Firefly Award
The Firefly Award was created in 2021 by VOA Alaska to present annually to an outstanding community member who champions causes around youth wellness.
The name for this award was inspired by the hope and power of the firefly, who shines a light in the darkest of places. Individuals receiving the Firefly Award have a demonstrated history of being a shining light of hope for youth in Alaska.
Through their public leadership and service, activation of resources, and dedication to youth-serving causes, Firefly Awardees are community champions who are making significant strides in eliminating suffering for youth.
2025 Firefly Award | Representative Andy Josephson
VOA Alaska is proud to present the 2025 Firefly Award to Representative Andy Josephson for his outstanding advocacy and steadfast support of Alaska’s youth and families.
Representative Josephson has been instrumental in securing funding for youth behavioral health services across Alaska. His relentless advocacy was pivotal in keeping VOA Alaska’s Adolescent Residential Center for Help (ARCH) open at a time when multiple other youth residential programs across the state were forced to close their doors. Because of his leadership, ARCH not only survived but also integrated a new level of care that meets Alaska’s most pressing unmet needs and strengthens the program’s long-term viability.
Beyond residential care, Representative Josephson’s commitment has also sustained VOA’s School-Based Mental Health Program, ensuring that thousands of students have access to the support they need to thrive. His impact has been both immediate—protecting essential services during moments of crisis—and lasting, helping to shape a healthier future for Alaska’s youth.
Through his years of partnership and advocacy, Representative Josephson has helped ensure that Alaskans have access to the care and resources they deserve. We are honored to recognize his unwavering commitment with the 2025 Firefly Award.
2024 Firefly Award | Dar Walden
In 2020, Dar Walden founded the Christopher Walden House of Hope in memory of her son, who had died of an overdose the year prior. The foundation provided resources for affordable, long-term recovery treatment in Alaska.
The foundation’s support was crucial to VOA’s residential treatment center, ARCH, and the day treatment program, which was renamed the Christopher Walden School of Hope. Additionally, Dar remained a champion for VOA in the community, raising awareness of our mission to eliminate suffering for all of Alaska’s youth.
We were grateful for her partnership and were honored to present her with that year’s Firefly Award in recognition of her commitment to Alaska’s youth and in remembrance of her son Christopher.
2023 Firefly Award | Michael Schmidt
The 2023 Firefly Award was presented to Michael Schmidt during VOA Alaska’s 2nd Annual Fall Festival.
Michael joined the VOA Alaska Board of Directors in 2018 and provided heartfelt guidance on VOA’s fundraising and development and how to increase VOA’s presence in the community.
His passion and commitment to increasing access to essential behavioral health services for Alaska’s youth has been instrumental behind many of our fundraising efforts over the past 5 years.
Thank you, Michael, for your service to VOA, to our community, and to Alaska’s youth and families. Your impact will be felt for generations!
2022 Firefly Award | Trend Alaska Committee
The 2022 award goes not just to one individual, but to an amazing team of driven and kind women from Alaska’s tourism industry, who worked tirelessly over the past two years to have a huge impact on Alaska’s youth through the Trend Alaska Fashion Show in February 2022.
This tremendous event brought nearly 400 Alaskans together to celebrate fashion in Alaska. Supporters from Trend raised over $125,000 to support essential mental health services for the youth who turn to VOA for healing.
We are so grateful to the women of Trend Alaska for choosing VOA as your nonprofit partner for this year’s amazing show.
Watch the presentation of the award to Trend Alaska during our 2022 Virtual Spring Social.
2021 Firefly Award | Paul Landes
The VOA Board and staff are pleased to provide the inaugural award to Paul Landes.
Paul, thank you so much for your leadership as VOA Board Chair, all that you have done on behalf of the mission, and being a champion for youth.
After being invited to join VOA Alaska’s board and help steer the agency into a new chapter, Paul says he ultimately joined because he “found out just how wonderful and what an important role VOA plays in our community. Helping youth become successful is really our responsibility, and VOA is one of the conduits to doing that. The agency focuses on long-term health and well-being solutions, and it’s a trendsetter and a game changer.”
As the first recipient of the VOA Firefly Award, it is our pleasure to honor Paul Landes and his dedication to eliminating suffering for young Alaskans.
