Four Yukon youth receive Outstanding Youth Achievement Awards for community contributions

Steven Domingo

Steven (17) is a dedicated athlete, volunteer and student. In his home community of Carmacks, Steven has always been a volunteer during community events and at BYTE Yukon workshops and is the youth representative and liaison for the Carmacks Recreation Committee. He has been an active member and leader of most sports teams and initiatives in the community and is a vocal supporter of the new Carmacks arena. Additionally, Steven supports positive youth development initiatives and has been a coach and mentor for younger community members and athletes. In August 2022, Steven moved to the Gadzoosdaa Student Residence in Whitehorse and now attends St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Secondary School. He competes for his high school in volleyball and badminton and placed second at volleyball nationals in Calgary with the 17U Subzero Volleyball club team this year. Steven’s hard work, determination and perseverance have given him new opportunities, making him an exemplary role model for the youth in his community and throughout the Yukon.

Shanine Villaver

Shanine (17) is recognized for her exemplary contributions to her home community of Faro. She is a regular volunteer at the Town of Faro Kids Club, at school activities and at community events, including Canada Day celebrations, the Crane and Sheep Festival and Winter Festival. Shanine also plays on her school’s volleyball team, where she is a two-time captain and shows her leadership capabilities by helping other youth learn the game. She is a Del Van Gorder School Memorial Award recipient, and her accomplishments include learning French and English. Shanine’s patience, initiative and work ethic make her an excellent role model for the kids and youth of her community and the territory.

Jack Walcher-Wegmann

Jack (17) is recognized for her contributions to the community of Mount Lorne, as well as for her fiddle accomplishments in the Yukon and beyond. She is a long-time volunteer at Mount Lorne and has helped at community events, senior cafés, markets and in the community garden. Jack is a recent member of Yukon Women in Music and has been a proud Yukon Fiddlehead for many years. She has represented the Yukon in performances across Western Canada and earlier this year her original tune Fly Away Home was performed at the 2023 Vancouver Youth Fiddle Summit. Additionally, Jack uses her passion for fiddling and music to impact others in her community: she performs in assisted living homes throughout Whitehorse; is a mentor to young Fiddleheads; and volunteers backstage at numerous events. Jack is an outstanding role model and mentor for youth in the territory and her infectious passion for and commitment to Canadian fiddle culture has earned her a spot in the 2023 British Columbia Provincial Fiddle Ensemble and Camp, as well as an invitation to compete for the title of Canadian Grand Master Fiddle Champion in Truro, Nova Scotia, in August 2023.

Kalie Bennett

Kalie (17) is receiving this award in recognition of her contributions to sport in the Yukon and for being an exemplary role model. She is a volunteer and a soccer coach for both a coed house league team and an all-girls travel team and can often be seen supporting players from the sidelines when not coaching. Kalie has represented the Yukon in futsal, soccer and table tennis at the Arctic Winter Games and Canada Winter Games and was presented with a Fair Play Award by Team Nunavik during the 2023 Arctic Winter Games. Outside of athletics, Kalie participates in outdoor education programs, including the Wilderness Initiatives for Leadership Development (WILD) program, and is trained in Wilderness First Aid and Avalanche Safety. Her accomplishments include a bronze medal at the 2018 Canada-Wide Science Fair for her work testing how a reading adaptation could be used to overcome her learning disability. Kalie is an outstanding model of hard work, sportspersonship and leadership for the youth of her community.