2020 June Nelson Scholarship Winners!

The Association of Alaska School Boards is pleased to announce the winners of the 2020 scholarship competition!

Named in honor of long-time Kotzebue school board member and education advocate, the June Nelson Memorial Scholarship competition is an annual AASB tradition. Each year, association members, students, and district superintendents gather to raise money that is awarded to Alaskan students to support their post-high school education pursuits. This year’s successful fundraising efforts have allowed AASB to award fifteen, $1,500 scholarships, which may be applied toward the student’s choice of a business, trade, or college institution.

Of this year’s 75 applicants, fifteen graduating Alaska high school seniors have been selected to receive June Nelson scholarships. One of the fifteen scholarships was awarded to a student pursuing a credential in career and technical education (a skilled trade).

Click on the links below to read the essays of this year’s winners!


Cameron Blackwell

Soldotna High School, Kenai Peninsula Borough School District


Tayen Booth

Metlakatla High School, Annette Island School District


Arianna Brooks

Craig High School, Craig School District


Annika Castenholz

Connections/Homeschool, Kenai Peninsula Borough School District


Brooks Christian

Eagle River High School, Anchorage School District


Cora Dow

Sitka High School, Sitka School District


Kazden Haugen

Hyder School, Southeast Island School District


Anthony Melkomukov

Homer High School, Kenai Peninsula Borough School District


Trevor Miller

Wrangell High School, Wrangell School District


Chariety Lynn Moler

Kake City High School, Kake School District


Lillian O’Brien

Wrangell High School, Wrangell School District


Meghyn Parker

Petersburg High School, Petersburg School District


Paige Stapp

North Pole High School, Fairbanks School District


Jakob Wade

North Pole High School, Fairbanks School District


Jessica Yang

West High School, Anchorage School District