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The Alaska Association of Student Governments
(AASG) developed from the Western Alaska and
Southeast Alaska Student Council Associations,
under the leadership of the Western Alaska
Principal's Association and Southeast Alaska School
Activities Association, respectively. The first
regional activities may have occurred in the spring
of 1963 in Southeast, and Bill Butler, Principal of
Palmer High School initiated the Western Alaska
group in the mid-60's. Loosely organized
conferences occurred in each area of the state in
the following years.
The Alaska Association of Secondary School
Principals (AASSP) assumed active sponsorship of
AASG in 1968. Larry Graham (Anchorage) was
appointed the first State Executive Secretary
(State Director) in 1971. The Constitution and
Bylaws were adopted at a November 1972 meeting of
AASSP. Mr. Graham and three students attended the
National Association of Student Councils (NASC)
Conference in 1973. The first statewide conference
was hosted at Service High School in the fall of
1973. Lance Bowie (Anchorage) was appointed the
State Executive Secretary in 1975. A non-voting
ex-officio student AASG representative was invited
to site on the ASAA Board in 1978.
The organization grew and more schools from
rural Alaska participated. A concern developed that
the larger schools dominated the organization and
the smaller schools didn't have a voice. It came to
the forefront at conferences in 1978-79. One region
collected proxy votes for officer candidates from
rural Alaska. These proxy votes elected, after
heated debate and discussion, a president from
rural Alaska.
As a result of the turmoil, a task force
composed of advisor representatives and student
officers from all regions met to draft a revised
organization that would promote mutual
understanding rather then divisiveness. Teresa
Johnson (Anchorage) chaired the process. Out of
this, one of the strong reasons for the
organization to exist was developed: AASG would
promote the understanding, cooperation and
inclusiveness of all Alaska students.
The new constitution of AASG was approved at the
conference at Dimond High School in the spring of
1980. This constitution established the current
voting and regional representation structure. It
also established rotating conferences in order to
allow students to see different parts of Alaska and
to increase cultural understanding.
Teresa Johnson became the State Executive
Secretary in 1980. Ms. Johnson also was elected to
the Region VI advisor position on the NASSP (the
parent organization of NASC) Advisory Board, the
first time Alaska was represented nationally. Under
Ms. Johnson's leadership, the summer student
leadership camp and traveling training programs
were developed, more schools became members, and
there was additional participation in NASC.
In 1983, AASSP asked the Alaska School
Activities Association (ASAA) to assume sponsorship
of AASG as it was becoming too large and complex to
manage under their organizational structure. At
ASAA's fall meeting in 1984, sponsorship was
accepted. Student Leadership Organization funding
through the state was financially supporting the
organization in the 1980's and early 1990's. Dennis
Johnson (Anchorage) was the State Director from
1986-90.
At the Fall Conference in 1989 at Palmer High
School, the advisors decided to form their own
organization, the Alaska Association of Student
Government Advisors (AASGA). A task force met in
the winter and spring of 1990 to develop the
structure of the association. They presented their
recommendations and proposed Constitution at the
Fall 1990 Conference at Chugiak High School, where
they were accepted. The Bylaws and Rules were
adopted in 1997 at the Conference at
Tri-Valley.
State Directors for 1991-92 were Co-directors
Kris Forrester (Palmer) and Rick Luthi (Palmer),
and for 1992-93 Co-directors were Jane Braun (North
Pole) and John Novak (Healy). Lois Gantner (Bethel)
was the State Director from 1993-1999. Ron Gleason
(Juneau) was appointed for 1999-2001, and Arlie
Swett (Denali Borough) began her position in
2001.
Since assuming sponsorship, ASAA had adopted a
"hands-off" approach and AASG became a nearly
autonomous organization. Due to liability and other
oversight concerns expressed over a few years, the
ASAA Board approved in 1997 the creation of an AASG
Administrator position to work closely with the
Director and facilitate the move of financial
oversight as well as logistical support into the
ASAA office. Kevin Roudebush was the first
Administrator, with Mimi Brothers holding the
position from 1999-2001, and Peggy Robinson serving
in that position since January 2002.
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