The Upside

Marti Guzman is a family service coordinator. She helps families overcome challenges so their kids can stay in school and thrive.

Jason Tolstrup, the Wasilla man who made sure the tree stayed lit for nearly 20 years, died in April. His twin brother will switch on the lights Thanksgiving Day.

Since age 6, Romig Middle School student Emily Brubaker has been advocating for legislation that would amend federal law and require health insurance companies to pay for congenital anomaly treatments.

Anchorage is home to some of the most diverse public schools in the country. The school district relies on specialized programs to support its many students with language needs.

In a few years, Alice Bioff’s Naataq Gear has found thousands of Alaska customers for high-performance atikluks.

Ron Owen has spent his career welcoming dignitaries, celebrities and tourists from all over the world as a bellman at the Hotel Captain Cook in downtown Anchorage. In doing so, he’s become an informal ambassador for the city.

People who shop at and donate items to FashionPact select charities to receive 30% of the sale. “Knowing I’m having a real impact makes it worth it,” said owner Brittani Clancey.

Nikki Corbett and illustrator Katie O’Connor won a grant and, while juggling their responsibilities as parents and small-business owners, designed a coloring book for teaching the Yup’ik alphabet to young language learners.

On top of receiving the sportsmanship honor, Reggie Joule, who battled health issues last year, took third place in this year’s blanket toss competition. His son competed with him — and ended up winning gold.

Point Hope captains held a three-day whaling feast, Qaġruq, last week. Nuiqsut also honored its bowhead whaling season with Nalukataq.

After their gear was stolen in Anchorage, the three thought their expedition was ruined. The local climbing community came to the rescue.

The introduction of Kova to Cranbeary made Anchorage zookeepers nervous. But so far the partnership has proven delightful.

Five students said unique circumstances made traditional classrooms challenging. Night School gave them a path to a diploma.

Diane Mohwinkel, a dynamo who raced into her 80s, was a stalwart at the race for years, encouraging younger generations of women to be brave regardless of their speed.

The former Dimond High star athlete, who’ll now play for the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx, said that being able to represent her people at the highest level of the sport is an honor and a blessing.

The Partners Clubs for the rival schools faced off for the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic, on the same night as an annual fundraiser to benefit gynecological cancer research.

The statue of the Hall of Fame baseball player will be unveiled June 21 in coordination with the annual Midnight Sun Game.

Nasuġraq Rainey Hopson’s young-adult novel, “Eagle Drums,” has earned a Newbery Honor and an American Indian Youth Literature Award book honor. She said it gives her “hope for future Indigenous writers.”

In 2022-23, the Boston Bruins goalie’s season ended with a stinging playoff loss, but Swayman has been impressive in taking on a greater workload this season.

What was supposed to be a three-day trip turned into a five-day adventure for a trio of prep skiing teams.

As a member of the Minnesota franchise in the PWHL’s inaugural season, DeGeorge hopes to be the kind of role model she wishes she had growing up.

Bethany Zimpelman at Muldoon Elementary has helped connect more than 100 students with free exams and eyeglasses since she started as a school nurse five years ago.

A South Anchorage pastry shop owner continues what her parents started more than 40 years ago.

Others include a tribal healer, an affordable housing pioneer, an educator who published an Iñupiaq language dictionary, and parents raising their children to “know who they are, where they’re from.”