Business & Entrepreneurship
Community Service
Education
Engineering
Healthcare & Science
Media & Entertainment
Public Service & Social Justice
Sports & Fitness
Sustainability (Green)
Technology
Business & Entrepreneurship
GOLD - Diana Perea
Hometown: South Pasadena, CA
GPA: 3.67
High School: South Pasadena High School
Heritage: Mexican
South Pasadena High School (SPHS) student Diana has been part of her school's Virtual Business program since her freshman year. Virtual Business is SPHS's award-winning in-school, live, global business simulation that offers students a competitive edge through project-based, collaborative learning and equips them with skills in entrepreneurship, global business, problem-solving, communication, personal finance, and technology. In her junior year, along with the other students in her Virtual Business class, Diana created MyMeals, a virtual personalized meal kit delivery service company. Within MyMeals, she led the company's marketing department as marketing vice president and was part of the team that came up with the company's business plan. With the MyMeals business plan development team, Diana competed at Virtual Enterprises International (VEI) competitions, reaching top 8 in the VEI West Region Business Plan Competition and earning fifth place at the 2021 VEI National Business Plan Team Competition. Being of service is important to this Mexican American Latina. Since ninth grade, she has been volunteering for Teaching and Sharing Skills to Enrich Lives (TASSEL), an international nonprofit that provides free, high-quality English education to children from under-resourced families in Cambodia. Through a virtual platform, Diana has been a phonics and essay teacher of English for elementary through high school-aged students. As a second language English student herself, she understands first-hand the challenges of learning a new language and feels passionate about helping her students. "Teaching in TASSEL brings me joy as I get to help students overcome a learning challenge I once had. I enjoy knowing that as a teenager, I have the power to change people's lives directly in a positive way," remarks Diana. She will continue to leave her mark as she attends New York University, the University of Southern California, or the University of Texas at Austin. She plans to major in Business and Political Economy and is considering a minor in Marketing.
GPA: 3.67
High School: South Pasadena High School
Heritage: Mexican
South Pasadena High School (SPHS) student Diana has been part of her school's Virtual Business program since her freshman year. Virtual Business is SPHS's award-winning in-school, live, global business simulation that offers students a competitive edge through project-based, collaborative learning and equips them with skills in entrepreneurship, global business, problem-solving, communication, personal finance, and technology. In her junior year, along with the other students in her Virtual Business class, Diana created MyMeals, a virtual personalized meal kit delivery service company. Within MyMeals, she led the company's marketing department as marketing vice president and was part of the team that came up with the company's business plan. With the MyMeals business plan development team, Diana competed at Virtual Enterprises International (VEI) competitions, reaching top 8 in the VEI West Region Business Plan Competition and earning fifth place at the 2021 VEI National Business Plan Team Competition. Being of service is important to this Mexican American Latina. Since ninth grade, she has been volunteering for Teaching and Sharing Skills to Enrich Lives (TASSEL), an international nonprofit that provides free, high-quality English education to children from under-resourced families in Cambodia. Through a virtual platform, Diana has been a phonics and essay teacher of English for elementary through high school-aged students. As a second language English student herself, she understands first-hand the challenges of learning a new language and feels passionate about helping her students. "Teaching in TASSEL brings me joy as I get to help students overcome a learning challenge I once had. I enjoy knowing that as a teenager, I have the power to change people's lives directly in a positive way," remarks Diana. She will continue to leave her mark as she attends New York University, the University of Southern California, or the University of Texas at Austin. She plans to major in Business and Political Economy and is considering a minor in Marketing.
Silver - Guadalupe Zamudio Telles
Hometown: Fresno, CA
GPA: 3.94
High School: Central East High School
Heritage: Mexican
Guadalupe credits her high school experience and her involvement with her school’s Young Entrepreneurs Academy for instilling in her a passion for the world of business. She considers one of her most outstanding achievements in the Young Entrepreneurs Academy to be her idea for It’s a Wrap, a business that would improve sports wrist and ankle wraps for added joint support in athletes. After developing It’s a Wrap’s business plan, Guadalupe participated in her local Young Entrepreneurs Academy competition and pitched her business idea to a panel of judges who evaluated her on the feasibility of her business concept and the thoroughness of her business plans. Her presentation so impressed the judges that Guadalupe took home first place along with a monetary award with a cash value of $1,300. This Latina entrepreneur has also taken business courses every year of her high school career, including Intro to Business, Accounting, Entrepreneurship, and Advertising and Marketing. She is involved with her district’s Athletes as Readers and Leaders programs, through which she reads books to local elementary students and engages them in conversations about making healthy choices, like eating healthy and exercising. Guadalupe also commits time every Sunday to volunteer at her church. Her proudest service work, however, benefits a community farther than her local Fresno, California, but close to her heart. Since 2020, she has purchased and collected toys for the holidays and sent them to the Los Reyes municipality in Michoacan, Mexico. “Nearly every year, I have encountered hundreds of young children who exchange their education for work to provide for their families [in Los Reyes]. I want[ ] them to enjoy the holidays and receive toys and clothing items,” she explains. At school, Guadalupe is an example of academic excellence. “[She] is a true role model for her peers,” shares the Mexican folkloric dance director at her school. “She is a fast learner . . . [and] is not afraid to work hard,” she adds. Guadalupe maintains a 3.94 GPA and is among the top students in her class, currently ranked 11th out of 695 seniors. She has worked tirelessly, driven by her desire to succeed and become the first in her family to attend and graduate college so that she can one day open her own business and give back to her family and the community that helped her grow. She will attend Fresno Pacific University, the University of California, Merced, or California State University, Fresno. She plans to study Business Administration with concentrations in Marketing and International Business.
GPA: 3.94
High School: Central East High School
Heritage: Mexican
Guadalupe credits her high school experience and her involvement with her school’s Young Entrepreneurs Academy for instilling in her a passion for the world of business. She considers one of her most outstanding achievements in the Young Entrepreneurs Academy to be her idea for It’s a Wrap, a business that would improve sports wrist and ankle wraps for added joint support in athletes. After developing It’s a Wrap’s business plan, Guadalupe participated in her local Young Entrepreneurs Academy competition and pitched her business idea to a panel of judges who evaluated her on the feasibility of her business concept and the thoroughness of her business plans. Her presentation so impressed the judges that Guadalupe took home first place along with a monetary award with a cash value of $1,300. This Latina entrepreneur has also taken business courses every year of her high school career, including Intro to Business, Accounting, Entrepreneurship, and Advertising and Marketing. She is involved with her district’s Athletes as Readers and Leaders programs, through which she reads books to local elementary students and engages them in conversations about making healthy choices, like eating healthy and exercising. Guadalupe also commits time every Sunday to volunteer at her church. Her proudest service work, however, benefits a community farther than her local Fresno, California, but close to her heart. Since 2020, she has purchased and collected toys for the holidays and sent them to the Los Reyes municipality in Michoacan, Mexico. “Nearly every year, I have encountered hundreds of young children who exchange their education for work to provide for their families [in Los Reyes]. I want[ ] them to enjoy the holidays and receive toys and clothing items,” she explains. At school, Guadalupe is an example of academic excellence. “[She] is a true role model for her peers,” shares the Mexican folkloric dance director at her school. “She is a fast learner . . . [and] is not afraid to work hard,” she adds. Guadalupe maintains a 3.94 GPA and is among the top students in her class, currently ranked 11th out of 695 seniors. She has worked tirelessly, driven by her desire to succeed and become the first in her family to attend and graduate college so that she can one day open her own business and give back to her family and the community that helped her grow. She will attend Fresno Pacific University, the University of California, Merced, or California State University, Fresno. She plans to study Business Administration with concentrations in Marketing and International Business.
Bronze - David Velásquez
Hometown: Alameda, CA
GPA: 3.53
High School: Alameda Community Learning Center
Heritage: Mexican & Guatemalan
David grew up surrounded by people with an entrepreneurial mindset, like his aunt, a barber who runs her own business. In his junior year, inspired by the people around him and wanting to provide extra income for his family, David started a venture of his own. “The idea stemmed from seeing social media going crazy for chamoy candies (a sweet and sour Mexican candy),” he explains. After trying the candy himself and deciding he wanted to be part of the chamoy candy community, he began to study how he could develop his own chamoy candy, looking up recipes online and modifying them with his own twist to improve them and make his sweets different from the rest. After trying different recipe variations and finding one he, and his taste consultant, his sister, liked, David got to work on a business plan and launched a social media page to promote his business. Although the beginning was slow due to him growing his business from the ground up with limited experience, David learned along the way and, in the process, found his calling. “I indeed found a passion in the entrepreneurial world because I fell in love with the idea of being [my own] boss,” he shares. He has continued running and growing his business. He now has a new logo, offers party catering and different packaging, and averages close to $2,000 in sales a month. David is a true example of self-improvement and perseverance. He is a young man who, despite having had a rough start in life, chose to make his life better, took on tremendous odds head-on, and is now poised for college. Beyond what he has done through sheer will and determination to overcome challenges and succeed, he looks for ways to pass on what he has learned and help others. As an older brother to two younger sisters, he takes the time to mentor and guide them to ensure they do not have to go through some of the academic challenges he faced a few years back. This school year, he turned his natural leadership and mentoring skills to help the youngest students at his school—sixth and seventh graders—and coordinated Hannah Camp, a special camping trip designed to help build his school community by providing opportunities for younger students to bond with students from more advanced grades. This inspiring Latino will be the first in his family to go to college. He will attend the University of California, Merced; California State University, Fresno; or California State University, East Bay and plans on studying Business Administration. He looks forward to being a role model for his sisters and becoming a business major so he can continue to expand his entrepreneurial vision.
GPA: 3.53
High School: Alameda Community Learning Center
Heritage: Mexican & Guatemalan
David grew up surrounded by people with an entrepreneurial mindset, like his aunt, a barber who runs her own business. In his junior year, inspired by the people around him and wanting to provide extra income for his family, David started a venture of his own. “The idea stemmed from seeing social media going crazy for chamoy candies (a sweet and sour Mexican candy),” he explains. After trying the candy himself and deciding he wanted to be part of the chamoy candy community, he began to study how he could develop his own chamoy candy, looking up recipes online and modifying them with his own twist to improve them and make his sweets different from the rest. After trying different recipe variations and finding one he, and his taste consultant, his sister, liked, David got to work on a business plan and launched a social media page to promote his business. Although the beginning was slow due to him growing his business from the ground up with limited experience, David learned along the way and, in the process, found his calling. “I indeed found a passion in the entrepreneurial world because I fell in love with the idea of being [my own] boss,” he shares. He has continued running and growing his business. He now has a new logo, offers party catering and different packaging, and averages close to $2,000 in sales a month. David is a true example of self-improvement and perseverance. He is a young man who, despite having had a rough start in life, chose to make his life better, took on tremendous odds head-on, and is now poised for college. Beyond what he has done through sheer will and determination to overcome challenges and succeed, he looks for ways to pass on what he has learned and help others. As an older brother to two younger sisters, he takes the time to mentor and guide them to ensure they do not have to go through some of the academic challenges he faced a few years back. This school year, he turned his natural leadership and mentoring skills to help the youngest students at his school—sixth and seventh graders—and coordinated Hannah Camp, a special camping trip designed to help build his school community by providing opportunities for younger students to bond with students from more advanced grades. This inspiring Latino will be the first in his family to go to college. He will attend the University of California, Merced; California State University, Fresno; or California State University, East Bay and plans on studying Business Administration. He looks forward to being a role model for his sisters and becoming a business major so he can continue to expand his entrepreneurial vision.
Community Service
GOLD - Isai Villanueva
Hometown: Elk Grove , CA
GPA: 4.00
High School: Rex and Margaret Fortune High School
Heritage: Salvadoran & Paraguayan
Isai’s inspiration to give back is born out of the idea that “it is more blessed to give than to receive.” One of his projects is coordinating Planet B, his school’s recycling center. Isai collects recycling from neighbors and has arranged for three local businesses to donate their recycling, which he later takes to his city’s recycling center to raise funds for educational activities that benefit his school community. Isai is the founder and president of the Chat Room, his school’s Christian club and its only extracurricular organization. “[I started Chat Room] [b]ecause I felt the need for teens to be encouraged, share prayer requests, [and] give praise and fellowship,” explains Isai. As president, he leads bi-weekly meetings, delegates responsibilities to officers, invites guest speakers, and coordinates club field trips and outreach. To raise funds for Chat Room, Isai started Snack Shack, a small snack-selling business that relies on local supermarket donations. “[The club] has given us a safe community where we share our joys, concerns, and receive encouragement,” remarks Isai. A leader in his school community, he has shown his drive and commitment not only through his work with Chat Room but also academically and through his passion for aviation. Isai started learning how to fly gliders at the age of 14 and became a licensed pilot, after two years of training and tests, by the age of 16. He is an active member of his local chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) and has volunteered at numerous EAA events, including its Ford Tri-Motor event, holiday dinners, and raffles. Isai is a youth member of the Tuskegee Airmen Heritage Chapter of Greater Sacramento. Tuskegee Airman Heritage is a nonprofit organization that “raises money to help youth and single parents get through college and continue the legacy of the Tuskegee Airman,” the first primarily African American group of military aviators in the U.S. Army Air Corps who fought in World War II. As a member of the organization, Isai was invited to attend a private conference with NASA, where he met three former astronauts and a former NASA engineer. This remarkable Latino of Salvadoran and Paraguayan descent has consistently performed at the top of his class throughout his high school career. He maintains a 4.0 GPA while balancing rigorous coursework, which has included dual-enrollment classes since his freshman year. Isai will attend Cosumnes River College, California Polytechnic State University, or California State University, Sacramento. He is currently training to become an airline pilot. Within the next six years, he plans to obtain his commercial pilot’s license, earn his certified flight instructor rating, and complete over half the hours needed for his airline transport pilot’s license.
GPA: 4.00
High School: Rex and Margaret Fortune High School
Heritage: Salvadoran & Paraguayan
Isai’s inspiration to give back is born out of the idea that “it is more blessed to give than to receive.” One of his projects is coordinating Planet B, his school’s recycling center. Isai collects recycling from neighbors and has arranged for three local businesses to donate their recycling, which he later takes to his city’s recycling center to raise funds for educational activities that benefit his school community. Isai is the founder and president of the Chat Room, his school’s Christian club and its only extracurricular organization. “[I started Chat Room] [b]ecause I felt the need for teens to be encouraged, share prayer requests, [and] give praise and fellowship,” explains Isai. As president, he leads bi-weekly meetings, delegates responsibilities to officers, invites guest speakers, and coordinates club field trips and outreach. To raise funds for Chat Room, Isai started Snack Shack, a small snack-selling business that relies on local supermarket donations. “[The club] has given us a safe community where we share our joys, concerns, and receive encouragement,” remarks Isai. A leader in his school community, he has shown his drive and commitment not only through his work with Chat Room but also academically and through his passion for aviation. Isai started learning how to fly gliders at the age of 14 and became a licensed pilot, after two years of training and tests, by the age of 16. He is an active member of his local chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) and has volunteered at numerous EAA events, including its Ford Tri-Motor event, holiday dinners, and raffles. Isai is a youth member of the Tuskegee Airmen Heritage Chapter of Greater Sacramento. Tuskegee Airman Heritage is a nonprofit organization that “raises money to help youth and single parents get through college and continue the legacy of the Tuskegee Airman,” the first primarily African American group of military aviators in the U.S. Army Air Corps who fought in World War II. As a member of the organization, Isai was invited to attend a private conference with NASA, where he met three former astronauts and a former NASA engineer. This remarkable Latino of Salvadoran and Paraguayan descent has consistently performed at the top of his class throughout his high school career. He maintains a 4.0 GPA while balancing rigorous coursework, which has included dual-enrollment classes since his freshman year. Isai will attend Cosumnes River College, California Polytechnic State University, or California State University, Sacramento. He is currently training to become an airline pilot. Within the next six years, he plans to obtain his commercial pilot’s license, earn his certified flight instructor rating, and complete over half the hours needed for his airline transport pilot’s license.
Silver - Daniela Ruelas Lomeli
Hometown: Pismo Beach, CA
GPA: 4.00
High School: Arroyo Grande High School
Heritage: Mexican
Daniela’s dedication to giving back to her community through multiple school and local organizations has been a hallmark of her high school career. Some of the ways in which she has been of service have been by volunteering for beach cleanups, clothing drives, donating her time to help at local food pantries, and helping fight isolation in senior communities through handwritten letters. In her junior year, Daniela co-founded her school’s Si Se Puede Club with the goal of helping and providing support to the Latino field workers of her community. Earlier in the pandemic, after noticing that the Latino population in her county was the most affected by COVID-19 because they made up a large portion of her local essential workforce, as Si Se Puede Club co-president, Daniela led efforts to collect masks, hand sanitizers, bandanas, sunscreen, and other necessary implements to help the field workers in her town. “The project was a huge success. We got the whole school involved and put together about 200 care packages with notes that we donated to two field worker organizations in [my] community,” shares Daniela. This Latina leader has also gained substantial experience coordinating clubs and organizing projects thanks to her involvement as co-vice president of her school’s Latino club—Viva la Raza—vice president of its Interact Club, and treasurer of its AVID Council. These leadership roles have provided Daniela with years of commitment working with school staff, students, and community leaders towards the common goal of contributing to the progress of their community. Since the beginning of her high school career, she has been an exemplary student and has continuously challenged herself with a demanding schedule and several advanced placement courses. She is a student-athlete and has broken school records while competing as a member of her school’s varsity track & field and junior varsity cross country teams. Daniela has big aspirations. We are certain that her drive, work ethic, and diligence will help her succeed in college and as a future medical doctor. She will attend Dartmouth College; the University of California, Berkeley; or the University of California, Los Angeles and plans on majoring in Microbiology or Biochemistry.
GPA: 4.00
High School: Arroyo Grande High School
Heritage: Mexican
Daniela’s dedication to giving back to her community through multiple school and local organizations has been a hallmark of her high school career. Some of the ways in which she has been of service have been by volunteering for beach cleanups, clothing drives, donating her time to help at local food pantries, and helping fight isolation in senior communities through handwritten letters. In her junior year, Daniela co-founded her school’s Si Se Puede Club with the goal of helping and providing support to the Latino field workers of her community. Earlier in the pandemic, after noticing that the Latino population in her county was the most affected by COVID-19 because they made up a large portion of her local essential workforce, as Si Se Puede Club co-president, Daniela led efforts to collect masks, hand sanitizers, bandanas, sunscreen, and other necessary implements to help the field workers in her town. “The project was a huge success. We got the whole school involved and put together about 200 care packages with notes that we donated to two field worker organizations in [my] community,” shares Daniela. This Latina leader has also gained substantial experience coordinating clubs and organizing projects thanks to her involvement as co-vice president of her school’s Latino club—Viva la Raza—vice president of its Interact Club, and treasurer of its AVID Council. These leadership roles have provided Daniela with years of commitment working with school staff, students, and community leaders towards the common goal of contributing to the progress of their community. Since the beginning of her high school career, she has been an exemplary student and has continuously challenged herself with a demanding schedule and several advanced placement courses. She is a student-athlete and has broken school records while competing as a member of her school’s varsity track & field and junior varsity cross country teams. Daniela has big aspirations. We are certain that her drive, work ethic, and diligence will help her succeed in college and as a future medical doctor. She will attend Dartmouth College; the University of California, Berkeley; or the University of California, Los Angeles and plans on majoring in Microbiology or Biochemistry.
Bronze - Lucia Pérez Vallés
Hometown: Chula Vista , CA
GPA: 4.00
High School: Olympian High School
Heritage: Mexican
Chula Vista, California resident Lucia has been an active member of her community since she became a girl scout at the age of eight. After years of commitment and contributions to the betterment of her community, Lucia earned the Girl Scout Gold Award in 2020, the highest Girl Scouts achievement recognizing her accomplishments in leadership, community service, career planning, and personal development. For her Gold Award project, she created the Embrace Our Community project in partnership with Casa Familiar, the leading service and community development organization in the community of San Ysidro. “I was inspired to tackle the issue of electronics use [after] noticing how often children spent time on their electronics and missed out on the wonders present in our environment and community,” explains Lucia. As part of Embrace Our Community, she organized a two-week kids summer camp, developed a mobile brochure, implemented conferences and workshops, and filmed a video to engage and educate audiences. She led over 25 free workshops and was able to reach more than 500 kids aged 7-12. After seeing that children in the border city of Tijuana, Mexico, had a similar problem, Lucia worked to make Embrace Our Community a bilingual project. Thanks to her partnership with Casa Familiar, her project will live on as the organization continues to distribute and reproduce the material she created. Lucia also volunteers at Sharp Chula Vista Hospital, where she serves as a pharmacy aide and is a junior leader, which gives her the opportunity to welcome and train new volunteers. At school, Lucia juggles a challenging course load and maintains the highest academic standards. She stands among the top students in her class and holds a perfect 4.0 GPA. Lucia wants to go to college to make a change, give back to her family, and set an example for her community. “My family has worked hard in order to get me where I am, and I don’t want to throw that away. I want to take their hopes and dreams further than they could ever imagine,” she remarks. Her dream is to become a doctor. She will continue working toward that goal as she attends the University of California, Los Angeles; the University of Southern California, or the University of California, San Diego. She plans on majoring in Human Biology and minoring in Public Health.
GPA: 4.00
High School: Olympian High School
Heritage: Mexican
Chula Vista, California resident Lucia has been an active member of her community since she became a girl scout at the age of eight. After years of commitment and contributions to the betterment of her community, Lucia earned the Girl Scout Gold Award in 2020, the highest Girl Scouts achievement recognizing her accomplishments in leadership, community service, career planning, and personal development. For her Gold Award project, she created the Embrace Our Community project in partnership with Casa Familiar, the leading service and community development organization in the community of San Ysidro. “I was inspired to tackle the issue of electronics use [after] noticing how often children spent time on their electronics and missed out on the wonders present in our environment and community,” explains Lucia. As part of Embrace Our Community, she organized a two-week kids summer camp, developed a mobile brochure, implemented conferences and workshops, and filmed a video to engage and educate audiences. She led over 25 free workshops and was able to reach more than 500 kids aged 7-12. After seeing that children in the border city of Tijuana, Mexico, had a similar problem, Lucia worked to make Embrace Our Community a bilingual project. Thanks to her partnership with Casa Familiar, her project will live on as the organization continues to distribute and reproduce the material she created. Lucia also volunteers at Sharp Chula Vista Hospital, where she serves as a pharmacy aide and is a junior leader, which gives her the opportunity to welcome and train new volunteers. At school, Lucia juggles a challenging course load and maintains the highest academic standards. She stands among the top students in her class and holds a perfect 4.0 GPA. Lucia wants to go to college to make a change, give back to her family, and set an example for her community. “My family has worked hard in order to get me where I am, and I don’t want to throw that away. I want to take their hopes and dreams further than they could ever imagine,” she remarks. Her dream is to become a doctor. She will continue working toward that goal as she attends the University of California, Los Angeles; the University of Southern California, or the University of California, San Diego. She plans on majoring in Human Biology and minoring in Public Health.
Education
GOLD - Paula Escobar
Hometown: San Jose, CA
GPA: 3.92
High School: Evergreen Valley High School
Heritage: Quechua Bolivian
A Latina proud of her Quechua Bolivian descent, Paula represents over 23,000 students in all of the East Side Union High School District's school board meetings and works with stakeholders to write policies as the student board member of her school district in San Jose, California. In this position, she has hosted town halls and trainings to foster student civic engagement and created a connection between students and her school district's board of trustees. As a result, her district opened its first-ever student mental health center and hired more counselors of color. In the summer of 2020, Paula championed a curriculum reform that centered critical race theory and ethnic studies as a graduation requirement to properly represent the rich histories of her community and allow students to embrace their unique identities. Garnering support from students across different ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, she piloted her district's first diversity task force aimed at developing student-informed policy recommendations that highlight the intersectionality of experiences of her school district's student body across racial, gender, and socioeconomic lines. Through their organizing efforts, their district has passed resolutions to create its first-ever student-based mental health center, hired more guidance counselors of color, revised the sex education curriculum, and re-evaluated behavior response procedures to prioritize restorative justice. Paula strives to create synergy across her work, thinking critically of the ways disparities in education manifest across race, gender, and socioeconomic status. "These experiences taught me to continue embracing my roots: despite being from different walks of life, we are all united by our core belief of the importance of education, family, and dignity," shares Paula. This remarkable community leader is committed to advancing education equity in her community. In her roles as chair of my school district's District English Learners Advisory Committee and student representative on the Instructional Policy committee, Paula has garnered community input on funding allocations for measures that support equitable academic resiliency, including anti-bias training for staff and translation assistance for multilingual families. Driven by the need to understand the complexity of these disparities in our education system, she joined her county's Juvenile Justice Commission, where she assisted in researching the impacts of the school-to-prison pipeline. Applying this knowledge to develop procedures for system-involved youth to successfully return to school, she collaborated with the National Center Youth Law as an intern to author reports that investigate school districts' and police departments' practices and their effect in amplifying the pipeline. Paula wants to continue centering the narratives of historically marginalized communities in educational policy as a future lawyer, driven to make systemic changes and uplift youth. She plans to major in Political Science and Ethnic Studies and will continue to make an impact in her community as she attends Yale University, Stanford University, or Harvard University.
GPA: 3.92
High School: Evergreen Valley High School
Heritage: Quechua Bolivian
A Latina proud of her Quechua Bolivian descent, Paula represents over 23,000 students in all of the East Side Union High School District's school board meetings and works with stakeholders to write policies as the student board member of her school district in San Jose, California. In this position, she has hosted town halls and trainings to foster student civic engagement and created a connection between students and her school district's board of trustees. As a result, her district opened its first-ever student mental health center and hired more counselors of color. In the summer of 2020, Paula championed a curriculum reform that centered critical race theory and ethnic studies as a graduation requirement to properly represent the rich histories of her community and allow students to embrace their unique identities. Garnering support from students across different ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, she piloted her district's first diversity task force aimed at developing student-informed policy recommendations that highlight the intersectionality of experiences of her school district's student body across racial, gender, and socioeconomic lines. Through their organizing efforts, their district has passed resolutions to create its first-ever student-based mental health center, hired more guidance counselors of color, revised the sex education curriculum, and re-evaluated behavior response procedures to prioritize restorative justice. Paula strives to create synergy across her work, thinking critically of the ways disparities in education manifest across race, gender, and socioeconomic status. "These experiences taught me to continue embracing my roots: despite being from different walks of life, we are all united by our core belief of the importance of education, family, and dignity," shares Paula. This remarkable community leader is committed to advancing education equity in her community. In her roles as chair of my school district's District English Learners Advisory Committee and student representative on the Instructional Policy committee, Paula has garnered community input on funding allocations for measures that support equitable academic resiliency, including anti-bias training for staff and translation assistance for multilingual families. Driven by the need to understand the complexity of these disparities in our education system, she joined her county's Juvenile Justice Commission, where she assisted in researching the impacts of the school-to-prison pipeline. Applying this knowledge to develop procedures for system-involved youth to successfully return to school, she collaborated with the National Center Youth Law as an intern to author reports that investigate school districts' and police departments' practices and their effect in amplifying the pipeline. Paula wants to continue centering the narratives of historically marginalized communities in educational policy as a future lawyer, driven to make systemic changes and uplift youth. She plans to major in Political Science and Ethnic Studies and will continue to make an impact in her community as she attends Yale University, Stanford University, or Harvard University.
Silver - Abi Dueñas Mercado
Hometown: Reno, NV
GPA: 3.95
High School: Academy of Arts, Careers, and Technology High School
Heritage: Mexican
Reno, Nevada resident Abi has wanted to be a teacher since she was a young girl. “I was inspired by so many great teachers. I wanted to be just like them,” she shares. A student at the Academy of Arts, Careers, and Technology High School, she is part of her school’s Teaching and Training Academy, which she says helped her confirm her interest in becoming an educator. For the last six years, Abi has been leading group activities and lessons and working one-on-one with children from preschool to 5th grade while volunteering at her church’s afterschool program. Wanting to gain more experience, she has also taken an internship as a fifth-grade teacher aide at a local K-8 school. As teacher aide, she builds student relationships, conducts small group instruction, offers tutoring support, and has learned to adapt to situations based on student needs. The more Abi has involved herself with educational environments, the more interested she has become in her field of choice. “I have always liked working with kids. I want to help them learn and grow. For me, education has always been important, and I strive to provide my best work, learn new things, and apply that to my educational career and life career,” remarks Abi. She wants to make an impact in the lives of her students and get them excited to learn the way her teachers did for her. She will attend the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Western Oregon University, or the University of Nevada, Reno and plans on majoring in Education and Mathematics.
GPA: 3.95
High School: Academy of Arts, Careers, and Technology High School
Heritage: Mexican
Reno, Nevada resident Abi has wanted to be a teacher since she was a young girl. “I was inspired by so many great teachers. I wanted to be just like them,” she shares. A student at the Academy of Arts, Careers, and Technology High School, she is part of her school’s Teaching and Training Academy, which she says helped her confirm her interest in becoming an educator. For the last six years, Abi has been leading group activities and lessons and working one-on-one with children from preschool to 5th grade while volunteering at her church’s afterschool program. Wanting to gain more experience, she has also taken an internship as a fifth-grade teacher aide at a local K-8 school. As teacher aide, she builds student relationships, conducts small group instruction, offers tutoring support, and has learned to adapt to situations based on student needs. The more Abi has involved herself with educational environments, the more interested she has become in her field of choice. “I have always liked working with kids. I want to help them learn and grow. For me, education has always been important, and I strive to provide my best work, learn new things, and apply that to my educational career and life career,” remarks Abi. She wants to make an impact in the lives of her students and get them excited to learn the way her teachers did for her. She will attend the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Western Oregon University, or the University of Nevada, Reno and plans on majoring in Education and Mathematics.
Bronze - Theresa Nadine Virto
Hometown: Santa Maria, CA
GPA: 3.65
High School: Pioneer Valley High School
Heritage: Mexican
One of Nadine’s plans for their future is to become an educator. In order to prepare for their career of choice, they have been serving as a teacher assistant for an English Language Development course in their school as part of their Teacher Aide class. “[E]very day I learn the difficulty and amazing things that come [from] becoming a teacher,” shares Nadine. As a teacher assistant, some of their duties include grading papers, providing tutoring assistance to their students, and ensuring their class remains engaged and organized so everything runs smoothly. “The moments that I have had over a few months [as a teacher assistant] have magnified my love for teaching, and I am certain this is a field that I would love to pursue in the future,” they remark. One of the reasons they aspire to become a teacher is their love for sharing their knowledge and helping others cultivate their minds. Nadine stands apart from their peers in that they have consistently dedicated their time and efforts over the last four years to pursuing their education and dreams. They possess an innate sense of self and their goals and are very self-aware of their values, character, and what they want to achieve in life. Nadine’s record of academic excellence speaks for itself: they are ranked among the top students in their class and have consistently challenged themselves with multiple advanced placement and collegiate level courses. In addition to their academics, Nadine has been an active member of athletics and clubs at their school. They have been a member of their school’s varsity basketball team throughout their high school career and have received both the Scholar Athlete and Academic Excellence awards over the years. Nadine has also been actively involved with their school’s Key Club, Asian Pacific Club, and its Gender and Sexualities Alliance Club. Through their involvement on and off-campus, they have accumulated over 220 hours of community service. Nadine will attend San Jose State University, San Francisco State University, or the University of California, Berkeley. They plan on majoring in Gender and Women’s Studies and minoring in Education.
GPA: 3.65
High School: Pioneer Valley High School
Heritage: Mexican
One of Nadine’s plans for their future is to become an educator. In order to prepare for their career of choice, they have been serving as a teacher assistant for an English Language Development course in their school as part of their Teacher Aide class. “[E]very day I learn the difficulty and amazing things that come [from] becoming a teacher,” shares Nadine. As a teacher assistant, some of their duties include grading papers, providing tutoring assistance to their students, and ensuring their class remains engaged and organized so everything runs smoothly. “The moments that I have had over a few months [as a teacher assistant] have magnified my love for teaching, and I am certain this is a field that I would love to pursue in the future,” they remark. One of the reasons they aspire to become a teacher is their love for sharing their knowledge and helping others cultivate their minds. Nadine stands apart from their peers in that they have consistently dedicated their time and efforts over the last four years to pursuing their education and dreams. They possess an innate sense of self and their goals and are very self-aware of their values, character, and what they want to achieve in life. Nadine’s record of academic excellence speaks for itself: they are ranked among the top students in their class and have consistently challenged themselves with multiple advanced placement and collegiate level courses. In addition to their academics, Nadine has been an active member of athletics and clubs at their school. They have been a member of their school’s varsity basketball team throughout their high school career and have received both the Scholar Athlete and Academic Excellence awards over the years. Nadine has also been actively involved with their school’s Key Club, Asian Pacific Club, and its Gender and Sexualities Alliance Club. Through their involvement on and off-campus, they have accumulated over 220 hours of community service. Nadine will attend San Jose State University, San Francisco State University, or the University of California, Berkeley. They plan on majoring in Gender and Women’s Studies and minoring in Education.
Engineering
GOLD - Isabella Hanck
Hometown: Walnut Creek, CA
GPA: 4.00
High School: Carondelet High School
Heritage: Mexican
Last summer, Isabella was one of nineteen fortunate female high schoolers selected to participate in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s rigorous Women’s Technology Program in Mechanical Engineering. As part of the program, she contributed to cardiac patch research and worked with a peer on improving the functionality of a cardiac patch. Being resourceful, creative, and innovative, Isabella found a way to enhance the cardiac patch’s functionality while leafing through the pages of her childhood origami book. “I found a page about kirigami, the art of cutting. At this point, the lightbulb went on: I would combine kirigami with the cardiac patch,” explains Isabella. Her prototype design incorporates vertical slits in non-aligning columns on a rectangular cardiac patch. The kirigami-inspired slits allow the patch to stretch horizontally while maintaining its vertical rigidity, thus interfering less with a heart’s normal expansion and contraction and ensuring the patch still has the rigid vertical properties needed to help a heart heal from a myocardial infarction. For Isabella, who grew up learning the mantra: “pay it forward, pay it back,” serving her community has been an important part of her life. Besides volunteering at her local food bank, she has also volunteered as a tutor for several organizations since the start of her high school career. One of these organizations is Monument Crisis Center, a local resource center where she tutors and mentors English-language learners K-5. She has also tutored students 3-6 across all academic subjects 3-6 through her school’s youth tutoring program. In 2020, she created Holiday Hope, a nonprofit organization with the mission to bring joy during the holidays to children and families in uncertain circumstances. At school, Isabella has been an example of academic excellence. She is among the top 1% of students in her class and has pursued the most rigorous curriculum available at her school. She has a long list of awards and recognitions celebrating her many academic achievements and community contributions, including being a National Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholar and a Harvard Book Award recipient. Isabella is an intellectually curious, self-starting, passionate student. She will attend the University of Pennsylvania and is considering majors in Biomedical Engineering, Neuroscience, and Biochemistry and minors in Hispanic Studies, Computer Science, and Economics.
GPA: 4.00
High School: Carondelet High School
Heritage: Mexican
Last summer, Isabella was one of nineteen fortunate female high schoolers selected to participate in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s rigorous Women’s Technology Program in Mechanical Engineering. As part of the program, she contributed to cardiac patch research and worked with a peer on improving the functionality of a cardiac patch. Being resourceful, creative, and innovative, Isabella found a way to enhance the cardiac patch’s functionality while leafing through the pages of her childhood origami book. “I found a page about kirigami, the art of cutting. At this point, the lightbulb went on: I would combine kirigami with the cardiac patch,” explains Isabella. Her prototype design incorporates vertical slits in non-aligning columns on a rectangular cardiac patch. The kirigami-inspired slits allow the patch to stretch horizontally while maintaining its vertical rigidity, thus interfering less with a heart’s normal expansion and contraction and ensuring the patch still has the rigid vertical properties needed to help a heart heal from a myocardial infarction. For Isabella, who grew up learning the mantra: “pay it forward, pay it back,” serving her community has been an important part of her life. Besides volunteering at her local food bank, she has also volunteered as a tutor for several organizations since the start of her high school career. One of these organizations is Monument Crisis Center, a local resource center where she tutors and mentors English-language learners K-5. She has also tutored students 3-6 across all academic subjects 3-6 through her school’s youth tutoring program. In 2020, she created Holiday Hope, a nonprofit organization with the mission to bring joy during the holidays to children and families in uncertain circumstances. At school, Isabella has been an example of academic excellence. She is among the top 1% of students in her class and has pursued the most rigorous curriculum available at her school. She has a long list of awards and recognitions celebrating her many academic achievements and community contributions, including being a National Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholar and a Harvard Book Award recipient. Isabella is an intellectually curious, self-starting, passionate student. She will attend the University of Pennsylvania and is considering majors in Biomedical Engineering, Neuroscience, and Biochemistry and minors in Hispanic Studies, Computer Science, and Economics.
Silver - Sofía Pantoja
Hometown: Chula Vista, CA
GPA: 4.00
High School: Otay Ranch High School
Heritage: Mexican
Sofia has dreamed of dedicating her life to advancing technology with the hopes of uncovering the secrets of what lies outside our planet ever since she visited the Balboa Park San Diego Air & Space Museum and saw the Apollo 9 Command Module spacecraft when she was eight years old. She aspires to work for companies like NASA or SpaceX to create rovers and spacecrafts and learn more about outer space. “Since that moment, nine years ago, I have worked to prepare myself for this career,” shares Sofia. As part of this preparation, she has challenged herself to take some of the most challenging STEM classes available at her school, including AP Calculus BC and AP Physics C: Mechanics, where she was the sole woman representative of her grade. Sofia has also developed her engineering skills through clubs like VEX Robotics, where she currently serves as president and team captain and has 3D designed and led the construction of her team’s robots for competition on the world stage. To expand her horizons and learn more about the study of life, Sofia participated in the University of California, San Diego’s Molecular Biology Research Immersion Program, where she researched aging and protein aggregation in organisms, developed a scientific poster of her findings, and presented her results to a panel of biology experts. A firm believer of the idea that all students should have access to STEM programs in their community, Sofia has led advocacy efforts for increased STEM opportunities and programs in her state through her involvement with the Student Association of STEM Advocacy, a nonprofit organization with the mission of educating, engaging and mobilizing students to promote the expansion of and access STEM programs across the nation. Wanting to increase Hispanic representation in STEM at her school, Sofia founded her school’s Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers Junior Chapter and has worked hard as chapter president to build a community and provide opportunities for her fellow chapter members to learn more about engineering. She has also founded and served as the president of her school’s International Robotics Honors Society chapter. Sofia holds a perfect 4.0 GPA and is ranked tenth out of 586 seniors in her graduating class. She will attend Princeton University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or the University of Southern California and plans on pursuing majors in Aerospace Engineering and Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Robotics.
GPA: 4.00
High School: Otay Ranch High School
Heritage: Mexican
Sofia has dreamed of dedicating her life to advancing technology with the hopes of uncovering the secrets of what lies outside our planet ever since she visited the Balboa Park San Diego Air & Space Museum and saw the Apollo 9 Command Module spacecraft when she was eight years old. She aspires to work for companies like NASA or SpaceX to create rovers and spacecrafts and learn more about outer space. “Since that moment, nine years ago, I have worked to prepare myself for this career,” shares Sofia. As part of this preparation, she has challenged herself to take some of the most challenging STEM classes available at her school, including AP Calculus BC and AP Physics C: Mechanics, where she was the sole woman representative of her grade. Sofia has also developed her engineering skills through clubs like VEX Robotics, where she currently serves as president and team captain and has 3D designed and led the construction of her team’s robots for competition on the world stage. To expand her horizons and learn more about the study of life, Sofia participated in the University of California, San Diego’s Molecular Biology Research Immersion Program, where she researched aging and protein aggregation in organisms, developed a scientific poster of her findings, and presented her results to a panel of biology experts. A firm believer of the idea that all students should have access to STEM programs in their community, Sofia has led advocacy efforts for increased STEM opportunities and programs in her state through her involvement with the Student Association of STEM Advocacy, a nonprofit organization with the mission of educating, engaging and mobilizing students to promote the expansion of and access STEM programs across the nation. Wanting to increase Hispanic representation in STEM at her school, Sofia founded her school’s Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers Junior Chapter and has worked hard as chapter president to build a community and provide opportunities for her fellow chapter members to learn more about engineering. She has also founded and served as the president of her school’s International Robotics Honors Society chapter. Sofia holds a perfect 4.0 GPA and is ranked tenth out of 586 seniors in her graduating class. She will attend Princeton University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or the University of Southern California and plans on pursuing majors in Aerospace Engineering and Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Robotics.
Bronze - Giovanni Hernández
Hometown: San Mateo, CA
GPA: 3.62
High School: Junipero Serra High School
Heritage: Mexican
A new world of possibilities opened up for San Mateo, California resident Giovanni after he watched his first Iron Man movie when he was ten years old. Amazed at the production of the iron suit and the use of advanced technologies and engineering, he began to pay more attention to the technology that surrounded him, from iPhones and applications of artificial intelligence like Alexa to Tesla autonomous vehicles. During the summer before his junior year, Giovanni participated in the University of California, Santa Cruz’s Science Internship Program. Through his research experience at the program, he learned about machine learning and applied it to principles of biology. “I saw how advances in technology, like gene therapy and vaccines, can solve the problems most harmful to society,” remarks Giovanny. Last summer, he had the opportunity to intern as a facilities engineer at Lockheed Martin Space and worked as part of a team in charge of overseeing and maintaining the specialized and differing air quality requirements at each technology center, in particular for the departments working on satellites. Thanks to this experience, he developed his engineering problem-solving skills and learned how to apply them to different subjects and in various scenarios. Impressed with his performance, Lockheed Martin has invited Giovanny back for a second internship this coming summer. Hardworking, motivated, resilient, and kind, Giovanny has made it one of his priorities to contribute to his community. His high school experience has been shaped by the work he has done to create change and uplift the youth in his community. All through high school, Giovanny has served as a tutor and a mentor for Homework Central, a local nonprofit that supports students from under-resourced households by fostering academic success through tutoring and family support. In particular, Giovanny’s focus has been helping younger low-income first-generation students in an effort to reduce the high dropout rate of students in this demographic. He provides them with academic support so that instead of struggling with low confidence, they learn to love learning. “As a first-generation student myself, I didn’t want these students to go through the same experience I had. In addition to supporting them with their homework, I mentor and create relationships with them, reminding them that if I can do it, so can they,” shares Giovanny. This remarkable Latino will attend Stanford University, Northeastern University, or the University of California, Berkeley and plans on majoring in Computer Science and Engineering.
GPA: 3.62
High School: Junipero Serra High School
Heritage: Mexican
A new world of possibilities opened up for San Mateo, California resident Giovanni after he watched his first Iron Man movie when he was ten years old. Amazed at the production of the iron suit and the use of advanced technologies and engineering, he began to pay more attention to the technology that surrounded him, from iPhones and applications of artificial intelligence like Alexa to Tesla autonomous vehicles. During the summer before his junior year, Giovanni participated in the University of California, Santa Cruz’s Science Internship Program. Through his research experience at the program, he learned about machine learning and applied it to principles of biology. “I saw how advances in technology, like gene therapy and vaccines, can solve the problems most harmful to society,” remarks Giovanny. Last summer, he had the opportunity to intern as a facilities engineer at Lockheed Martin Space and worked as part of a team in charge of overseeing and maintaining the specialized and differing air quality requirements at each technology center, in particular for the departments working on satellites. Thanks to this experience, he developed his engineering problem-solving skills and learned how to apply them to different subjects and in various scenarios. Impressed with his performance, Lockheed Martin has invited Giovanny back for a second internship this coming summer. Hardworking, motivated, resilient, and kind, Giovanny has made it one of his priorities to contribute to his community. His high school experience has been shaped by the work he has done to create change and uplift the youth in his community. All through high school, Giovanny has served as a tutor and a mentor for Homework Central, a local nonprofit that supports students from under-resourced households by fostering academic success through tutoring and family support. In particular, Giovanny’s focus has been helping younger low-income first-generation students in an effort to reduce the high dropout rate of students in this demographic. He provides them with academic support so that instead of struggling with low confidence, they learn to love learning. “As a first-generation student myself, I didn’t want these students to go through the same experience I had. In addition to supporting them with their homework, I mentor and create relationships with them, reminding them that if I can do it, so can they,” shares Giovanny. This remarkable Latino will attend Stanford University, Northeastern University, or the University of California, Berkeley and plans on majoring in Computer Science and Engineering.
Healthcare & Science
GOLD - Ivanna Garibay
Hometown: Calexico, CA
GPA: 4.00
High School: Calexico High School
Heritage: Mexican
Calexico, California resident Ivanna wants to be a neuroscientist. “The moment [my grandfather] forgot how to return home from the supermarket marked my decision to major in Neuroscience,” shares Ivanna. In 2019, her grandfather was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. After learning of his diagnosis, she began collecting information and studying her family’s medical history. Her suspicions that there may exist a genetic predisposition for Alzheimer’s in her family increased after she found out her great-grandfather had also suffered from the disease. In the summer of 2020, Ivanna participated in the Genes, Genomes, and Skeletal Muscle Dystrophies cluster of the California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science (COSMOS) program from the University of California, Irvine. COSMOS is a rigorous, four-week STEM program for talented and motivated students. The program furthered Ivanna’s understanding of how mutations in our genetic makeup can lead to the expression of diseases like muscular dystrophy. She learned that the underexpression of the dystrophin gene leads to muscle damage and weakness, eventually resulting in muscle degeneration. With a group of students in the program, Ivanna designed a gene expression analysis research project where they studied the promising therapeutic approaches of using CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing by focusing on how it can restore dystrophin gene expression in mice with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. At the end of the program, Ivanna and her research team successfully presented their findings in front of other program participants, parents, and university staff. Ivanna gives back to her community through her involvement with a number of local organizations. Some of the ways she has done this are by volunteering at local shelters with her school’s Asian Pacific Youth Leadership Club and providing food, clothing, and personal hygiene products to the unhoused population in her county through her participation with Familia Del Valle, a local youth-driven organization. Ivanna is a driven, diligent, and dedicated student. She maintains a 4.0 GPA through a demanding academic program replete with several AP courses and an array of recognition for her academic achievements, including being selected as a QuestBridge College Prep Scholar and being an AP Scholar with Distinction. She will major in Neuroscience at Harvard University, Princeton University, or Yale University.
GPA: 4.00
High School: Calexico High School
Heritage: Mexican
Calexico, California resident Ivanna wants to be a neuroscientist. “The moment [my grandfather] forgot how to return home from the supermarket marked my decision to major in Neuroscience,” shares Ivanna. In 2019, her grandfather was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. After learning of his diagnosis, she began collecting information and studying her family’s medical history. Her suspicions that there may exist a genetic predisposition for Alzheimer’s in her family increased after she found out her great-grandfather had also suffered from the disease. In the summer of 2020, Ivanna participated in the Genes, Genomes, and Skeletal Muscle Dystrophies cluster of the California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science (COSMOS) program from the University of California, Irvine. COSMOS is a rigorous, four-week STEM program for talented and motivated students. The program furthered Ivanna’s understanding of how mutations in our genetic makeup can lead to the expression of diseases like muscular dystrophy. She learned that the underexpression of the dystrophin gene leads to muscle damage and weakness, eventually resulting in muscle degeneration. With a group of students in the program, Ivanna designed a gene expression analysis research project where they studied the promising therapeutic approaches of using CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing by focusing on how it can restore dystrophin gene expression in mice with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. At the end of the program, Ivanna and her research team successfully presented their findings in front of other program participants, parents, and university staff. Ivanna gives back to her community through her involvement with a number of local organizations. Some of the ways she has done this are by volunteering at local shelters with her school’s Asian Pacific Youth Leadership Club and providing food, clothing, and personal hygiene products to the unhoused population in her county through her participation with Familia Del Valle, a local youth-driven organization. Ivanna is a driven, diligent, and dedicated student. She maintains a 4.0 GPA through a demanding academic program replete with several AP courses and an array of recognition for her academic achievements, including being selected as a QuestBridge College Prep Scholar and being an AP Scholar with Distinction. She will major in Neuroscience at Harvard University, Princeton University, or Yale University.
Silver - Bianca González
Hometown: South San Francisco, CA
GPA: 3.94
High School: South San Francisco High School
Heritage: Mexican
“I’ve always had an interest in science and medicine,” shares South San Fransisco, California resident Bianca. This interest motivated her to enroll in some of her school’s most challenging STEM courses, like Honors Chemistry and AP Biology, and has also led her to become involved in programs like the Pediatrics Internship Program at Stanford (PIPS). Last summer, through PIPS, Bianca was introduced to different areas of science and research and worked directly with Stanford professors and mentors while expanding her knowledge about diabetes. She pursued an ambitious path during her internship: conducting a literature review on the new, diverse approaches to creating glucose-responsive insulins (GRIs). GRIs are new forms of insulin that are being pursued to help people with diabetes better control their glucose levels. Bianca had to learn several complex concepts as part of the program, including organic chemistry principles, insulin biology and cellular pathways, and biochemistry/bioconjugation. At the conclusion of the program, she worked with another program participant to prepare a poster on their research project, which they later presented to program mentors and fellow PIPS interns during a poster symposium. “Being able to understand and explain these difficult concepts made me more confident in pursuing a career in science in the future,” remarks Bianca. Inspired by her sister’s public health work, this Mexican American Latina has been contemplating public health as a potential career. “The way that [my sister’s] career examines relationships that are prevalent in our communities, such as the impact of tobacco on low-income communities, increased my interest in [the field of] public health,” says Bianca. An intelligent, driven, and determined student, Bianca maintains a 3.94 GPA and is ranked sixth out of 266 students in her class. She will attend the University of California, Berkeley; the University of California, Davis; or Stanford University and is considering pursuing a major in Biology and a minor in Psychology.
GPA: 3.94
High School: South San Francisco High School
Heritage: Mexican
“I’ve always had an interest in science and medicine,” shares South San Fransisco, California resident Bianca. This interest motivated her to enroll in some of her school’s most challenging STEM courses, like Honors Chemistry and AP Biology, and has also led her to become involved in programs like the Pediatrics Internship Program at Stanford (PIPS). Last summer, through PIPS, Bianca was introduced to different areas of science and research and worked directly with Stanford professors and mentors while expanding her knowledge about diabetes. She pursued an ambitious path during her internship: conducting a literature review on the new, diverse approaches to creating glucose-responsive insulins (GRIs). GRIs are new forms of insulin that are being pursued to help people with diabetes better control their glucose levels. Bianca had to learn several complex concepts as part of the program, including organic chemistry principles, insulin biology and cellular pathways, and biochemistry/bioconjugation. At the conclusion of the program, she worked with another program participant to prepare a poster on their research project, which they later presented to program mentors and fellow PIPS interns during a poster symposium. “Being able to understand and explain these difficult concepts made me more confident in pursuing a career in science in the future,” remarks Bianca. Inspired by her sister’s public health work, this Mexican American Latina has been contemplating public health as a potential career. “The way that [my sister’s] career examines relationships that are prevalent in our communities, such as the impact of tobacco on low-income communities, increased my interest in [the field of] public health,” says Bianca. An intelligent, driven, and determined student, Bianca maintains a 3.94 GPA and is ranked sixth out of 266 students in her class. She will attend the University of California, Berkeley; the University of California, Davis; or Stanford University and is considering pursuing a major in Biology and a minor in Psychology.
Bronze - Gia Cabral
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
GPA: 3.60
High School: Marlborough School
Heritage: Mexican
Los Angeles, California resident Gia, has been working as a research assistant while interning at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County since the summer of last year. Thanks to this opportunity, she has become enveloped in the biomedical and environmental applications of zeolites, a group of silicate minerals, through chemical ion exchange, like their possible application in the recovery of rare earth elements from waste. Her work has also allowed her to gain hands-on experience with sophisticated instruments such as a RAMAN microscope and an XRF spectrometer. “Throughout this process, I have learned an unquantifiable amount of chemistry, plus so much about myself and my love for research,” shares Gia. The applications of the investigations she is conducting involving rare earth elements are vast—from removing lead off of children’s playgrounds to extracting harmful metals from patients’ brains after MRIs—and offer fascinating ways to help people across different communities. “The work is intense, but my efforts are worth it,” remarks Gia. Inspired by these experiences, she plans to pursue a Pre-Medicine path while majoring in Biology. Gia’s personal connection to gadolinium, one of the minerals she is studying, has added an element of fascination to her research and made it particularly special for her. She was born with a congenital heart defect and underwent many MRI screenings that used a gadolinium-based contrast agent when she was younger. “To be able to apply my own life experiences to my research has been meaningful, and I plan on pursuing more facets of cardiology in the future,” she says. Giving back to the community that contributed to her growth is important to Gia. She is an active member of her South Central Hispanic community and regularly organizes drives through local community centers. Gia is a leader in her community and has spearheaded and led numerous service organizations and projects. For instance, in the summer of 2020, Gia co-founded Concerts 4 Covid, a nonprofit organization that raised funds for COVID relief organizations. Over a series of five virtual concerts, Concerts 4 Covid raised over $35,000 for organizations including the Southern Poverty Law Center and Feeding America. This Latina leader will attend Harvard College, the University of Wisconsin–Madison, or the University of Michigan. She plans to major in Biology and minor in Public Policy.
GPA: 3.60
High School: Marlborough School
Heritage: Mexican
Los Angeles, California resident Gia, has been working as a research assistant while interning at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County since the summer of last year. Thanks to this opportunity, she has become enveloped in the biomedical and environmental applications of zeolites, a group of silicate minerals, through chemical ion exchange, like their possible application in the recovery of rare earth elements from waste. Her work has also allowed her to gain hands-on experience with sophisticated instruments such as a RAMAN microscope and an XRF spectrometer. “Throughout this process, I have learned an unquantifiable amount of chemistry, plus so much about myself and my love for research,” shares Gia. The applications of the investigations she is conducting involving rare earth elements are vast—from removing lead off of children’s playgrounds to extracting harmful metals from patients’ brains after MRIs—and offer fascinating ways to help people across different communities. “The work is intense, but my efforts are worth it,” remarks Gia. Inspired by these experiences, she plans to pursue a Pre-Medicine path while majoring in Biology. Gia’s personal connection to gadolinium, one of the minerals she is studying, has added an element of fascination to her research and made it particularly special for her. She was born with a congenital heart defect and underwent many MRI screenings that used a gadolinium-based contrast agent when she was younger. “To be able to apply my own life experiences to my research has been meaningful, and I plan on pursuing more facets of cardiology in the future,” she says. Giving back to the community that contributed to her growth is important to Gia. She is an active member of her South Central Hispanic community and regularly organizes drives through local community centers. Gia is a leader in her community and has spearheaded and led numerous service organizations and projects. For instance, in the summer of 2020, Gia co-founded Concerts 4 Covid, a nonprofit organization that raised funds for COVID relief organizations. Over a series of five virtual concerts, Concerts 4 Covid raised over $35,000 for organizations including the Southern Poverty Law Center and Feeding America. This Latina leader will attend Harvard College, the University of Wisconsin–Madison, or the University of Michigan. She plans to major in Biology and minor in Public Policy.
Media & Entertainment
GOLD - Ichtaca Lira
Hometown: Hayward, CA
GPA: 3.91
High School: Albany High School
Heritage: Mexican
“At my core, I am both an artist and an activist,” remarks Ichtaca. They envision their future revolving around creating artwork and community-based organizations that make bold, progressive actions in unique and visionary ways. Currently, they are the Artistic Director of Youth Uproar Theatre Company (YUTC), a teen-run organization that works to cultivate the growth of young theatremakers in the Bay Area. YUTC is dedicated to uplifting young voices from marginalized communities and making the arts more accessible for youth of color. Ichtaca was part of YUTC’s founding board in the summer of 2020. They helped create the company’s mission statement, bylaws, and also directed its inaugural show, which had a full cast and crew of people of color. Ichtaca is an intern at the California Alliance for Arts Education, where they are working to develop a comprehensive plan for arts education expansion in their school district. Beginning in early 2020, they have also had six internships, serving in different capacities, at YR Media, a national network of young journalists and artists. Through YR Media, Ichtaca published a podcast episode about race and identity with The Washington Post. A creative force and a conscientious leader, they care deeply for queer and trans visibility and rights, dismantling white supremacy, BIPOC solidarity, establishing new systems of community care, and the reconnection of BIPOC to their indigenous roots. These are also themes that they explored in their literary work in the creative writing program at the California State Summer School for the Arts. Ichtaca’s impact on their school community and their community at large is tangible. They have collaborated with other students, parents, and educators on district-wide equity plans and currently serve as a student trustee for their school district’s Board of Education. In addition to writing agenda items and resolutions, collecting student opinion data, and providing reports to the elected members of the school board, Ichtaca also represents their district’s student body on district sub-committees, including its Career Technical Education Committee, its Student Achievement Committee, and a chair position on its Student Advocacy Committee. This fall, Ichtaca will attend Brown University, New York University, or the University of Southern California. They plan on pursuing an Individualized Study degree combining Business Management & Entrepreneurship, Media Studies & Art Direction, and Ethnic Studies/Anthropology.
GPA: 3.91
High School: Albany High School
Heritage: Mexican
“At my core, I am both an artist and an activist,” remarks Ichtaca. They envision their future revolving around creating artwork and community-based organizations that make bold, progressive actions in unique and visionary ways. Currently, they are the Artistic Director of Youth Uproar Theatre Company (YUTC), a teen-run organization that works to cultivate the growth of young theatremakers in the Bay Area. YUTC is dedicated to uplifting young voices from marginalized communities and making the arts more accessible for youth of color. Ichtaca was part of YUTC’s founding board in the summer of 2020. They helped create the company’s mission statement, bylaws, and also directed its inaugural show, which had a full cast and crew of people of color. Ichtaca is an intern at the California Alliance for Arts Education, where they are working to develop a comprehensive plan for arts education expansion in their school district. Beginning in early 2020, they have also had six internships, serving in different capacities, at YR Media, a national network of young journalists and artists. Through YR Media, Ichtaca published a podcast episode about race and identity with The Washington Post. A creative force and a conscientious leader, they care deeply for queer and trans visibility and rights, dismantling white supremacy, BIPOC solidarity, establishing new systems of community care, and the reconnection of BIPOC to their indigenous roots. These are also themes that they explored in their literary work in the creative writing program at the California State Summer School for the Arts. Ichtaca’s impact on their school community and their community at large is tangible. They have collaborated with other students, parents, and educators on district-wide equity plans and currently serve as a student trustee for their school district’s Board of Education. In addition to writing agenda items and resolutions, collecting student opinion data, and providing reports to the elected members of the school board, Ichtaca also represents their district’s student body on district sub-committees, including its Career Technical Education Committee, its Student Achievement Committee, and a chair position on its Student Advocacy Committee. This fall, Ichtaca will attend Brown University, New York University, or the University of Southern California. They plan on pursuing an Individualized Study degree combining Business Management & Entrepreneurship, Media Studies & Art Direction, and Ethnic Studies/Anthropology.
Silver - Isabella Monet Mendoza
Hometown: Concord, CA
GPA: 3.98
High School: Clayton Valley Charter High School
Heritage: Colombian & Filipino
Isabella Monet’s passion for creative writing is motivated by her love for self-expression. “My thirteen-year commitment to ballet has always prompted me to find the most natural and vulnerable part of me. In time, poetry became the audible version of my physical language,” reveals Isabella Monet. Since the beginning of her high school career, she has been resolute in her commitment to pursuing her passion for writing. She is co-founder of The Writing Club, her school’s first competitive writing group. “I enjoy every meeting and am able to collaborate with peers and develop my approach to diction,” shares Isabella Monet. Guided by her value for honesty, transparency, and authenticity, she joined the staff of The Talon, her school’s student-run newspaper. She confesses to having considered the jump into journalism writing to be challenging because she found it to be a “more intellectual” and strict storytelling style. Isabella Monet credits her mentor, news media adviser and journalism educator, Bruce Koon and her internship at The Pioneer, her local newspaper, for helping her grow more confident as a journalist. At her school, The Talon had been inactive since the 2017-2018 school year, just before she began her freshman year. In her junior year, this Latina of Colombian and Filipino descent took on the duty of reviving and managing The Talon and has since worked as management editor, been a regular writer, and served as vice president of the newspaper’s online publication. Outside of writing, Isabella Monet has dabbled in the art of songwriting. “While my passion for the cello was short-lived compared to my other aspirations, words are truly the paintbrushes for personal introspection,” she remarks. Throughout her high school years, Isabella Monet has been a valuable contributor and active member of her school community. She has held leadership positions in her school’s Associated Student Body since the ninth grade, has served as president and vice president of her school’s chapter of the California Scholarship Federation, and has been a member of her school’s National Honor Society chapter. Though still undecided about her major, Isabella Monet will attend Harvard College, Columbia University, or the University of California, Berkeley.
GPA: 3.98
High School: Clayton Valley Charter High School
Heritage: Colombian & Filipino
Isabella Monet’s passion for creative writing is motivated by her love for self-expression. “My thirteen-year commitment to ballet has always prompted me to find the most natural and vulnerable part of me. In time, poetry became the audible version of my physical language,” reveals Isabella Monet. Since the beginning of her high school career, she has been resolute in her commitment to pursuing her passion for writing. She is co-founder of The Writing Club, her school’s first competitive writing group. “I enjoy every meeting and am able to collaborate with peers and develop my approach to diction,” shares Isabella Monet. Guided by her value for honesty, transparency, and authenticity, she joined the staff of The Talon, her school’s student-run newspaper. She confesses to having considered the jump into journalism writing to be challenging because she found it to be a “more intellectual” and strict storytelling style. Isabella Monet credits her mentor, news media adviser and journalism educator, Bruce Koon and her internship at The Pioneer, her local newspaper, for helping her grow more confident as a journalist. At her school, The Talon had been inactive since the 2017-2018 school year, just before she began her freshman year. In her junior year, this Latina of Colombian and Filipino descent took on the duty of reviving and managing The Talon and has since worked as management editor, been a regular writer, and served as vice president of the newspaper’s online publication. Outside of writing, Isabella Monet has dabbled in the art of songwriting. “While my passion for the cello was short-lived compared to my other aspirations, words are truly the paintbrushes for personal introspection,” she remarks. Throughout her high school years, Isabella Monet has been a valuable contributor and active member of her school community. She has held leadership positions in her school’s Associated Student Body since the ninth grade, has served as president and vice president of her school’s chapter of the California Scholarship Federation, and has been a member of her school’s National Honor Society chapter. Though still undecided about her major, Isabella Monet will attend Harvard College, Columbia University, or the University of California, Berkeley.
Bronze - Olivia Quispe
Hometown: Pasadena, CA
GPA: 3.89
High School: Westridge School
Heritage: Mexican, Peruvian & Argentine
Growing up as a student in a school with little diversity, Olivia has not always felt represented in her community. “Every day, I face the expectations of being a Latina in a competitive, independent-school environment, working twice as hard to have ‘a seat at the table,’” shares Olivia. After school, once she gets home, she can rest from such pressures, turn on the TV, and feel reflected in someone else’s story. Watching shows such as Ugly Betty—the story of a young educated Latina pushing boundaries—Olivia no longer feels like her aspirations are too far from reach and feels motivated to work toward evoking this same sense of aspirational joy in others. “This is why I hope to become a screenwriter, to better the narrative for generations to follow—one story at a time,” remarks Olivia. A prominent experience she has had with representing marginalized communities in film and media has been as a script development intern at Evergreen Valley Productions, a production company that creates compelling content for and by people of color, where she read scripts, wrote coverages, and presented her own pitch to film director, screenwriter, and producer David Ayer, known for directing Suicide Squad. While interning at Evergreen Valley Productions, Olivia gained a greater perspective of the industry and the power media has in bringing voice to the unheard and was inspired to further inclusive storylines in her free time. Since then, she has founded “Beyond the Ridge Podcast,” where she interviews activists about their journeys with identity and intersectionality, has taken a TV Studies course at Brown University, and co-heads Pose Film Club at her school, where she hosts multimedia screenings and discussions exploring nuanced perspectives, backgrounds, and identities. This remarkable and bright young Latina will attend Brown University, Princeton University, or Columbia University. She plans to major in Film & Media and minor in Sociology.
GPA: 3.89
High School: Westridge School
Heritage: Mexican, Peruvian & Argentine
Growing up as a student in a school with little diversity, Olivia has not always felt represented in her community. “Every day, I face the expectations of being a Latina in a competitive, independent-school environment, working twice as hard to have ‘a seat at the table,’” shares Olivia. After school, once she gets home, she can rest from such pressures, turn on the TV, and feel reflected in someone else’s story. Watching shows such as Ugly Betty—the story of a young educated Latina pushing boundaries—Olivia no longer feels like her aspirations are too far from reach and feels motivated to work toward evoking this same sense of aspirational joy in others. “This is why I hope to become a screenwriter, to better the narrative for generations to follow—one story at a time,” remarks Olivia. A prominent experience she has had with representing marginalized communities in film and media has been as a script development intern at Evergreen Valley Productions, a production company that creates compelling content for and by people of color, where she read scripts, wrote coverages, and presented her own pitch to film director, screenwriter, and producer David Ayer, known for directing Suicide Squad. While interning at Evergreen Valley Productions, Olivia gained a greater perspective of the industry and the power media has in bringing voice to the unheard and was inspired to further inclusive storylines in her free time. Since then, she has founded “Beyond the Ridge Podcast,” where she interviews activists about their journeys with identity and intersectionality, has taken a TV Studies course at Brown University, and co-heads Pose Film Club at her school, where she hosts multimedia screenings and discussions exploring nuanced perspectives, backgrounds, and identities. This remarkable and bright young Latina will attend Brown University, Princeton University, or Columbia University. She plans to major in Film & Media and minor in Sociology.
Public Service & Social Justice
GOLD - Isabella Mazet
Hometown: La Quinta, CA
GPA: 3.80
High School: Palm Desert High School
Heritage: Peruvian
San Pedro, California resident Isabella has been interning for Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz since 2018. Four years ago, she began as a congressional campaign intern for the US representative for California's 36th congressional district. As elections drew closer, one week prior to election day, tragedy shocked the country and shook Jewish communities across the nation when a gunman opened fire inside a Pittsburgh synagogue. Following her synagogue's wishes, Isabella scheduled for the congressman to pay them a visit and speak with them. In appreciation, her synagogue sponsored Isabella to attend a Jewish conference in Washington DC. At the conference, Isabella was chosen to speak on the Senate floor and address then California Senator Kamala Harris. "What followed my speech made me in even more awe of this day: Kamala Harris offered me an internship," remarks Isabella. Though she, unfortunately, had to turn down her senator's offer, her experience in DC motivated this Latina, and the following summer, she returned to work for Congressman Ruiz, this time, in his district office. That November, she also began working on his 2020 campaign. Thanks to her work with Congressman Ruiz, Isabella has also been able to contribute to other local campaigns. She attended congressional press calls for the Biden Presidential campaign, worked the Newsom Recall election, and has attended dinners with dozens of prominent politicians. The feat Isabella is most proud of us is writing and submitting a bill to the California Legislature upon learning of her state's inefficient funding of the busing budget in her school district. Working with the office of Congressman Ruiz has inspired Isabella to continue on a path of politics with the objective of helping her community. Focused, determined, and driven, this young Peruvian American is a two-sport varsity athlete and stands among the top students in her class. She will attend Georgetown University, George Washington University, or the University of Maryland and plans on majoring in Government with and minoring in Political Economics.
GPA: 3.80
High School: Palm Desert High School
Heritage: Peruvian
San Pedro, California resident Isabella has been interning for Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz since 2018. Four years ago, she began as a congressional campaign intern for the US representative for California's 36th congressional district. As elections drew closer, one week prior to election day, tragedy shocked the country and shook Jewish communities across the nation when a gunman opened fire inside a Pittsburgh synagogue. Following her synagogue's wishes, Isabella scheduled for the congressman to pay them a visit and speak with them. In appreciation, her synagogue sponsored Isabella to attend a Jewish conference in Washington DC. At the conference, Isabella was chosen to speak on the Senate floor and address then California Senator Kamala Harris. "What followed my speech made me in even more awe of this day: Kamala Harris offered me an internship," remarks Isabella. Though she, unfortunately, had to turn down her senator's offer, her experience in DC motivated this Latina, and the following summer, she returned to work for Congressman Ruiz, this time, in his district office. That November, she also began working on his 2020 campaign. Thanks to her work with Congressman Ruiz, Isabella has also been able to contribute to other local campaigns. She attended congressional press calls for the Biden Presidential campaign, worked the Newsom Recall election, and has attended dinners with dozens of prominent politicians. The feat Isabella is most proud of us is writing and submitting a bill to the California Legislature upon learning of her state's inefficient funding of the busing budget in her school district. Working with the office of Congressman Ruiz has inspired Isabella to continue on a path of politics with the objective of helping her community. Focused, determined, and driven, this young Peruvian American is a two-sport varsity athlete and stands among the top students in her class. She will attend Georgetown University, George Washington University, or the University of Maryland and plans on majoring in Government with and minoring in Political Economics.
Silver - David Robert Mayoral
Hometown: San Pedro, CA
GPA: 3.50
High School: St. John Bosco High School
Heritage: Mexican & Salvadoran
David aspires to serve the US by becoming a military officer. He comes from a line of military men starting with his grandfather. "Because my grandfather and father both retired from the military, my family has a tradition of service which I grew up with," shares David. For this Latino of Mexican and Salvadoran descent, his service work started in his freshman year when he took on a leadership role in his school's student government. Throughout his high school career, David has taken advantage of his many leadership positions in order to contribute to his community through community service. Volunteering for blanked drives, food drives, and tutoring younger students through his school's peer-to-peer tutoring program were some of David's first service projects. He expanded his community service to include giving back to the military by donating his time to military organizations and events, such as volunteering to lay Christmas wreaths at the Los Angeles National Cemetery and the American Merchant Marine Veterans Memorial. "The most satisfying service involved veterans themselves," remarks David. At his school, he organized a letter-writing campaign to show veterans living in a veteran's home that his generation appreciated their sacrifices for our freedom. His most memorable experience has been volunteering at the traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall, where he met Vietnam veterans and had the opportunity to hear stories about their service. It meant a lot to David that many Vietnam veterans also told him they were proud of him for wanting to serve his country. When talking about David, his AP English teacher and his school's English department chair says: "In my view, the future leaders of our world must be marked by a sincere compassion that fewer and fewer people today possess. This treasured trait is the hallmark of David's own character, and it's what makes him such a strong candidate for a military academy." David understands that the value of education is not in the impact it has on oneself, but in how one uses their talents to give back to others. He will attend the United States Military Academy at West Point, the Virginia Military Institute, or The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina and plans on pursuing a Political Science degree. David wants to be a role model for the next generation and wants to show that service is part of demonstrating our value as citizens.
GPA: 3.50
High School: St. John Bosco High School
Heritage: Mexican & Salvadoran
David aspires to serve the US by becoming a military officer. He comes from a line of military men starting with his grandfather. "Because my grandfather and father both retired from the military, my family has a tradition of service which I grew up with," shares David. For this Latino of Mexican and Salvadoran descent, his service work started in his freshman year when he took on a leadership role in his school's student government. Throughout his high school career, David has taken advantage of his many leadership positions in order to contribute to his community through community service. Volunteering for blanked drives, food drives, and tutoring younger students through his school's peer-to-peer tutoring program were some of David's first service projects. He expanded his community service to include giving back to the military by donating his time to military organizations and events, such as volunteering to lay Christmas wreaths at the Los Angeles National Cemetery and the American Merchant Marine Veterans Memorial. "The most satisfying service involved veterans themselves," remarks David. At his school, he organized a letter-writing campaign to show veterans living in a veteran's home that his generation appreciated their sacrifices for our freedom. His most memorable experience has been volunteering at the traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall, where he met Vietnam veterans and had the opportunity to hear stories about their service. It meant a lot to David that many Vietnam veterans also told him they were proud of him for wanting to serve his country. When talking about David, his AP English teacher and his school's English department chair says: "In my view, the future leaders of our world must be marked by a sincere compassion that fewer and fewer people today possess. This treasured trait is the hallmark of David's own character, and it's what makes him such a strong candidate for a military academy." David understands that the value of education is not in the impact it has on oneself, but in how one uses their talents to give back to others. He will attend the United States Military Academy at West Point, the Virginia Military Institute, or The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina and plans on pursuing a Political Science degree. David wants to be a role model for the next generation and wants to show that service is part of demonstrating our value as citizens.
Bronze - Azucena Cibrian López
Hometown: San Diego, CA
GPA: 3.94
High School: High Tech High Mesa
Heritage: Mexican
Azucena is determined to work towards becoming a policymaker to help combat social problems in a meaningful way. She wants to contribute to making communities more inclusive and safer for everyone while also making them more environmentally responsible. “I want to help address [the] protection of BIPOC communities, decrease[ ] gun violence, [and tackle] women’s equity issues, and climate change,” shares Azucena. A leader in her community, she possesses the courage to engage in culture and “be the change she wants to see in the world.” She advocated for criminal justice reform during the 2020 election campaigns and has also led a student march for women’s rights. This healthy activism was ignited by her internship working for Congressman Scott Peters, the U.S. representative from California’s 52nd congressional district, last spring. Through this internship, Azucena became more familiar with many immigration issues, learning about how they affect immigrant communities across the nation and even how their effects extend to other countries. As part of her duties, she compiled what she learned and created an “Immigration” page for the Congressman’s website. Azucena’s involvement with her school’s Model UN has helped her grow as a leader while enriching her knowledge and understanding of global issues and foreign affairs. When she was a Model UN delegate for Kenya, for example, Azucena collaborated with her peers and presented her nation’s position on illegal arms trade and current policies at their digital conference in an effort to create a resolution. Through this process, she became more aware of the effects of terrorism around the world. “Learning about these issues has influenced my interest in tackling pressing global problems in the future,” says Azucena. She is the founder of her school’s Latinx Unidos, an organization she created with the mission of building a network of support and working towards increasing and showing Latinx representation within her school community. When it comes to her academics, Azucena maintains a 3.94 GPA and has challenged herself with the highest level of courses her school offers. She has maximized her learning beyond the walls of her school by taking college courses through both Mesa College and the University of San Diego. She will attend the University of California, Berkeley; the University of California, Los Angeles; or the University of San Diego and plans to major in Political Science.
GPA: 3.94
High School: High Tech High Mesa
Heritage: Mexican
Azucena is determined to work towards becoming a policymaker to help combat social problems in a meaningful way. She wants to contribute to making communities more inclusive and safer for everyone while also making them more environmentally responsible. “I want to help address [the] protection of BIPOC communities, decrease[ ] gun violence, [and tackle] women’s equity issues, and climate change,” shares Azucena. A leader in her community, she possesses the courage to engage in culture and “be the change she wants to see in the world.” She advocated for criminal justice reform during the 2020 election campaigns and has also led a student march for women’s rights. This healthy activism was ignited by her internship working for Congressman Scott Peters, the U.S. representative from California’s 52nd congressional district, last spring. Through this internship, Azucena became more familiar with many immigration issues, learning about how they affect immigrant communities across the nation and even how their effects extend to other countries. As part of her duties, she compiled what she learned and created an “Immigration” page for the Congressman’s website. Azucena’s involvement with her school’s Model UN has helped her grow as a leader while enriching her knowledge and understanding of global issues and foreign affairs. When she was a Model UN delegate for Kenya, for example, Azucena collaborated with her peers and presented her nation’s position on illegal arms trade and current policies at their digital conference in an effort to create a resolution. Through this process, she became more aware of the effects of terrorism around the world. “Learning about these issues has influenced my interest in tackling pressing global problems in the future,” says Azucena. She is the founder of her school’s Latinx Unidos, an organization she created with the mission of building a network of support and working towards increasing and showing Latinx representation within her school community. When it comes to her academics, Azucena maintains a 3.94 GPA and has challenged herself with the highest level of courses her school offers. She has maximized her learning beyond the walls of her school by taking college courses through both Mesa College and the University of San Diego. She will attend the University of California, Berkeley; the University of California, Los Angeles; or the University of San Diego and plans to major in Political Science.
Sports & Fitness
GOLD - Tyler Armstrong
Hometown: Yorba Linda, CA
GPA: 4.00
High School: Yorba Linda High School
Heritage: Uruguayan & British
Tyler became a professional mountaineer at the age of seven, and was only eight years old when he successfully climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, making him the second youngest person in the world to ever do so. A year later, at the age of nine, he traveled to South America to climb Mt. Aconcagua which stands at a daunting 22,841 feet. By completing the summit, he set the world record as the youngest person to ever to make it to the top. He climbed Mt. Denali in Alaska at the age of 12, a trek that took three weeks, and relied on each team member to work together to survive the high winds and treacherous elements. So far Tyler, has climbed five out of the seven highest summits, with only Mt. Everest and Mt. Vinson left on his list. With the success and media attention that Tyler has achieved, he has also brought awareness to a cause he is passionate about – Duchenne muscular dystrophy. This genetic condition, affecting boys, is characterized by muscular degeneration and weakness. So far, with just the first five summits, Tyler has been able to raise an outstanding $500,000 for Duchenne research, and with his upcoming summits, Tyler hopes to raise even more money in hopes of finding a cure. Besides, being a professional mountaineer, Tyler has also been a 3-sport varsity athlete at his high school and in club leagues. He has lettered in soccer, water polo and swimming, is a captain of the soccer team and was named Most Valuable Player for water polo. In addition to all the fundraising that Tyler has done for Duchenne, Tyler is also a member of the National League of Young Men which is a charitable organization that promotes leadership in young men, advocates for community service and being charitable amongst its members. Even with a tightly packed schedule filled with mountaineering, soccer, swimming, water polo at both the high school varsity level and club level, and volunteering, Tyler still manages to hold down two jobs. Of Uruguayan and British descent, with a rigorous course load of AP and Honors courses, Tyler has a perfect 4.0 GPA and hopes to attend either the University of Southern California or University of Texas at Austin to study Sports Finance.
GPA: 4.00
High School: Yorba Linda High School
Heritage: Uruguayan & British
Tyler became a professional mountaineer at the age of seven, and was only eight years old when he successfully climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, making him the second youngest person in the world to ever do so. A year later, at the age of nine, he traveled to South America to climb Mt. Aconcagua which stands at a daunting 22,841 feet. By completing the summit, he set the world record as the youngest person to ever to make it to the top. He climbed Mt. Denali in Alaska at the age of 12, a trek that took three weeks, and relied on each team member to work together to survive the high winds and treacherous elements. So far Tyler, has climbed five out of the seven highest summits, with only Mt. Everest and Mt. Vinson left on his list. With the success and media attention that Tyler has achieved, he has also brought awareness to a cause he is passionate about – Duchenne muscular dystrophy. This genetic condition, affecting boys, is characterized by muscular degeneration and weakness. So far, with just the first five summits, Tyler has been able to raise an outstanding $500,000 for Duchenne research, and with his upcoming summits, Tyler hopes to raise even more money in hopes of finding a cure. Besides, being a professional mountaineer, Tyler has also been a 3-sport varsity athlete at his high school and in club leagues. He has lettered in soccer, water polo and swimming, is a captain of the soccer team and was named Most Valuable Player for water polo. In addition to all the fundraising that Tyler has done for Duchenne, Tyler is also a member of the National League of Young Men which is a charitable organization that promotes leadership in young men, advocates for community service and being charitable amongst its members. Even with a tightly packed schedule filled with mountaineering, soccer, swimming, water polo at both the high school varsity level and club level, and volunteering, Tyler still manages to hold down two jobs. Of Uruguayan and British descent, with a rigorous course load of AP and Honors courses, Tyler has a perfect 4.0 GPA and hopes to attend either the University of Southern California or University of Texas at Austin to study Sports Finance.
Silver - Leonardo Galindo
Hometown: San Bruno, CA
GPA: 3.60
High School: Junipero Serra High School
Heritage: Mexican
"'You were always a kicker' is what my mother told me [about] when she was pregnant with me," shares Leonardo. This San Bruno, California resident, kicked his mother so much when she was expecting him, that she enrolled him in soccer classes when he was four years old. "I stopped being a "kick" to my mom and began applying these strong legs as a striker. I was nicknamed "Thunder Foot" on [my] team," remembers Leonardo. Once in high school, he tried out for freshman football and remembers going from being a star on the soccer field to being lucky to get a few plays every other game while playing football. At the end of his sophomore year, his school team needed a new kicker. This is what Leonardo needed to motivate himself to become a better athlete. He spent the entire summer before his junior year practicing on football fields in order to prepare himself to become his team's new kicker. Two football seasons later, through dedication, motivation to achieve what he set himself out to do, and countless hours devoted to practice, Leonardo is now an All-Star kicker, punter, and 1st string corner outside linebacker. "I persevered from the first day of tryouts, throwing up on the sidelines, being sore, and not being able to walk for the next week," shares Leonardo. He is committed to his craft and works to perfect it every day. His objective in all aspects of his life, whether as an athlete, a teammate, a student, or a son, is to be "1% better every day." Leonardo credits soccer and football with teaching him valuable life lessons, including; work ethic, teamwork, communication, and how to deal with failure and success. Throughout his high school career, he has given back to his community in many ways, like volunteering at his local YMCA food pantry and donating his time to serve at a local library. He has also given back through his love of sports and coaching by coaching football for children ages 5-7. This young Mexican American Latino stands out from among his peers for his sheer drive, self-motivation, and how hard he has worked—and continues to work—to grow as a person. University of Oregon, San Diego State University, or the University of Washington and plans to major in Business or Economics.
GPA: 3.60
High School: Junipero Serra High School
Heritage: Mexican
"'You were always a kicker' is what my mother told me [about] when she was pregnant with me," shares Leonardo. This San Bruno, California resident, kicked his mother so much when she was expecting him, that she enrolled him in soccer classes when he was four years old. "I stopped being a "kick" to my mom and began applying these strong legs as a striker. I was nicknamed "Thunder Foot" on [my] team," remembers Leonardo. Once in high school, he tried out for freshman football and remembers going from being a star on the soccer field to being lucky to get a few plays every other game while playing football. At the end of his sophomore year, his school team needed a new kicker. This is what Leonardo needed to motivate himself to become a better athlete. He spent the entire summer before his junior year practicing on football fields in order to prepare himself to become his team's new kicker. Two football seasons later, through dedication, motivation to achieve what he set himself out to do, and countless hours devoted to practice, Leonardo is now an All-Star kicker, punter, and 1st string corner outside linebacker. "I persevered from the first day of tryouts, throwing up on the sidelines, being sore, and not being able to walk for the next week," shares Leonardo. He is committed to his craft and works to perfect it every day. His objective in all aspects of his life, whether as an athlete, a teammate, a student, or a son, is to be "1% better every day." Leonardo credits soccer and football with teaching him valuable life lessons, including; work ethic, teamwork, communication, and how to deal with failure and success. Throughout his high school career, he has given back to his community in many ways, like volunteering at his local YMCA food pantry and donating his time to serve at a local library. He has also given back through his love of sports and coaching by coaching football for children ages 5-7. This young Mexican American Latino stands out from among his peers for his sheer drive, self-motivation, and how hard he has worked—and continues to work—to grow as a person. University of Oregon, San Diego State University, or the University of Washington and plans to major in Business or Economics.
Bronze - Katelyn Peterson
Hometown: Dixon, CA
GPA: 3.88
High School: Dixon High School
Heritage: Mexican
Katelyn began participating in track and field when she was in eighth grade. Her freshman year, she made her school’s varsity track team, which she admits was in part motivated by her desire to be with her brother Nate, who was a senior on the team. At a high school meet later that year, Katelyn was approached and asked if she would be interested in throwing the hammer on a club team. Although she found hammer throw to be challenging, she decided to join the team precisely for that reason; she liked the challenge. Katelyn’s hammer throwing skills improved at an impressive pace, and at the end of her sophomore year, she placed eighth in the Virtual Nationals and earned All-American status. Last summer, Katelyn competed in two national meets. In June, she placed second at the Nike Outdoor Nationals and also earned All-American status. A month later, she participated at the USA Track and Field Junior Olympics and was the National Champion, once again earning All-American status. This Mexican American athlete has thrived in her sport. She has worked hard to get to the level she has achieved and works year-round to continue perfecting her craft. Sports have also given Katelyn the opportunity to give back to her community. From eighth to tenth grade, she participated in Team Dixon, where she helped kids with disabilities learn to swim, do fun activities, and put on a large play every year. “It made me feel awesome that I could help these kids, some of who are my age, in participating in regular activities,” she shares. Katelyn wants to pursue her dream of competing in the Olympics. Hammer throw opened up numerous amazing college opportunities for this prodigious athlete. She received offers from Cornell University, Dartmouth University, and Duke University, among several others. Ultimately, Katelyn decided to commit to Princeton University to pursue her academic and athletic career. She plans on majoring in Computer Science.
GPA: 3.88
High School: Dixon High School
Heritage: Mexican
Katelyn began participating in track and field when she was in eighth grade. Her freshman year, she made her school’s varsity track team, which she admits was in part motivated by her desire to be with her brother Nate, who was a senior on the team. At a high school meet later that year, Katelyn was approached and asked if she would be interested in throwing the hammer on a club team. Although she found hammer throw to be challenging, she decided to join the team precisely for that reason; she liked the challenge. Katelyn’s hammer throwing skills improved at an impressive pace, and at the end of her sophomore year, she placed eighth in the Virtual Nationals and earned All-American status. Last summer, Katelyn competed in two national meets. In June, she placed second at the Nike Outdoor Nationals and also earned All-American status. A month later, she participated at the USA Track and Field Junior Olympics and was the National Champion, once again earning All-American status. This Mexican American athlete has thrived in her sport. She has worked hard to get to the level she has achieved and works year-round to continue perfecting her craft. Sports have also given Katelyn the opportunity to give back to her community. From eighth to tenth grade, she participated in Team Dixon, where she helped kids with disabilities learn to swim, do fun activities, and put on a large play every year. “It made me feel awesome that I could help these kids, some of who are my age, in participating in regular activities,” she shares. Katelyn wants to pursue her dream of competing in the Olympics. Hammer throw opened up numerous amazing college opportunities for this prodigious athlete. She received offers from Cornell University, Dartmouth University, and Duke University, among several others. Ultimately, Katelyn decided to commit to Princeton University to pursue her academic and athletic career. She plans on majoring in Computer Science.
Sustainability (Green)
GOLD - Lizbeth Zambrano
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
GPA: 3.86
High School: Schurr High School
Heritage: Mexican
"Seed by seed, I aid my father in planting flowers in our clients' yards until their leaves reveal the most vibrant colors," shares Lizbeth. Working in her family's gardening services, she gained a deep appreciation for nature's ability to grow amid adversity. Growing even in lead-polluted soil and near pollution from the busiest freeway intersection in the world, Lizbeth remained in awe of how her family could help plants bloom. By middle school, she began asking her parents where they learned how to help heal the Earth despite only attending grade school. "Despite being exhausted from manual labor, my parents joyously passed down stories of our family's history as P'urhépecha—indigenous to Michoacán, Mexico, where we first learned stewardship of the land," recounts Lizbeth. Inspired by the resilience of blossoming plants and her ancestors who survived genocide, she placed it upon herself to continue her family's tradition of honoring the environment. Entering high school, Lizbeth seized every opportunity to advocate for environmental justice. Locally, in her barrio of East Los Angeles, she connected with fellow Chican@ activists from East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice, an environmental health and justice nonprofit organization, to close polluters in their community and create green spaces. Within the broader Los Angeles area, as the Justice, Equity, and Anti-Oppression Hub coordinator for Sunrise LA Youth, the Los Angeles hub of the Sunrise Movement, Lizbeth has helped to successfully lobby several elected officials to support policies for achieving a Green New Deal. She strives to continue learning about ecological issues and cherishing service opportunities to achieve her goal of becoming an environmental lawyer. Lizbeth is a remarkable community and environmental leader. Her activism work spans beyond the environmental sphere through various issues of social justice and across a spectrum of spaces and intersectional identities. Lizbeth has been an exemplary student at her school all throughout her high school career. She is ranked fifth out of 634 seniors in her graduating class and has an extensive list of awards in recognition of her academic achievements and community contributions, including being selected as a QuestBridge College Prep Scholar and a Thrive Scholar. She will attend Brown University, Tufts University, or the University of California, Berkeley and plans to major in Ethnic Studies and minor in Environmental Studies.
GPA: 3.86
High School: Schurr High School
Heritage: Mexican
"Seed by seed, I aid my father in planting flowers in our clients' yards until their leaves reveal the most vibrant colors," shares Lizbeth. Working in her family's gardening services, she gained a deep appreciation for nature's ability to grow amid adversity. Growing even in lead-polluted soil and near pollution from the busiest freeway intersection in the world, Lizbeth remained in awe of how her family could help plants bloom. By middle school, she began asking her parents where they learned how to help heal the Earth despite only attending grade school. "Despite being exhausted from manual labor, my parents joyously passed down stories of our family's history as P'urhépecha—indigenous to Michoacán, Mexico, where we first learned stewardship of the land," recounts Lizbeth. Inspired by the resilience of blossoming plants and her ancestors who survived genocide, she placed it upon herself to continue her family's tradition of honoring the environment. Entering high school, Lizbeth seized every opportunity to advocate for environmental justice. Locally, in her barrio of East Los Angeles, she connected with fellow Chican@ activists from East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice, an environmental health and justice nonprofit organization, to close polluters in their community and create green spaces. Within the broader Los Angeles area, as the Justice, Equity, and Anti-Oppression Hub coordinator for Sunrise LA Youth, the Los Angeles hub of the Sunrise Movement, Lizbeth has helped to successfully lobby several elected officials to support policies for achieving a Green New Deal. She strives to continue learning about ecological issues and cherishing service opportunities to achieve her goal of becoming an environmental lawyer. Lizbeth is a remarkable community and environmental leader. Her activism work spans beyond the environmental sphere through various issues of social justice and across a spectrum of spaces and intersectional identities. Lizbeth has been an exemplary student at her school all throughout her high school career. She is ranked fifth out of 634 seniors in her graduating class and has an extensive list of awards in recognition of her academic achievements and community contributions, including being selected as a QuestBridge College Prep Scholar and a Thrive Scholar. She will attend Brown University, Tufts University, or the University of California, Berkeley and plans to major in Ethnic Studies and minor in Environmental Studies.
Silver - Samantha Becaria
Hometown: Cerritos, CA
GPA: 3.87
High School: Gretchen Whitney High School
Heritage: Peruvian, Colombian, & Salvadoran
When Samantha was a freshman, she took part in an environmental campaign that advocated for the reduction of single-use plastics. As part of this, along with a team from her school, Samantha collected used plastic water bottles from local elementary schools and their own homes to construct a wave sculpture. Over the course of a few weeks, they cut holes into the bottom of each water bottle, strung wire through them, and meticulously shaped each string of water bottles into the form of a wave. The model was displayed at a local car dealership and at her school, alongside an informational graphic with the link to a green pledge where viewers were encouraged to sign, promising to be conscious of their plastic use and find alternatives to plastic whenever available. Thousands of people witnessed their piece, and 300 individuals signed Samatha's team's pledge. In 2020, after her school had transitioned into online learning, Samantha took on the role of an eco-leader and led an environmental campaign that focused on planting trees in her community to make up for her school's paper consumption during the 2018-2019 school year. Although interacting with other students was difficult online, Samantha and her co-leader were able to form a 20-person team, which they divided into three groups: publicity, advocacy, and marketing. With these groups, they were able to create various graphics to inform community members about their project, edit promotional videos, and fundraise ~$550. To offset her school's 2018-2019 paper usage, they needed to have members in their school community request a total of 110 tree saplings for them to plant in their yards. By effectively managing each group, they were able to accomplish their mission of offsetting their school's paper usage and even surpassed their goal by obtaining 122 tree requests. In March of last year, they held their tree planting distribution event at their high school, where Samantha helped package the trees in newspapers and distributed them to the students and staff that had requested the saplings. Samantha's passion for environmentalism and its intersection with equity and justice inspires many in her community. She has held leadership roles in several eco-campaigns as well as produced an environmental justice documentary focused on environmental racism. She currently serves as co-president of her school's Ecology and Wildlife Club. Samantha will attend the University of California, Los Angeles; the University of California, Berkeley; or the University of California, Davis. She plans on majoring in Environmental Science.
GPA: 3.87
High School: Gretchen Whitney High School
Heritage: Peruvian, Colombian, & Salvadoran
When Samantha was a freshman, she took part in an environmental campaign that advocated for the reduction of single-use plastics. As part of this, along with a team from her school, Samantha collected used plastic water bottles from local elementary schools and their own homes to construct a wave sculpture. Over the course of a few weeks, they cut holes into the bottom of each water bottle, strung wire through them, and meticulously shaped each string of water bottles into the form of a wave. The model was displayed at a local car dealership and at her school, alongside an informational graphic with the link to a green pledge where viewers were encouraged to sign, promising to be conscious of their plastic use and find alternatives to plastic whenever available. Thousands of people witnessed their piece, and 300 individuals signed Samatha's team's pledge. In 2020, after her school had transitioned into online learning, Samantha took on the role of an eco-leader and led an environmental campaign that focused on planting trees in her community to make up for her school's paper consumption during the 2018-2019 school year. Although interacting with other students was difficult online, Samantha and her co-leader were able to form a 20-person team, which they divided into three groups: publicity, advocacy, and marketing. With these groups, they were able to create various graphics to inform community members about their project, edit promotional videos, and fundraise ~$550. To offset her school's 2018-2019 paper usage, they needed to have members in their school community request a total of 110 tree saplings for them to plant in their yards. By effectively managing each group, they were able to accomplish their mission of offsetting their school's paper usage and even surpassed their goal by obtaining 122 tree requests. In March of last year, they held their tree planting distribution event at their high school, where Samantha helped package the trees in newspapers and distributed them to the students and staff that had requested the saplings. Samantha's passion for environmentalism and its intersection with equity and justice inspires many in her community. She has held leadership roles in several eco-campaigns as well as produced an environmental justice documentary focused on environmental racism. She currently serves as co-president of her school's Ecology and Wildlife Club. Samantha will attend the University of California, Los Angeles; the University of California, Berkeley; or the University of California, Davis. She plans on majoring in Environmental Science.
Bronze - Benjamín Garza
Hometown: West Covina, CA
GPA: 4.00
High School: California Connections Academy Southern California
Heritage: Mexican
According to Benjamin, our planet is "the closest thing to perfection in the universe." "[B]ut there is something which threatens the survival of humans in the future," remarks this West Covina, California resident. "[T]he climate impacts of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions," he declares. Benjamin's climate activism and how he tries to have a role in reducing CO2 emissions is by educating others in his community to encourage them to make lifestyle changes. Whenever possible, Benjamin also makes an effort to integrate CO2 reduction education into his school research projects. He participated in and completed climate leadership trainings in order to improve his skills when it comes to communicating with others about ways to reduce CO2 emissions. Benjamin's primary audiences are students and government officials. To educate students, he shares a fact sheet he created, an educational document (with questions and answers), and a video about how cement manufacturing contributes to CO2 emissions. He also gives a presentation about how students can reduce their carbon footprints. When it comes to educating government officials, Benjamin writes, calls, and presents to them about measures they can take in their communities to reduce their local CO2 while providing them with information about why the changes are beneficial beyond environmental reasons. For example, he has written to his local elected officials with information and suggestions about what they can do to improve his city's walkability and has accompanied that with information on the environmental, health, and economic benefits of being a pedestrian-friendly city. Benjamin hopes that by educating others about how to reduce their CO2 emissions, he not only encourages them to make changes to their lifestyles, but also inspires them to begin educating their community and sharing their knowledge with others. He wants to study civil engineering to help make cities less dependent on internal combustion vehicles and to contribute to reducing CO2 emissions generated by cities. During his high school career, Benjamin has taken the most challenging courses available at his school and excelled in each of them. His perfect 4.0 GPA is only eclipsed by his passion for learning and teaching others. He is driven by a desire to improve the lives of everyone around him. While excelling in his academic studies, Benjamin also maintained a full plate of extracurricular activities. He is involved with his school's Robotics and STEM clubs, as well as its Debate Club and its Author's Club. He will attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; the University of California, Los Angeles; or the University of California, Berkeley and plans to major in Civil Engineering.
GPA: 4.00
High School: California Connections Academy Southern California
Heritage: Mexican
According to Benjamin, our planet is "the closest thing to perfection in the universe." "[B]ut there is something which threatens the survival of humans in the future," remarks this West Covina, California resident. "[T]he climate impacts of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions," he declares. Benjamin's climate activism and how he tries to have a role in reducing CO2 emissions is by educating others in his community to encourage them to make lifestyle changes. Whenever possible, Benjamin also makes an effort to integrate CO2 reduction education into his school research projects. He participated in and completed climate leadership trainings in order to improve his skills when it comes to communicating with others about ways to reduce CO2 emissions. Benjamin's primary audiences are students and government officials. To educate students, he shares a fact sheet he created, an educational document (with questions and answers), and a video about how cement manufacturing contributes to CO2 emissions. He also gives a presentation about how students can reduce their carbon footprints. When it comes to educating government officials, Benjamin writes, calls, and presents to them about measures they can take in their communities to reduce their local CO2 while providing them with information about why the changes are beneficial beyond environmental reasons. For example, he has written to his local elected officials with information and suggestions about what they can do to improve his city's walkability and has accompanied that with information on the environmental, health, and economic benefits of being a pedestrian-friendly city. Benjamin hopes that by educating others about how to reduce their CO2 emissions, he not only encourages them to make changes to their lifestyles, but also inspires them to begin educating their community and sharing their knowledge with others. He wants to study civil engineering to help make cities less dependent on internal combustion vehicles and to contribute to reducing CO2 emissions generated by cities. During his high school career, Benjamin has taken the most challenging courses available at his school and excelled in each of them. His perfect 4.0 GPA is only eclipsed by his passion for learning and teaching others. He is driven by a desire to improve the lives of everyone around him. While excelling in his academic studies, Benjamin also maintained a full plate of extracurricular activities. He is involved with his school's Robotics and STEM clubs, as well as its Debate Club and its Author's Club. He will attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; the University of California, Los Angeles; or the University of California, Berkeley and plans to major in Civil Engineering.
Technology
GOLD - Diego Tran
Hometown: Oakland, CA
GPA: 3.79
High School: Bishop O'Dowd High School
Heritage: Mexican & Vietnamese
"I am passionate about technology," remarks Bishop O'Dowd High School student Diego. For this Oakland, California resident, "[k]nowledge of technology is an invaluable asset in the modern age." During his free period from class, Diego often volunteers as part of his school's Technical Support team to help staff, faculty, and students with technological problems. He enjoys learning about technology that can help him work better or smarter. In the summer of 2019, Diego had an internship–which later turned into a part-time work position–at California Emerging Technology Fund, a nonprofit seeking to close the digital divide by accelerating the deployment and adoption of broadband services to and in unserved and underserved communities. Diego has taken AP Computer Science and is currently enrolled in AP Computer Science Principles. This Latino student of Mexican and Vietnamese descent participates in the Google Code Next program, which works with high schoolers to cultivate the next generation of Black, Latinx, and Native tech leaders. Diego was selected to join Google Code Next over three years ago and has found his experience with the program to be "extremely gratifying." Diego has taken Linux, game development, music production, and web development classes. Two summers ago, he participated in Code Next Launch, a program that helps prepare high school students to launch a business. As part of the program, he worked on a team to develop a chatbot designed to provide mental health counseling for those without access to traditional therapy during the pandemic. According to Diego, the volunteer coaches for both Code Next programs were predominantly people of color, which inspired him to learn more and strive to do well. "They led me to believe that even though only a small percentage of computer science professionals are Latinx, I can achieve the goal of a career in technology with hard work and perseverance," he shares. Diego is considering majors in Computer Science, Political Science, and Electrical Engineering. He will attend Yale University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or the University of California, Berkeley.
GPA: 3.79
High School: Bishop O'Dowd High School
Heritage: Mexican & Vietnamese
"I am passionate about technology," remarks Bishop O'Dowd High School student Diego. For this Oakland, California resident, "[k]nowledge of technology is an invaluable asset in the modern age." During his free period from class, Diego often volunteers as part of his school's Technical Support team to help staff, faculty, and students with technological problems. He enjoys learning about technology that can help him work better or smarter. In the summer of 2019, Diego had an internship–which later turned into a part-time work position–at California Emerging Technology Fund, a nonprofit seeking to close the digital divide by accelerating the deployment and adoption of broadband services to and in unserved and underserved communities. Diego has taken AP Computer Science and is currently enrolled in AP Computer Science Principles. This Latino student of Mexican and Vietnamese descent participates in the Google Code Next program, which works with high schoolers to cultivate the next generation of Black, Latinx, and Native tech leaders. Diego was selected to join Google Code Next over three years ago and has found his experience with the program to be "extremely gratifying." Diego has taken Linux, game development, music production, and web development classes. Two summers ago, he participated in Code Next Launch, a program that helps prepare high school students to launch a business. As part of the program, he worked on a team to develop a chatbot designed to provide mental health counseling for those without access to traditional therapy during the pandemic. According to Diego, the volunteer coaches for both Code Next programs were predominantly people of color, which inspired him to learn more and strive to do well. "They led me to believe that even though only a small percentage of computer science professionals are Latinx, I can achieve the goal of a career in technology with hard work and perseverance," he shares. Diego is considering majors in Computer Science, Political Science, and Electrical Engineering. He will attend Yale University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or the University of California, Berkeley.
Silver - Christopher Raymundo
Hometown: Redwood City, CA
GPA: 3.93
High School: Junipero Serra High School
Heritage: Mexican & Salvadoran
When Christopher was a child, he used to staple papers together to write books where he told various stories. These stories ranged from the account of a princess who could weave gold to the tale of a town based on the tragedy in Pompeii. "Even though I wasn't a knight or experienced the Mount Vesuvius explosion, I wrote about these stories as if I were within them," shares Christopher. Now a high school senior, these stories have evolved from paperback books to complex video games for Christopher. His interest in video game development began after the first time he played Pokemon Pearl. Since then, he has aspired to become a video game developer. To prepare for his future career, Christopher started to take courses and joined programs related to video game design, including the Video Game Code Design class at the Bay Area Video Coalition, various game development camps with ID Tech, and AP Computer Science A and computer programming classes at his school. He also attended a Python camp, for which he later became a mentor. Christopher wants to create video games with engaging stories that help drive social change by raising awareness on issues of social justice or larger social problems, like immigration and LGBTQ+ rights, educating, and ultimately influencing a change in their users' perspectives that contributes to positive societal changes. "From playing a character walking in the gravel after being kicked out of their home, to seeing illicit affairs occur during a train ride to the US through a young boy's eyes, I hope to join the technology industry to shift others' perspectives [about] these deep topics," remarks Christopher. This Latino of Mexican and Salvadoran descent is a compassionate, responsible, and resilient young man who works hard at all his endeavors. He is an engaged learner and has exhibited strong leadership skills in the classroom as well as in his community. He will attend the University of Southern California, New York University, or the University of California, Santa Cruz and plans on studying Interactive Media and Game Design.
GPA: 3.93
High School: Junipero Serra High School
Heritage: Mexican & Salvadoran
When Christopher was a child, he used to staple papers together to write books where he told various stories. These stories ranged from the account of a princess who could weave gold to the tale of a town based on the tragedy in Pompeii. "Even though I wasn't a knight or experienced the Mount Vesuvius explosion, I wrote about these stories as if I were within them," shares Christopher. Now a high school senior, these stories have evolved from paperback books to complex video games for Christopher. His interest in video game development began after the first time he played Pokemon Pearl. Since then, he has aspired to become a video game developer. To prepare for his future career, Christopher started to take courses and joined programs related to video game design, including the Video Game Code Design class at the Bay Area Video Coalition, various game development camps with ID Tech, and AP Computer Science A and computer programming classes at his school. He also attended a Python camp, for which he later became a mentor. Christopher wants to create video games with engaging stories that help drive social change by raising awareness on issues of social justice or larger social problems, like immigration and LGBTQ+ rights, educating, and ultimately influencing a change in their users' perspectives that contributes to positive societal changes. "From playing a character walking in the gravel after being kicked out of their home, to seeing illicit affairs occur during a train ride to the US through a young boy's eyes, I hope to join the technology industry to shift others' perspectives [about] these deep topics," remarks Christopher. This Latino of Mexican and Salvadoran descent is a compassionate, responsible, and resilient young man who works hard at all his endeavors. He is an engaged learner and has exhibited strong leadership skills in the classroom as well as in his community. He will attend the University of Southern California, New York University, or the University of California, Santa Cruz and plans on studying Interactive Media and Game Design.
Bronze - Ajimelec González
Hometown: Apple Valley, CA
GPA: 4.00
High School: Apple Valley High School
Heritage: Mexican
Apple Valley, California resident Ajimelec, constructed his first computer at the age of 13 and began learning computer programming once in high school. A motivated and intellectually curious student, Ajimelec began to learn 3D modeling and printing, cybersecurity, and several other skills and topics on his own. As his competence improved, so did his opportunities. One of these opportunities was when Ajimelec combined his skills and love of technology and engineering to start a small tech repair and solutions business where he helped clients with their technological problems. As part of his process, he would first examine his client's equipment, figure out what was wrong, explain to them what he needed to do in order to fix the problem, and negotiate the cost of service. He would also educate his clients so they could avoid similar problems in the future by teaching them how the problem occurred in the first place. Ajimelec is putting his web design and development experience to use to benefit his school district. He is helping make his district's websites more accessible so that if someone with visual impairment is encountering difficulties while reading a webpage, they have an easy way to overcome that trouble and a better user experience when navigating his district's websites. For his high school, he is currently working on an interactive map of his school grounds with the objective of making it easier for freshmen and transfer students to find their classes and their way around their school. "The plan is for them to open the school app and enter their identification, which will give them their classes and their locations. The application will then determine their geolocation and present them with the shortest path to their destination," explains Ajimelec. This will help students avoid becoming lost and allow them to have a stress-free first days of school. He also wants the interactive map to help parents identify areas in his school and even find routes for them to drop off their children. "I never imagined that I would be doing something I enjoy and [using] one of my career options, [to] assist[ ] students and parents at my school," he remarks. Throughout his high school career, Ajimelec has excelled in all of his academic pursuits. He maintains a 4.0 GPA and has proven himself as an academic talent while balancing classes, sports, and a job and becoming a valuable and beloved member of his community. He will attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; the University of California, Berkeley; or the University of California, Riverside. He plans to major in Computer Engineering.
GPA: 4.00
High School: Apple Valley High School
Heritage: Mexican
Apple Valley, California resident Ajimelec, constructed his first computer at the age of 13 and began learning computer programming once in high school. A motivated and intellectually curious student, Ajimelec began to learn 3D modeling and printing, cybersecurity, and several other skills and topics on his own. As his competence improved, so did his opportunities. One of these opportunities was when Ajimelec combined his skills and love of technology and engineering to start a small tech repair and solutions business where he helped clients with their technological problems. As part of his process, he would first examine his client's equipment, figure out what was wrong, explain to them what he needed to do in order to fix the problem, and negotiate the cost of service. He would also educate his clients so they could avoid similar problems in the future by teaching them how the problem occurred in the first place. Ajimelec is putting his web design and development experience to use to benefit his school district. He is helping make his district's websites more accessible so that if someone with visual impairment is encountering difficulties while reading a webpage, they have an easy way to overcome that trouble and a better user experience when navigating his district's websites. For his high school, he is currently working on an interactive map of his school grounds with the objective of making it easier for freshmen and transfer students to find their classes and their way around their school. "The plan is for them to open the school app and enter their identification, which will give them their classes and their locations. The application will then determine their geolocation and present them with the shortest path to their destination," explains Ajimelec. This will help students avoid becoming lost and allow them to have a stress-free first days of school. He also wants the interactive map to help parents identify areas in his school and even find routes for them to drop off their children. "I never imagined that I would be doing something I enjoy and [using] one of my career options, [to] assist[ ] students and parents at my school," he remarks. Throughout his high school career, Ajimelec has excelled in all of his academic pursuits. He maintains a 4.0 GPA and has proven himself as an academic talent while balancing classes, sports, and a job and becoming a valuable and beloved member of his community. He will attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; the University of California, Berkeley; or the University of California, Riverside. He plans to major in Computer Engineering.
