Mission

To inspire, educate, and take action on environmental issues facing our communities.

Values

We operate on the values of youth empowerment, sustainability, respect for all people, diversity, risk-taking, and collaboration/partnering.

What is AYEA?

Alaska Youth for Environmental Action is a high school environmental education and leadership program of the National Wildlife Federation. AYEA is the Alaska arm of National Wildlife Federation's national high school program called Earth Tomorrow. Six teenagers from Kodiak and Anchorage formed AYEA in 1998 because they wanted an organized, effective outlet for young Alaskans to become involved in the environment. In 2007 AYEA teens flew to Washington, D.C., to accept a commendation from The President's Environmental Youth Awards for outstanding achievement in environmental protection services. We meet our mission through conservation projects, skills training for teens, and youth leadership recognition throughout the state. There are 7 AYEA chapters in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Homer, Juneau, the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, Sitka, and Yakutat — with individual members and associate clubs in more than 35 communities in Alaska.

Objectives

• To be an active voice and presence in our communities
• To find creative ways to inspire community members, especially kids, to become open-minded and caring towards the environment
• To instill in youth a respect for the natural world & promote individual responsibility
• To connect youth to leadership and action opportunities in their communities
• To develop culturally diverse, diplomatic, effective youth environmental leaders

How We Meet Our Objectives

• Hosting annual statewide and regional skills training on environmental leadership, civic engagement, and issues education
• Facilitating youth-driven community action projects & campaigns
• Promoting youth leadership through placement of youth onto boards & commissions
• Forming strategic partnerships with statewide conservation, civic, and tribal organizations

Member and Volunteer Benefits

• Environmental Email Updates: AYEA has a list serve that reaches a few hundred students, teachers, and community members each week. To subscribe, click here: AYEA Action! E-mail
• AYEA Notebook (statewide newsletter): Students produce this quarterly newsletter that has updates about various AYEA projects/campaigns, artwork, poetry, and announcements. Members are encouraged to contribute articles to this newsletter
• Skills Training: AYEA members are the first people to hear about our skills training events. These include: Youth Environmental Leadership (YEL) trainings, the Civics and Conservation Summit, and the Summer Get Together. AYEA Members & Advisors have the opportunity to serve as a trainer at these events
• Statewide Advisory Group (SWAG!): We have a youth-adult advisory group that sets program direction, identifies opportunities for partnership and promotion, and raises funds for AYEA. SWAG meets in person 2x/ year and bi-monthly via phone.