Youths work on their service to society

TAMAR BEN-YOSEF

January 08, 2009 at 10:59AM AKST

“There is no better time than now to seriously consider the future of our state.”

These are not the words of Gov. Sarah Palin or Sen.-elect Mark Begich. They come from an 18-year-old from Kotzebue who seems to be following his leaders footsteps.

Last weekend, a group of 55 young Alaskans gathered at the Hotel Alyeska in Girdwood for the Conference of Young Alaskans. Reid Magdanz, now a student at Yale University and a graduate of Kotzebue High School, was one of the delegates representing rural Alaska.

The conference is part of a series of events happening this year to mark 50 years of Alaska’s statehood and the 50 years to come. The young participants, ranging in age from 16 to 25, delved into issues that are important to them and issues that are affecting the state and nation.

In order to be accepted as a participant, applicants were required to write an essay articulating their vision of Alaska in the coming 50 years. Magdanz’s quote at the top of this story were his opening remarks in his application essay.

Coming from a rural area, Magdanz said he brings with his a perspective that may not be obvious to youths who grew up in urban areas of Alaska.

“Anchorage has become more like the Lower 48, the prices are more in line with what they are there. Rural Alaska is still way out there.” Magedanze said. “It’s a long way from Anchorage to Kotzebue.”

“The focus needs to be statewide, what’s good for the state will help the rural areas,” Magdanz said in a phone interview from his friend’s family camp outside of Kotzebue, where he spent part of his Christmas break.

What peers are thinking
One day at school, his dad sent him a link to the conference. Out of curiosity, Magdanz checked it out and joined an online discussion forum for young Alaskans. He applied to the conference because he was interested to hear what other people his age were thinking about the future of the state.

A young politician in the making? Perhaps.

At the age of 4, Magdanz moved with his family from Nome to Kotzebue. Not unlike many other teenagers his age, he spent his days going to school, running for the cross-country team and studying for Battle of the Books. He was also involved in student government and the National Honor Society.

When done with Yale, Magdanz plans to return to Alaska. Whereever he chooses to live, he said it will have to be close enough to large expanses of nothingness, just like where he grew up.

The conference is a step in the right direction toward planning for the state’s future, according to Magdanz.

“Young people often have the most energy and the most passion. They tend to be more progressive,” he said. “We’re going to be the ones that will hopefully move up in government and corporations and come up with new ideas. We’ll be trying to shape the world as we would like to see it.”

Magdanz wasn’t the only one who feels it is a youth’s responsibility to participate in state leadership.

“My generation and the ones that follow have a responsibility bestowed upon us by the advances in communication technology. This responsibility is to be more involved with the current and future happenings of our state,” said Bradley Knowles, an Alaska Native originally from Kodiak attending the Girdwood conference.

During the conference, the group was to develop policy statements and proposed courses of action.

Magdanz has some ideas for what the state should work on in the years to come. One thing in particular is a move away from oil dollars and toward sustainable energy.

“We can’t live off of oil and gas forever. It’s not a sustainable way of living in Alaska,” he said.

Another important issue is protecting Alaska’s pristine nature.

“I don’t want Alaska ‘Californicated,’” he said. “We have free wild, open country and we can’t let that be taken over in the name of development.”

Magdanz also has an opinion on education.

“Our education system is not functioning well, especially in rural areas. Our drop-out rates are horrendous,” he said.

Lawrence Jones, from the village of Buckland, was also selected from the large pool of applicants. He could not be reached for comment last week.

Together, the delegates will represent the voice of Alaska’s next generation of leaders and the gathering will demonstrate the potential and possibility of Alaskans putting aside their differences to work together for the common good, according to Jeanette Anderson Moores, one of the conference organizers.

“This event will act as a statewide vehicle to provide Alaskans with a better understanding of how the state came to be, and will raise the level of public debate on many of the issues Alaska faces today,” she said.

Several Alaska government, business and education leaders were scheduled to address the group and engage the youths in dialogue. Among them will be University of Alaska president Mark Hamilton, University of Alaska Anchorage chancellor Fran Ulmer, University of Alaska Fairbanks chancellor Brian Rogers, and British Petroleum director of community affairs Carla Beam, Bethel Mayor Tiffany Zulkosky, and Rep. Bob Buch.

“Reviewing these applications renewed my confidence in the brilliance and insight of Alaska’s next generation of citizens and leaders,” said Ian-Michael Hebert, project coordinator for the Conference of Young Alaskans. “The delegate pool includes a wonderful diversity of individuals in terms of interests, ethnicity, age, and hometowns. These young people are exemplary on every level, and we should be proud of their achievements already. They are eager to discuss their ideas and learn more as they continue to contribute to the betterment of their communities and our common legacy as a state.”

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