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Alaska Federation of Natives President Julie Kitka recently announced the winners of a national Native Insight essay competition. Seven winners were named, three of them Alaska Natives.

Each winner will receive $10,000 each, and have their ideas published in Native journals and magazines across the United States.

The winners' ideas will also be shared with members of the Obama Administration.

The competition was open to Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and American Indians of all ages. Essays addressed one or more of three subjects focused on how the Native community can support economic renewal, what it will take for the American economy to rebound and what the American leadership can do to jumpstart recovery.

AFN partnered with the National Congress of American Indians, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement to reach Native communities across the nation.

Essay contest winners are listed below.

In Alaska:

• "Renewing Our Future," by Harold Frank Jr (Central Council Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribe of Alaska, Ellensburg, Wash.)

• "America and the Whale: Strengthened Economy through Smaller Community" by Methanie Ongtooguk (Kotzebue/Fairbanks)

• "Alaska Native Corporations Can Provide International Benefits Through Marketing Carbon Offset" by Charles W. Ralston (Nulato Tribal Council of Nulato, Alaska and Doyon Ltd. of Fairbanks)

In Hawaii:

• "Economic Recovery - Hawaiian Style" by Lurline Wailana McGregor (Native Hawaiian, Honolulu)

National winners:

• "The Accomac Business Model" by Melissa Tantaquidgeon Zobel (The Mohegan Tribe of Indians of Connecticut, Old Mistic, Conn.)

• "Native Americans & Small Business Ventures: Bright Hope for Economic Recovery" by Samantha Johnson (Sault Sainte Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Phelps, Wis.)

• "Plan for a New Native American Century" Jacquelyn Dyer, (Hopi, Arcata, Calif.)

A list of finalists and semifinalists can be found at www.nativeinsight.org.