The Alaska Children's Trust was first established in 1988, with a goal of preventing child abuse across the state. They want to ensure that all Alaskan children can live in a family and community that gives them the necessary tools for success, according to their website.
They also have a new team member helping them on their mission, as Wrangell resident Maleah Wenzel has taken a fellowship position with the Trust.
Wenzel, a lifelong resident of Wrangell, recently graduated from Dartmouth with a degree in psychology, with a focus on childhood trauma. Wenzel said she grew up in an abusive and neglectful family, and had to work hard to take care of her siblings. This sparked her interest in children's rights and how to help others living in similar
situations. Initially she said she thought about being
a pediatrician, but it morphed into an interest in psychology.
"The one thing that I've been consistently interested in and passionate about is children," Wenzel said. "Children are amazing little creatures, because as long as you love them, they love you back."
Graduating from college in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic was a bit of a struggle, she said, but she was very lucky to discover a job opportunity with the Children's Trust. She learned about the position through the Alaska Fellows Program. The AFP is a residential fellowship program for young Alaskan adults looking to serve in nonprofit and public sector organizations. A fellowship opportunity in her home state, working on a subject she cares deeply about, was something she said she had to jump at.
"I kind of lucked out with that one," she said.
She moved to Anchorage about two weeks ago, and now works as a Community Resilience Fellow. During her nine-month position with the Children's Trust, she said big parts of her job include education about the Alaska Children's Trust, and the impacts adverse childhood experiences can have on a person. She will also be aiding the Trust with grant work and forming a statewide child abuse prevention plan. One major goal she has, she said, is to improve the ways the Alaska Children's Trust interacts with native communities. The Trust does good work in these communities and they are trying hard, she said, but she wants to help put specific plans in place. As an Alaska Native, Wenzel said she wants to help improve connections and relationships between the Trust and native communities.
"I'm excited to work for them, it's pretty dang cool," she said.
To learn more about the Alaska Children's Trust see http://www.alaskachildrenstrust.org.
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