It has taken a while to write this but we had to wait for Tonei to slow down enough to make sure we had it right. Tonei G. recently graduated from Steller. Over six years as a student at Steller, Tonei fully embraced the Steller Philosopy and participated in a wide variety of activities. Besides being a strong student voice in Op Group, Ad Board (as co-chair for two years), and as Steller’s representative on the Anchorage School District’s Student Advisory Board, Tonei was editor of the yearbook for four years and leader of the Gay-Straight Alliance at Steller. Tonei was also very active outside of school volunteering for many organizations: a lawyer, judge, and board of directors member for Anchorage Youth Court, president of the United Youth Courts of Alaska, a volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters at North Star Elementary School, and one of twelve Student Coordinators on the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN) National Jump-Start Leadership Team. Additionally, Tonei was invited to join the GLSEN National Advisory Council earlier this year.

Tonei has been a member of the Alaska Teen Media Institute (ATMI) for over two years. A regular soundboard operator and host on their monthly radio show, Tonei was also featured as a commentator on National Public Radio in February 2008 and received an Alaska Press Club Award – competing against adult professionals – for a radio piece regarding lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students in Anchorage schools. Tonei has had the opportunity to travel extensively throughout the United States to participate in conferences including several GLSEN summits and trainings, statewide and regional youth court summits, the National Association of Student Councils conference, the Third Coast International Audio Festival, and was one of only two seniors in Alaska chosen to participate in the 2008 U.S. Senate Youth Program.

Tonei is an American Civil Liberties Union Youth Activist Scholar, and will be an honors student at American University in Washington D.C. studying Political Science and Women’s and Gender Studies. He received an American University Presidental Merit Scholarship of $27,000 per year in addition to scholarships from the Anchorage Education Association, the TOTEM Association of Educational Support Personnel, Pride Foundation, PFLAG, and many other organizations – in all, over $50,000 in scholarships. We are very proud of Tonei’s accomplishments and grateful to the Steller teachers and staff for all they have done to help create such a wonderful young person.

Ed and Karen
Tonei’s Parents

You can find details of Tonei’s accomplishments in the “press” section of frozenactivist.net.