At the end of the day it’s about having fun.”

Alayna Adamez

Hockey Day Minnesota 2026 may be remembered for the cold weather and fun hockey, but for Park of Cottage Grove’s Alayna Adamez, one memory stands out, even months after the game was played. After the second game of the day, attention turned from the scoreboard to center ice, where the Prairie Island Indian Community and Treasure Island Resort and Casino honored Park High School senior Alayna Adamez with the $5,000 Island Impact Hockey Day Minnesota Scholarship.
The brief ceremony paused the day’s action to recognize a student whose impact stretches far beyond athletics.
“Please bring your attention to center ice. The Prairie Island Indian Community and Treasure Island Resort & Casino are proud to honor Alayna Adamez with $5,000 Island Impact Hockey Day Minnesota Scholarship.”
For Adamez, the recognition was both unexpected and meaningful. A senior for the Park girls varsity hockey team, she is a five-year letter winner in hockey and softball and also competes in flag football. Off the ice, she carries a 4.4 grade point average while volunteering across the community and taking on leadership roles at school.
The scholarship comes through the Island Impact initiative, a program designed to support students who are working to create positive change in their communities. Island Impact’s mission centers on using the resources of Tribal Gaming to support communities and inspire generosity. Guided by the values of the Prairie Island Indian Community, the initiative supports programs and partnerships that promote cultural awareness, environmental stewardship, economic empowerment, and health, wellness, and equity.
The effort also encourages volunteerism and community engagement among team members and provides support to local nonprofit organizations. Through programs such as Charity of the Month and other giving opportunities, Island Impact aims to strengthen connections throughout the region. The Island Impact Scholarship program specifically recognizes students who are dedicated to driving positive change in their communities.
Adamez first learned about the opportunity through her hockey coach.
“So at first our coach brought it up to us as an opportunity to sign up for a scholarship,” she said. “He told us there was a scholarship opportunity connected with hockey, and it was the Island Impact Award.”
The application process asked students to reflect on how they create positive changes in their schools and communities.
“They told us the goal was to show generosity and drive positivity through the entire community,” Adamez said. “I do a lot of sports and I do a lot in our community, so I decided to apply.”
Applicants were asked to write about the ways they contribute to their communities, along with providing details about their activities, work, and academic involvement. In her essay, Adamez highlighted the many ways she stays involved both inside and outside of school.
“I talked about the charity events I participate in,” she said. “I’m in National Honor Society, I was involved in Leaders of the Pack, and I volunteer with Feed My Starving Children. It was a lot of the things I already do through sports and being involved in the community.”
Those volunteer efforts have become a major part of her high school experience. Adamez frequently works with younger athletes, helping coach youth baseball and softball players while mentoring kids who are learning the game.
“I do a lot of youth sports mentoring,” she said. “I help coach baseball catchers, softball catchers, and help younger kids learn how to hit.”
She also volunteers at community events and churches, lending a hand at carnivals and other gatherings. One of her favorite experiences has been volunteering with the Miracle League, which provides opportunities for children with special needs to play baseball.
“I helped as a Miracle League buddy,” she said. “We played baseball and it was really fun because it was great to see them smile and enjoy themselves.”
Many of her volunteer activities focus on helping younger kids discover the same love of sports that has shaped her own life.
“A lot of the volunteer work I do involves younger kids and helping bring that love for sports to them,” she said.
Island Impact leaders said those qualities helped her stand out among the applicants.
“We were so impressed by all the applicants, but Alayna stood out for a variety of reason including her academics, extra circular activities involvement in the community and the ways she is giving back,” program organizers said. “From being a youth coach and mentor to volunteering with the Miracle League to serving on student council and National Honor Society, Alayna is making ripples in her school and community.”
Balancing athletics, school, and volunteer work might seem overwhelming, but Adamez approaches it with a straightforward strategy.
“It’s really a calendar system for me,” she said.
Academics, she said, have always been the priority, a lesson that started early.
“My parents always told me I needed to get good grades,” she said. “You want to get into a good college and having strong grades makes that easier.”
That mindset has helped her maintain strong academic standing while competing in multiple sports throughout the year. Along with hockey and softball, Adamez also participates in flag football, a rapidly growing sport for girls in Minnesota. The program operates as a club sport, though participation has expanded quickly across the state.
“We start March 24,” she said of the upcoming season.
Managing multiple sports requires careful scheduling, but Adamez said her coaches work to make it possible.
“Our coaches are great,” she said. “They work with us so we can still participate.”
Athletics will continue to be part of her life after graduation. Adamez has committed to play Division I softball at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, where she will join the program as a catcher.
“I think it will be a challenge, but I’m ready for it,” she said. “It will be more competitive, which I enjoy.”
The Island Impact scholarship will help make that next step a little easier. Unlike some scholarships that limit how funds can be used, the award gives recipients flexibility, allowing the funds to be used for tuition, books, or other college related expenses.
For Adamez, the financial support is especially meaningful.
“I may put some of it toward savings for law school because I want to attend law school someday,” she said. “Right now it will help cover expenses during college.”
She said the scholarship will help cover everyday costs associated with college while also helping her avoid taking on more debt.
“My parents cannot help financially,” she said. “So the grants and scholarships I receive help cover the loans and other expenses that come with college.”
Adamez says she has always been motivated by education and enjoys the experience of learning and meeting new people.
“I love doing well in school,” she said. “I enjoy the experience and meeting new people.”
Along with the Island Impact scholarship, Adamez recently received national recognition through another opportunity connected to her athletic career. She was nominated by the Minnesota Vikings as a finalist for the NFL Latino Youth Honors program, which highlights Hispanic student athletes who demonstrate leadership in sports, academics, and community involvement.
The nomination earned her a trip to the Super Bowl, where finalists from across the country gathered for a week of activities and events.
“I was there for a whole week,” she said.
The experience gave her the chance to meet other student athletes and share her story, including the role her heritage plays in shaping her goals and values.
“They brought my story, my family, and my culture into the conversation and showed how that influences my life and athletics,” she said.
Despite the growing list of accomplishments and recognition, Adamez says she tries to keep her focus on enjoying the opportunities in front of her.
“At the end of the day it’s about having fun,” she said.
That mindset has guided her through years of athletics, volunteer work, and academic success, and it helped lead to the moment at center ice when her name was called during Hockey Day Minnesota. Now, with graduation approaching and college athletics ahead, Adamez is preparing for the next chapter of her life while continuing the work that earned her recognition in the first place.
If her high school years are any indication, the ripple effect of her efforts in the classroom, on the field, and throughout the community is only just beginning.