What’s New With GCY…


December 23, 2023

Late Navajo artist Baje Whitethorne Sr. the recipient of Platt Cline Humanitarian Award. This article honors and celebrates the legacy of the late Diné artist and GCY youth mentor,  Baje Whitethorn Sr.

December 21, 2023

Watershed moments: GCY Celebrates 25 years of community and evolution“– read interviews with GCY alum and guide, Haile Nelson; founder, Carol “Fritz” Fritzinger; and Executive Director, Emma Wharton, in this AZ Daily Sun article by Matthew Hayden.

November 4, 2023

Want to learn more about one of GCY’s long-time community supporters? Emma Wharton, our Executive Director, is quoted in the article “Mountain Sports Flagstaff: Nurturing a Legacy of Community and Conservation”

October 30, 2023

Read about youth participation in community science with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) in this article, “3 Cool ways USGS is Studying Bats in National Parks”

Summer 2023

“Safeguarding the Colorado River Ecosystem” about a summer 2023 GCY expedition through Grand Canyon that fisheries biologist Craig Ellsworth and ecologist Larry Stevens participated in, facilitating hands-on science with youth participants.

August 25, 2022

“How You Can Contribute to Scientific Discoveries From Your Couch,” written by Bella Isaacs-Thomas and published by PBS Newshour, about how NASA, NOAA, and USGS are asking the public to support a wide range of scientific projects, features Grand Canyon Youth’s science data collection in Grand Canyon.

June 22, 2022

“Parks Look for Ways to Alleviate Glen Canyon Dam’s Downstream Impacts,” published by the U.S. National Park Service, about how vegetation experiments are helping restore Colorado River sites in Grand Canyon and Glen Canyon

May 31, 2022

“Grand Canyon among sites chosen as outdoor classroom for Indigenous youth” article by Joe Giddens in the Navajo-Hopi Observer

May 23, 2022

“Grand Canyon National Park and Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps receive National Park Foundation grant for Native Conservation Corps” press release from Grand Canyon Office of Communications.

April 20, 2022

GCY alum, Molly Ryan, named 2022 Wyss Scholar, a program that supports the graduate-level education of a new generation of leaders in U.S. land conservation.

March 7, 2022

Native Youth Invited to Apply for Free Grand Canyon River Trip” KNAU’s Melissa Sevigny speaks with Amber Benally who manages the Rising Leaders program at the Grand Canyon Trust in Flagstaff.

November 23, 2021

Beyond the Pines’ podcast called #BeyondFLG

Episode 012: Emma Wharton (Grand Canyon Youth)

June 21, 2021

Listen to an interview with GCY alum Kate Aitchison on podcast Eddie Out with Natali Zollinger
CW: Language
“Kate Aitchison- Grand Canyon River Guide, Designer/Owner of Terra Flags, Artist and Professor at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) & Colorado College”

March 12, 2021 – Press Release

2019 LF BASIS (7451)

October 20, 2020 – Press Release

August 12, 2019 – Press Release

Healing Lands Project
Photo by Pamela Mathues

January 9, 2019 – Flagstaff Arts Council

December 2018 – Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine

November 13, 2018 – Arizona Daily Sun Article

Native American youth to join GCY’s habitat restoration

April 29, 2018 – Arizona Daily Sun Article

Grand Canyon Youth’s Annual Confluence Award


Part of the mission of Grand Canyon Youth is to inspire youth to become future stewards of public lands.  The Confluence Award is given to someone who demonstrates a commitment to education, conservation and service.

2019 Confluence Award Winner: Annette McGivney

Annette McGivney is an award-winning writer who has been drawn to remote, wild places her entire life. Through her work as a writer, educator and speaker she seeks to inspire others to connect with the natural environment and protect the wilderness. Annette is the longtime Southwest Editor for Backpacker magazine and the author of five nonfiction books. She is also a journalism lecturer at Northern Arizona University. In addition to Backpacker, Annette writes frequently for Outside magazine, The Guardian and Arizona Highways on topics related to Southwest environmental issues.

Annette’s most recent book, Pure Land, won the National Outdoor Book Award in 2018. As part of her efforts with Pure Land, Annette founded the Healing Lands Project in partnership with Grand Canyon Youth and Northern Arizona University’s Family Violence Institute. She has spent the last two years touring the United States doing book events to raise funds and awareness for Healing Lands and, more broadly, spread the message that nature heals trauma.

Confluence Award Winner Annette McGivney 2020

Past Confluence Awardees

  • 2018: Christa Sadler, This Earth Founder
  • 2017: Kristen Harned, Hopi Footprints Coordinator
  • 2016: Renae Yellowhorse, Save the Confluence Organizer
  • 2015: Roger Clark, Conservation Advocate
  • 2014: Sarah Baden, River Guide
  • 2013: Carol Fritzinger, GCY Founder
  • 2012: Lynn Hamilton, Non-profit Executive Director
  • 2011: Richard Quartaroli, Historian
  • 2010: Tamara Naumann, Botanist

The Ripple Effect


Stay up to date with Grand Canyon Youth program highlights, reports, and alumni.

Upcoming Events
In the News

What’s New With GCY…


December 23, 2023

Late Navajo artist Baje Whitethorne Sr. the recipient of Platt Cline Humanitarian Award. This article honors and celebrates the legacy of the late Diné artist and GCY youth mentor,  Baje Whitethorn Sr.

December 21, 2023

Watershed moments: GCY Celebrates 25 years of community and evolution“– read interviews with GCY alum and guide, Haile Nelson; founder, Carol “Fritz” Fritzinger; and Executive Director, Emma Wharton, in this AZ Daily Sun article by Matthew Hayden.

November 4, 2023

Want to learn more about one of GCY’s long-time community supporters? Emma Wharton, our Executive Director, is quoted in the article “Mountain Sports Flagstaff: Nurturing a Legacy of Community and Conservation”

October 30, 2023

Read about youth participation in community science with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) in this article, “3 Cool ways USGS is Studying Bats in National Parks”

Summer 2023

“Safeguarding the Colorado River Ecosystem” about a summer 2023 GCY expedition through Grand Canyon that fisheries biologist Craig Ellsworth and ecologist Larry Stevens participated in, facilitating hands-on science with youth participants.

August 25, 2022

“How You Can Contribute to Scientific Discoveries From Your Couch,” written by Bella Isaacs-Thomas and published by PBS Newshour, about how NASA, NOAA, and USGS are asking the public to support a wide range of scientific projects, features Grand Canyon Youth’s science data collection in Grand Canyon.

June 22, 2022

“Parks Look for Ways to Alleviate Glen Canyon Dam’s Downstream Impacts,” published by the U.S. National Park Service, about how vegetation experiments are helping restore Colorado River sites in Grand Canyon and Glen Canyon

May 31, 2022

“Grand Canyon among sites chosen as outdoor classroom for Indigenous youth” article by Joe Giddens in the Navajo-Hopi Observer

May 23, 2022

“Grand Canyon National Park and Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps receive National Park Foundation grant for Native Conservation Corps” press release from Grand Canyon Office of Communications.

April 20, 2022

GCY alum, Molly Ryan, named 2022 Wyss Scholar, a program that supports the graduate-level education of a new generation of leaders in U.S. land conservation.

March 7, 2022

Native Youth Invited to Apply for Free Grand Canyon River Trip” KNAU’s Melissa Sevigny speaks with Amber Benally who manages the Rising Leaders program at the Grand Canyon Trust in Flagstaff.

November 23, 2021

Beyond the Pines’ podcast called #BeyondFLG

Episode 012: Emma Wharton (Grand Canyon Youth)

June 21, 2021

Listen to an interview with GCY alum Kate Aitchison on podcast Eddie Out with Natali Zollinger
CW: Language
“Kate Aitchison- Grand Canyon River Guide, Designer/Owner of Terra Flags, Artist and Professor at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) & Colorado College”

March 12, 2021 – Press Release

2019 LF BASIS (7451)

October 20, 2020 – Press Release

August 12, 2019 – Press Release

Healing Lands Project
Photo by Pamela Mathues

January 9, 2019 – Flagstaff Arts Council

December 2018 – Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine

November 13, 2018 – Arizona Daily Sun Article

Native American youth to join GCY’s habitat restoration

April 29, 2018 – Arizona Daily Sun Article

Confluence Award

Grand Canyon Youth’s Annual Confluence Award


Part of the mission of Grand Canyon Youth is to inspire youth to become future stewards of public lands.  The Confluence Award is given to someone who demonstrates a commitment to education, conservation and service.

2019 Confluence Award Winner: Annette McGivney

Annette McGivney is an award-winning writer who has been drawn to remote, wild places her entire life. Through her work as a writer, educator and speaker she seeks to inspire others to connect with the natural environment and protect the wilderness. Annette is the longtime Southwest Editor for Backpacker magazine and the author of five nonfiction books. She is also a journalism lecturer at Northern Arizona University. In addition to Backpacker, Annette writes frequently for Outside magazine, The Guardian and Arizona Highways on topics related to Southwest environmental issues.

Annette’s most recent book, Pure Land, won the National Outdoor Book Award in 2018. As part of her efforts with Pure Land, Annette founded the Healing Lands Project in partnership with Grand Canyon Youth and Northern Arizona University’s Family Violence Institute. She has spent the last two years touring the United States doing book events to raise funds and awareness for Healing Lands and, more broadly, spread the message that nature heals trauma.

Confluence Award Winner Annette McGivney 2020

Past Confluence Awardees

  • 2018: Christa Sadler, This Earth Founder
  • 2017: Kristen Harned, Hopi Footprints Coordinator
  • 2016: Renae Yellowhorse, Save the Confluence Organizer
  • 2015: Roger Clark, Conservation Advocate
  • 2014: Sarah Baden, River Guide
  • 2013: Carol Fritzinger, GCY Founder
  • 2012: Lynn Hamilton, Non-profit Executive Director
  • 2011: Richard Quartaroli, Historian
  • 2010: Tamara Naumann, Botanist
Newsletters

The Ripple Effect


Stay up to date with Grand Canyon Youth program highlights, reports, and alumni.