned about the suicide rate, due to a lack of knowledge.

Seventeen-year-old Joel Fletcher Armstrong was pronounced dead early Saturday morning after a group of friends brought him to Mat-Su Regional Medical Center, says Megan Peters, spokesperson for Alaska State Troopers. The group went camping Friday evening at the Knik River Campground, and troopers believe they were drinking and that alcohol was a factor in Armstrong's death. "Friends said that they woke up and found him unresponsive, cold to the touch," said Peters. "Unfortunately he wasn't able to be revived.

West High School's vice principal, 42-year-old Patsy Shaha, has been charged with child abuse after police say Shaha disciplined a child at her home strongly enough to leave bruises. "There was bruising that was noticeable on the child's face," said APD spokesperson Lt. Dave Parker. "After a consultation with the prosecutor's office, they decided that this went beyond the pale. " Shaha faces one count of misdemeanor child abuse. The alleged domestic disturbance was reported on Dec. 22 by a mandatory reporter -- a professional legally obligated to report abuse, from occupations including teachers, medics and child care providers.

A West High choir teacher's confession that he had sex with students triggered a lot of soul-searching at Anchorage schools this week.   All you have to do is take a look at a hit ABC show, "Pretty Little Liars" to see how teenagers, especially girls, are increasingly sexualized in today's pop culture. In fact, one of the storylines in the series is about a student's torrid relationship with her English teacher that began in a bar, where she passed herself off as a college student.