In jumps, kicks, and carries, students from the Y-K Delta return home this week decorated from the Native Youth Olympics.
The Native Youth Olympics (NYO) is an annual state-wide competition made up of both individual and team traditional sports.
The Senior Games for students in grades 7-12 took place in the Alaska Airlines center in Anchorage April 16-18. Events included the seal hop, the wrist carry, and the two-foot high kick. One boy and one girl from each school competed in each event.
A Bethel student emerged champion of the wrist carry event, part of a Lower Kuskokwim School District team featuring Aidan Crow, Kolby Clark-Pruitt, and Rylan Clark-Pruitt.
Wasillie Evan, Richard Nose, and Mason Kinegak of the Yupiit School District took fourth place for the boys, and Shaylee Nicholas, Richard Ivan, and Mason Kinegak from the same district took fourth in the girls division.
Bethel’s Kayleigh Bell placed fourth in the toe kick event, and LKSD team member Anakin Wassilliee rounded out the top five for the boys.
LKSD students Chloe Wassillie and Frank Paul came in second and fourth place in their divisions in the Alaskan high kick. Wassillie also tied the NYO record for the one-hand reach event, and tied for fifth place in the one-foot high kick event. Karlton Peter of LKSD tied for fifth place in the boys division in the one-hand reach.
Avis Davis from LKSD placed fourth in the two-foot high kick. Sarah Nichols of the same district took second place in the kneel jump event.
Kipnuk students Shawna Paul and Paul Nolen claimed a double victory in the seal hop event. The Y-K Delta domination of the event continued down the leaderboard. Trevor Ayaprun of LKSD took second place for the boys, Christian Williams of the Lower Yukon School District came in third, and Cayson Lott of the Yupiit School District came in fourth.
Finally, Justine Erickson-Bradney of Bethel came in third place for the Inuit stick pull event. She was one of five recipients of the NYO’s academic scholarship for excellence in the classroom.
View the full results of the 2026 NYO Games here.
