The story of the Alaska flag is pretty cool and one the locals love to tell.  School age kids submitted designs.  A First national boy in a Slodatna area orphanage submitted the winning design with its explanation: the north star (the northern most state) and big dipper (symbolizing the bear) on a blue field (the color of the forget me not).  When he learned that he had won he made the first flag of that design.  He made many more of them throughout his successful life and personally presented them at many an occasion.  Story goes that his favorite presentations were those to each Miss Alaska.