Business & Entrepreneurship
GOLD - Juan Lucas McCarthy
SILVER - Angelina Fermin
BRONZE - Pedro Ferreira
Community Service
GOLD - Rami Kenawi
SILVER - Sierra Cortes
BRONZE - Dylan Mondrus
Education
GOLD - Daniela Acuna
SILVER - Briana Becerra
BRONZE - Joselyn Paucar
Engineering
GOLD - Iris Guzman De Leon
SILVER - Jovanny Aguilar
BRONZE - Helena Uceda
Healthcare & Science
GOLD - Andrea Lopez Abarca
SILVER - Sofia Nwosu
BRONZE - Gissell Villatoro
Media & Entertainment
GOLD - David Pagan
SILVER - Massimo Soto
BRONZE - Antoine Chisholm
Public Service & Social Justice
GOLD - Julian Reyes
SILVER - Debbie Atahualpa
BRONZE - Cailee Andreorio
Sports & Fitness
GOLD - Dylan Hooshi
SILVER - Adam Diaz
BRONZE - Diana Cavalieri
Sustainability (Green)
GOLD - Melissa Suquisupa
SILVER - Gabriela Mendoza
BRONZE - Alana Kramer Gomez
Technology
GOLD - Federico Barrera
SILVER - Leandro Romo
BRONZE - Angel Uraga
Business & Entrepreneurship
Please select a recipient name to read their bio.
GOLD - Juan Lucas McCarthy
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
High School: Edward R. Murrow High School
Hispanic Heritage: Puerto Rican
Little did Juan Lucas McCarthy know that teaching himself how to sew so that he could make face masks for friends and family during the pandemic would launch him into an exciting world of fashion design and a promising commercial enterprise. While attending Edward R. Murrow High School and honing his craft, the creative, enterprising student with Nuyorican roots launched a small collection of seventy-five pieces, which swiftly sold out online. “My motivation at the time was to help my community, but I quickly started to think about how the skill I was learning could become a business,” says Juan Lucas, who had an affinity for lemonade stands, stoop sales, and shoveling snow growing up.
After the initial inspiration set in, Juan Lucas, who plans on majoring in Business and minoring in Art History at Brown University, Cornell University, or Pomona College, would soon begin his sartorial journey. An avid learner, he completed an Industrial Sewing course at the Fashion Institute of Technology and a business college course through College Now. A significant moment for him was securing a competitive, eye-opening internship at The Costume Institute at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The experience proved enlightening. “Through the people I met at the museum, I learned about other Hispanic designers and saw their work displayed in museum exhibits. It also gave me access to designers who explained the behind-the-scenes aspects of production and marketing,” shares Juan Lucas. While his time there introduced him to the history and technical aspects of the field, it also gave him the courage to produce a line of jeans and hoodies, an experience he fondly describes as extremely gratifying and educational. “From the time I started to gain some mastery of sewing, I dreamed of designing and selling my products to others. However, I did not know how to go about it,” says Juan Lucas. Through a prior internship at the Museum of Art and Design, the Puerto Rican designer knew he would meet industry leaders [at The Costume Institute] who would help him on his path.
“I learned that an entrepreneurial person needs to be self-motivated, a multitasker, and organized,” explains Juan Lucas. As he worked on his line for men and women, he embodied those attributes, becoming a one-person operation, taking on “pattern creation to sourcing materials, sewing samples, establishing relationships with manufacturers, and negotiating rates.” On the backend, he created marketing materials, directed an entire photoshoot, convinced friends to be models and photographers, set up a website, and promoted via social media. The products sold out in the first two weeks. As for what makes him the proudest, Juan Lucas shares, “how I learned and grew as a person,” adding that after accomplishing that achievement, there is nothing he cannot figure out, hoping to build on those skills in his future endeavors.
Seeing the success of other Latinx people in the industry was encouraging for Juan Lucas as a designer. During his internship at The Costume Institute, he says he “became familiar with Latinx designers and artists who drew on their culture and experience in a meaningful way but also with a fresh, modern take.” As part of a new generation of designers, Juan Lucas says he wants to “draw from [his] Nuyorican identity in a way that speaks to others and evokes a sense of pride.” Another area where he incorporates his background is marketing, making sure to use Latinx faces to ensure representation of his community.
Through his school’s chapter of the National Honor Society, Juan became regularly involved in community service, including raising money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and food and holiday toy drives. He says, “When you are a teenager, it is easy to think you cannot make a difference, but when you are a group of like-minded peers working together, it is empowering.” In his senior year, he took on a leadership role to head up a donation initiative very personal to him—organizing a winter clothing drive for the recent influx of immigrants to New York City. For Juan Lucas, being Latinx, this initiative resonated with him the most. “Every Hispanic-American has a story of what it is like to arrive in the United States. My grandfather came from Puerto Rico when he was only 18 years old and would tell us about the jobs and struggles he went through to survive, including stuffing his shoes with newspaper to keep his feet warm. It is my way of honoring his memory and helping fellow Hispanics as they begin their journey here in America,” he remarks.
In a brief time, Juan Lucas has made significant strides with recognition for his efforts, including earning a certificate from The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, being a This I Believe essay finalist, earning certificates of academic excellence, and taking part in the R2L Next Gen leadership program in Washington, DC.
High School: Edward R. Murrow High School
Hispanic Heritage: Puerto Rican
Little did Juan Lucas McCarthy know that teaching himself how to sew so that he could make face masks for friends and family during the pandemic would launch him into an exciting world of fashion design and a promising commercial enterprise. While attending Edward R. Murrow High School and honing his craft, the creative, enterprising student with Nuyorican roots launched a small collection of seventy-five pieces, which swiftly sold out online. “My motivation at the time was to help my community, but I quickly started to think about how the skill I was learning could become a business,” says Juan Lucas, who had an affinity for lemonade stands, stoop sales, and shoveling snow growing up.
After the initial inspiration set in, Juan Lucas, who plans on majoring in Business and minoring in Art History at Brown University, Cornell University, or Pomona College, would soon begin his sartorial journey. An avid learner, he completed an Industrial Sewing course at the Fashion Institute of Technology and a business college course through College Now. A significant moment for him was securing a competitive, eye-opening internship at The Costume Institute at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The experience proved enlightening. “Through the people I met at the museum, I learned about other Hispanic designers and saw their work displayed in museum exhibits. It also gave me access to designers who explained the behind-the-scenes aspects of production and marketing,” shares Juan Lucas. While his time there introduced him to the history and technical aspects of the field, it also gave him the courage to produce a line of jeans and hoodies, an experience he fondly describes as extremely gratifying and educational. “From the time I started to gain some mastery of sewing, I dreamed of designing and selling my products to others. However, I did not know how to go about it,” says Juan Lucas. Through a prior internship at the Museum of Art and Design, the Puerto Rican designer knew he would meet industry leaders [at The Costume Institute] who would help him on his path.
“I learned that an entrepreneurial person needs to be self-motivated, a multitasker, and organized,” explains Juan Lucas. As he worked on his line for men and women, he embodied those attributes, becoming a one-person operation, taking on “pattern creation to sourcing materials, sewing samples, establishing relationships with manufacturers, and negotiating rates.” On the backend, he created marketing materials, directed an entire photoshoot, convinced friends to be models and photographers, set up a website, and promoted via social media. The products sold out in the first two weeks. As for what makes him the proudest, Juan Lucas shares, “how I learned and grew as a person,” adding that after accomplishing that achievement, there is nothing he cannot figure out, hoping to build on those skills in his future endeavors.
Seeing the success of other Latinx people in the industry was encouraging for Juan Lucas as a designer. During his internship at The Costume Institute, he says he “became familiar with Latinx designers and artists who drew on their culture and experience in a meaningful way but also with a fresh, modern take.” As part of a new generation of designers, Juan Lucas says he wants to “draw from [his] Nuyorican identity in a way that speaks to others and evokes a sense of pride.” Another area where he incorporates his background is marketing, making sure to use Latinx faces to ensure representation of his community.
Through his school’s chapter of the National Honor Society, Juan became regularly involved in community service, including raising money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and food and holiday toy drives. He says, “When you are a teenager, it is easy to think you cannot make a difference, but when you are a group of like-minded peers working together, it is empowering.” In his senior year, he took on a leadership role to head up a donation initiative very personal to him—organizing a winter clothing drive for the recent influx of immigrants to New York City. For Juan Lucas, being Latinx, this initiative resonated with him the most. “Every Hispanic-American has a story of what it is like to arrive in the United States. My grandfather came from Puerto Rico when he was only 18 years old and would tell us about the jobs and struggles he went through to survive, including stuffing his shoes with newspaper to keep his feet warm. It is my way of honoring his memory and helping fellow Hispanics as they begin their journey here in America,” he remarks.
In a brief time, Juan Lucas has made significant strides with recognition for his efforts, including earning a certificate from The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, being a This I Believe essay finalist, earning certificates of academic excellence, and taking part in the R2L Next Gen leadership program in Washington, DC.
SILVER - Angelina Fermin
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
High School: High School For Health Professions and Human Services
Hispanic Heritage: Ecuadoran & Dominican
“As a Hispanic entrepreneur, I want to be the proof and inspiration for other young girls striving to break the roles, like I am,” says Angelina Fermin, an ambitious entrepreneur of Ecuadoran and Dominican heritage. Growing up in Brooklyn and attending the High School for Health Professions and Human Services, the Founder of Angie’s Sweet Treats, a business she launched in 2020 by first selling flan, reveals that she developed her venture to embrace her Latina background and to bring happiness to others during times of hardship.
Before starting her food venture, Angelina, who plans to major in Business Administration with Data Analytics and minor in Computer Science at the University of Southern California, the University of Pennsylvania, or the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, first got a glimpse into the world of Business & Entrepreneurship by taking a job at a hardware and patio store in the Hamptons, a community vastly different from the neighborhood where she grew up. Despite some hesitation, she says the experience “introduced [her] to a realm of interest [she] never expected to have.” Through support from her colleagues, she flourished in this role, which allowed her to use “analytical and rational decision-making skills to handle the supply and demand amid the consequences brought on by the pandemic.” After this job, which allowed her creativity to tackle problems with innovative strategies, she returned to Brooklyn with a new perspective on business and is now on her way to an advanced education in business and a bright future in entrepreneurship.
As a Hispanic female living in America, Angelina acknowledges that she is part of the minority. However, she says, “my cultural roots are the force that encourages me to push and break statistics,” and adds that due to her roots, she is also aware of the diversity that she brings to the world.” Additionally, as Angie’s Sweet Treats began to progress, she expanded her menu offerings to include butter cookies inspired by her grandmother, who would serve soft pastries with Ecuadoran hot chocolate. As the sole proprietor, Angelina wholeheartedly immersed herself in the role, buying ingredients, figuring out pricing, marketing, communicating, and expressing her creativity. On the experience, Angelina says, “I was astonished by my perseverance and ability to organize myself as the founder, baker, and marketer in this business.”
Identifying strongly with her Latinx community, Angelina perceives poverty and the lack of education as the main drivers of economic disparity and as the most significant issues that require action. As a result of these factors, she says that many “Hispanic children grow up with the idea that they must begin working rather than focusing on their educational journey.” Pointing to her family history, where her Ecuadoran grandmother began working by the age of eight and her siblings helped in the yard and with crop work, these realities prevented them from being in school, and these sacrifices resulted in setbacks for them as immigrants in the US. “Being different in a new country, my family struggled with upward mobility despite living in the “promised” land,” shares Angelina.
Despite observing the Hispanic community in New York City facing a “lack of resources, financial instability, and a state of not knowing,” Angelina believes there is an opportunity to promote financial wellness and plans to make an impact in her way. “As I attend college and become an entrepreneur, I will never forget to keep in touch with my roots. I will also take advantage of my opportunities and network to bring financial literacy into my Hispanic community,” she remarks.
Over the years, Angelina has made a difference by volunteering time and serving others, donating food, clothing, toys, and more to nearby food banks, clothing drives, and shelters. Other mindful gestures for her community include cleaning the sidewalks of her elderly neighbors during the fall and winter and recycling water bottles and cans to help fight pollution and climate change. Through this community service, Angelina says she has learned a lot about humanity and global relations and wants to continue spreading positive actions while working towards strengthening the world with unity and equity.
Through tenacity and hard work, Angelina has received notable awards and recognition, including achieving second place in a Science Research Symposium, a receiving certificates from the Youth Leadership Consortium and the New York Stem Cell Foundation, and making the High Honor Roll Principal’s List year after year.
High School: High School For Health Professions and Human Services
Hispanic Heritage: Ecuadoran & Dominican
“As a Hispanic entrepreneur, I want to be the proof and inspiration for other young girls striving to break the roles, like I am,” says Angelina Fermin, an ambitious entrepreneur of Ecuadoran and Dominican heritage. Growing up in Brooklyn and attending the High School for Health Professions and Human Services, the Founder of Angie’s Sweet Treats, a business she launched in 2020 by first selling flan, reveals that she developed her venture to embrace her Latina background and to bring happiness to others during times of hardship.
Before starting her food venture, Angelina, who plans to major in Business Administration with Data Analytics and minor in Computer Science at the University of Southern California, the University of Pennsylvania, or the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, first got a glimpse into the world of Business & Entrepreneurship by taking a job at a hardware and patio store in the Hamptons, a community vastly different from the neighborhood where she grew up. Despite some hesitation, she says the experience “introduced [her] to a realm of interest [she] never expected to have.” Through support from her colleagues, she flourished in this role, which allowed her to use “analytical and rational decision-making skills to handle the supply and demand amid the consequences brought on by the pandemic.” After this job, which allowed her creativity to tackle problems with innovative strategies, she returned to Brooklyn with a new perspective on business and is now on her way to an advanced education in business and a bright future in entrepreneurship.
As a Hispanic female living in America, Angelina acknowledges that she is part of the minority. However, she says, “my cultural roots are the force that encourages me to push and break statistics,” and adds that due to her roots, she is also aware of the diversity that she brings to the world.” Additionally, as Angie’s Sweet Treats began to progress, she expanded her menu offerings to include butter cookies inspired by her grandmother, who would serve soft pastries with Ecuadoran hot chocolate. As the sole proprietor, Angelina wholeheartedly immersed herself in the role, buying ingredients, figuring out pricing, marketing, communicating, and expressing her creativity. On the experience, Angelina says, “I was astonished by my perseverance and ability to organize myself as the founder, baker, and marketer in this business.”
Identifying strongly with her Latinx community, Angelina perceives poverty and the lack of education as the main drivers of economic disparity and as the most significant issues that require action. As a result of these factors, she says that many “Hispanic children grow up with the idea that they must begin working rather than focusing on their educational journey.” Pointing to her family history, where her Ecuadoran grandmother began working by the age of eight and her siblings helped in the yard and with crop work, these realities prevented them from being in school, and these sacrifices resulted in setbacks for them as immigrants in the US. “Being different in a new country, my family struggled with upward mobility despite living in the “promised” land,” shares Angelina.
Despite observing the Hispanic community in New York City facing a “lack of resources, financial instability, and a state of not knowing,” Angelina believes there is an opportunity to promote financial wellness and plans to make an impact in her way. “As I attend college and become an entrepreneur, I will never forget to keep in touch with my roots. I will also take advantage of my opportunities and network to bring financial literacy into my Hispanic community,” she remarks.
Over the years, Angelina has made a difference by volunteering time and serving others, donating food, clothing, toys, and more to nearby food banks, clothing drives, and shelters. Other mindful gestures for her community include cleaning the sidewalks of her elderly neighbors during the fall and winter and recycling water bottles and cans to help fight pollution and climate change. Through this community service, Angelina says she has learned a lot about humanity and global relations and wants to continue spreading positive actions while working towards strengthening the world with unity and equity.
Through tenacity and hard work, Angelina has received notable awards and recognition, including achieving second place in a Science Research Symposium, a receiving certificates from the Youth Leadership Consortium and the New York Stem Cell Foundation, and making the High Honor Roll Principal’s List year after year.
BRONZE - Pedro Ferreira
Hometown: New York, NY
High School: Millennium High School
Hispanic Heritage: Brazilian
“I have come a long way from when my life began in Brazil,” says Pedro Ferreira, who immigrated to the United States with his mother when he was four. Eventually, the inquisitive, probing student would overcome the language barrier, make new friends, and develop a knack for connecting the dots and cultivating relationships—inherent skills that will serve him well in future endeavors within the realm of Business & Entrepreneurship.
Cryptocurrency and NFTs (nonfungible tokens) may have sparked Pedro’s interest in Business & Entrepreneurship. However, his diverse, multifaceted experiences provide solid preparation for whatever he pursues, including a Finance degree at Northeastern University, the University of Vermont, or Binghamton University. Along with taking a pre-college business course at Baruch College and learning about investments, Pedro also launched a clothing brand in 2021 with his friend Nelson, a successful endeavor and his proudest achievement to date. Seeing a need for comfortable clothes to wear during the day during the pandemic, Pedro, along with his partner, realized there was a market for “well-made T-shirts that fit comfortably and felt great on the skin.” The hands-on young entrepreneur did everything from start to finish, including researching apparel companies, trademarking a brand name, and registering a company as an LLC, albeit while still a student at Millennium High School. Reflecting on the experience, Pedro says, “I had no idea what I was doing, but I was determined to overcome the challenge.”
Like his forays into Business & Entrepreneurship, Pedro hopes to overcome challenges in the Latinx community. The biggest issue that he would like to address is the negative, dismissive stereotypes of Hispanic men and women held by non-Hispanics. “Although false, these stereotypes are repeatedly promoted through various forms of media. The continued negative perceptions of us will hurt future generations of Latinx/Hispanics and make it hard for us to function in society,” he says. One solution Pedro proposes to address the issue is to educate others through creating websites, social media, and campaign posters that spread awareness of hurtful stereotypes and instead highlight Latinx communities and the diverse aspect of each culture. “With the removal of the stereotypes, we will be able to create a more diverse and equitable space for people,” says Pedro, adding that he plans to join college organizations that uplift the Latinx community.
As for enriching experiences that have shaped the professional path for Pedro, those include an internship with the retail company Utility Canvas and community involvement in Best Buddies International, an organization that creates opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Being a Latinx student in a predominately Asian high school, Pedro says he “firmly understands what it’s like to be an outsider and is inspired to give back to any community that suffers from disenfranchisement.”
Pedro has other stellar accomplishments, including being an assistant teacher, participating in a program from The New School’s Parsons Paris, being a member of the Millennium High School’s Student Government Treasury and Millennium Senior Officers, and serving as a Model United Nations Club leader, and Design Club vice president.
High School: Millennium High School
Hispanic Heritage: Brazilian
“I have come a long way from when my life began in Brazil,” says Pedro Ferreira, who immigrated to the United States with his mother when he was four. Eventually, the inquisitive, probing student would overcome the language barrier, make new friends, and develop a knack for connecting the dots and cultivating relationships—inherent skills that will serve him well in future endeavors within the realm of Business & Entrepreneurship.
Cryptocurrency and NFTs (nonfungible tokens) may have sparked Pedro’s interest in Business & Entrepreneurship. However, his diverse, multifaceted experiences provide solid preparation for whatever he pursues, including a Finance degree at Northeastern University, the University of Vermont, or Binghamton University. Along with taking a pre-college business course at Baruch College and learning about investments, Pedro also launched a clothing brand in 2021 with his friend Nelson, a successful endeavor and his proudest achievement to date. Seeing a need for comfortable clothes to wear during the day during the pandemic, Pedro, along with his partner, realized there was a market for “well-made T-shirts that fit comfortably and felt great on the skin.” The hands-on young entrepreneur did everything from start to finish, including researching apparel companies, trademarking a brand name, and registering a company as an LLC, albeit while still a student at Millennium High School. Reflecting on the experience, Pedro says, “I had no idea what I was doing, but I was determined to overcome the challenge.”
Like his forays into Business & Entrepreneurship, Pedro hopes to overcome challenges in the Latinx community. The biggest issue that he would like to address is the negative, dismissive stereotypes of Hispanic men and women held by non-Hispanics. “Although false, these stereotypes are repeatedly promoted through various forms of media. The continued negative perceptions of us will hurt future generations of Latinx/Hispanics and make it hard for us to function in society,” he says. One solution Pedro proposes to address the issue is to educate others through creating websites, social media, and campaign posters that spread awareness of hurtful stereotypes and instead highlight Latinx communities and the diverse aspect of each culture. “With the removal of the stereotypes, we will be able to create a more diverse and equitable space for people,” says Pedro, adding that he plans to join college organizations that uplift the Latinx community.
As for enriching experiences that have shaped the professional path for Pedro, those include an internship with the retail company Utility Canvas and community involvement in Best Buddies International, an organization that creates opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Being a Latinx student in a predominately Asian high school, Pedro says he “firmly understands what it’s like to be an outsider and is inspired to give back to any community that suffers from disenfranchisement.”
Pedro has other stellar accomplishments, including being an assistant teacher, participating in a program from The New School’s Parsons Paris, being a member of the Millennium High School’s Student Government Treasury and Millennium Senior Officers, and serving as a Model United Nations Club leader, and Design Club vice president.
Community Service
Please select a recipient name to read their bio.
GOLD - Rami Kenawi
Hometown: Flushing, NY
High School: Benjamin N Cardozo High School
Hispanic Heritage: Colombian
“Where there’s taste, there’s home—my mother would often tell me. Being immersed in various cultures has taught me the best way to communicate one’s culture is through food,” says Rami Kenawi, who hails from a Colombian and Egyptian household in the predominantly Asian neighborhood of Flushing in Queens, New York. However, for Rami, access to nourishing meals took on a whole new meaning as his family and the community surrounding him would face the reality of food insecurity at times.
Fundamentally, community service is at the core of what Rami represents. Time and time again, the natural leader, a true advocate for those in need, takes action to drive change that continues to touch the lives of others, always being mindful of his origins. “As a proud Latino, I naturally view every negative situation with a positive outcome. Whether it is spreading awareness about social injustice or solving food insecurity, my Colombian heritage is always on show,” he says.
A lot has happened since Rami joined his school’s Key Club to address socio-economic disparities during his sophomore year at Benjamin R. Cardozo High School. He later took on the role of executive assistant of the largest Key Club division in New York state and helped lead 1,400 members in creating over 40 projects and raising tens of thousands of dollars to support initiatives. Rami has also interned as a lead public policy researcher for a local district council campaign and has hosted STEM workshops at his local library to address the lack of equitable educational opportunities for underprivileged kids.
Of all these endeavors, one service project is especially dear to Rami’s heart—spearheading a community fridge. “Being an individual who endured food insecurity through the COVID-19 pandemic, I found it most important to end this prevalent issue in my community of Flushing,” he says. After receiving a grant from the Key Club and raising additional funds, he brought together local organizations and restaurants to introduce a fridge featuring foods from diverse cultures, including empanadas and tamales. “Developing a self-sufficient fridge now run by the local community and created by me has made me beyond proud,” says Rami, who adds, “I can proudly say that I have helped stop food insecurity in my community, an issue I still address to this day.”
Underrepresentation of the Hispanic community in the scientific and engineering fields is another area that resonates with Rami, who will be pursuing degrees in Computer Science, Business Administration with Data Analytics, and Public Policy while attending Columbia University. He says, “the lack of equitable educational opportunities for low-income Hispanic families is becoming a growing concern.” Addressing this issue starts with providing more workshops, such as coding or building robots, internships, and opportunities for youth. To make it even more culturally relevant, Rami suggests having “Hispanic individuals who work in these industries communicate directly with the children, which will be an everlasting motivator.” Ultimately, these efforts can lead to more Latinos in STEM fields and no longer being underrepresented—all of which will shape them into the leaders of tomorrow.
High School: Benjamin N Cardozo High School
Hispanic Heritage: Colombian
“Where there’s taste, there’s home—my mother would often tell me. Being immersed in various cultures has taught me the best way to communicate one’s culture is through food,” says Rami Kenawi, who hails from a Colombian and Egyptian household in the predominantly Asian neighborhood of Flushing in Queens, New York. However, for Rami, access to nourishing meals took on a whole new meaning as his family and the community surrounding him would face the reality of food insecurity at times.
Fundamentally, community service is at the core of what Rami represents. Time and time again, the natural leader, a true advocate for those in need, takes action to drive change that continues to touch the lives of others, always being mindful of his origins. “As a proud Latino, I naturally view every negative situation with a positive outcome. Whether it is spreading awareness about social injustice or solving food insecurity, my Colombian heritage is always on show,” he says.
A lot has happened since Rami joined his school’s Key Club to address socio-economic disparities during his sophomore year at Benjamin R. Cardozo High School. He later took on the role of executive assistant of the largest Key Club division in New York state and helped lead 1,400 members in creating over 40 projects and raising tens of thousands of dollars to support initiatives. Rami has also interned as a lead public policy researcher for a local district council campaign and has hosted STEM workshops at his local library to address the lack of equitable educational opportunities for underprivileged kids.
Of all these endeavors, one service project is especially dear to Rami’s heart—spearheading a community fridge. “Being an individual who endured food insecurity through the COVID-19 pandemic, I found it most important to end this prevalent issue in my community of Flushing,” he says. After receiving a grant from the Key Club and raising additional funds, he brought together local organizations and restaurants to introduce a fridge featuring foods from diverse cultures, including empanadas and tamales. “Developing a self-sufficient fridge now run by the local community and created by me has made me beyond proud,” says Rami, who adds, “I can proudly say that I have helped stop food insecurity in my community, an issue I still address to this day.”
Underrepresentation of the Hispanic community in the scientific and engineering fields is another area that resonates with Rami, who will be pursuing degrees in Computer Science, Business Administration with Data Analytics, and Public Policy while attending Columbia University. He says, “the lack of equitable educational opportunities for low-income Hispanic families is becoming a growing concern.” Addressing this issue starts with providing more workshops, such as coding or building robots, internships, and opportunities for youth. To make it even more culturally relevant, Rami suggests having “Hispanic individuals who work in these industries communicate directly with the children, which will be an everlasting motivator.” Ultimately, these efforts can lead to more Latinos in STEM fields and no longer being underrepresented—all of which will shape them into the leaders of tomorrow.
SILVER - Sierra Cortes
Hometown: Morris, CT
High School: The Frederick Gunn School
Hispanic Heritage: Puerto Rican & Portuguese
Growing up with a mother who was an educator, Sierra Cortes learned the importance of gratitude, giving back, and never taking anything for granted. Reflecting on the early years, she recalls with fondness all the meaningful ways that her mother would shed light on what was happening in other parts of the world. Whether going through Scholastic magazine to learn of the implications of shark fin soup on the shark population and ecosystem or reading I Am Malala, these experiences would shape Sierra’s understanding of the fragility of her surroundings and why people must treat everything with care.
Even during challenging times, when her mother had cancer, the two of them would give back, selflessly serving the community. “We helped fundraise for Quilts That Care, sewed beanies, and crocheted lap blankets for the women receiving chemo with my mother. My point in sharing this story is that I grew up knowing how lucky I was. I think when you live feeling grateful, you naturally want to give back,” says Sierra. Those formative experiences deeply touched the thoughtful young woman of Puerto Rican and Portuguese descent. While still a student at The Frederick Gunn School in Connecticut, Sierra, who plans to pursue degrees in Environmental Political Science at Colby College, Connecticut College, or the University of Connecticut, would go on to support causes, participating in service projects with ties to nature and wildlife.
As for her proudest achievement in community service, it has to do with small shorebirds. “I work as a Piping Plover monitor for the Maine Audubon Society. Plovers are small shorebirds that became endangered in 2010,” says Sierra. “Full-grown plovers are seven inches long with a wingspan of about 15 inches, and babies are about the size of cotton balls. The pollution, foot traffic, house cats, and unleashed dogs pose threats to these small shorebirds,” she explains. During family summer vacations in a beachfront town in Maine, Sierra would spend time admiring the feathered creatures. When she got older, she wanted to protect them, so she patrolled the beaches, looking for nests and hatchlings, and filmed them daily, eventually making a documentary to increase awareness in the community. In the end, these efforts met with remarkable success. Sierra says, “My hard work paid off as I watched fourteen endangered chicks grow to full adults under my protection, stabilizing the population.”
With much of her family still in Puerto Rico, Sierra has concerns about the environment and its impact. Along with powerful storm surges in coastal areas, she explains, “There is a major threat to the wetlands due to pollution and coastal development. These are the same problems I encountered this summer working with plovers. Coastal development is taking habitat away from indigenous species.”
However, these issues hit closer to home for Sierra, who worries about loved ones and whether their houses will remain after a storm. At the same time, she acknowledges that coastal hazards and their aftermath are essentially environmental issues. “New homes go up, habitat is lost, and animals become endangered. The loss of one species can cause a chain reaction affecting the entire ecosystem. My background brought me to the ocean and has encouraged me to seek ways to help coastal communities.”
For Sierra, community service is a lifelong endeavor, from those moments with her mother and collecting nonperishable goods for the food bank with her father, sewing special bears to raise funds for the Malaria Foundation, and launching The Thrifty Gardner Project to help people in the community create gardens on a budget. In addition to environment-related service projects, Sierra hopes to see economic, social, and educational equality in Latinx communities. “I will lend my voice to other Hispanic children, especially females, and let them know we don’t need to settle. We, too, can have more,” she remarks.
Sierra Cortes is proving that she is a force of nature in her commitment to community service.
High School: The Frederick Gunn School
Hispanic Heritage: Puerto Rican & Portuguese
Growing up with a mother who was an educator, Sierra Cortes learned the importance of gratitude, giving back, and never taking anything for granted. Reflecting on the early years, she recalls with fondness all the meaningful ways that her mother would shed light on what was happening in other parts of the world. Whether going through Scholastic magazine to learn of the implications of shark fin soup on the shark population and ecosystem or reading I Am Malala, these experiences would shape Sierra’s understanding of the fragility of her surroundings and why people must treat everything with care.
Even during challenging times, when her mother had cancer, the two of them would give back, selflessly serving the community. “We helped fundraise for Quilts That Care, sewed beanies, and crocheted lap blankets for the women receiving chemo with my mother. My point in sharing this story is that I grew up knowing how lucky I was. I think when you live feeling grateful, you naturally want to give back,” says Sierra. Those formative experiences deeply touched the thoughtful young woman of Puerto Rican and Portuguese descent. While still a student at The Frederick Gunn School in Connecticut, Sierra, who plans to pursue degrees in Environmental Political Science at Colby College, Connecticut College, or the University of Connecticut, would go on to support causes, participating in service projects with ties to nature and wildlife.
As for her proudest achievement in community service, it has to do with small shorebirds. “I work as a Piping Plover monitor for the Maine Audubon Society. Plovers are small shorebirds that became endangered in 2010,” says Sierra. “Full-grown plovers are seven inches long with a wingspan of about 15 inches, and babies are about the size of cotton balls. The pollution, foot traffic, house cats, and unleashed dogs pose threats to these small shorebirds,” she explains. During family summer vacations in a beachfront town in Maine, Sierra would spend time admiring the feathered creatures. When she got older, she wanted to protect them, so she patrolled the beaches, looking for nests and hatchlings, and filmed them daily, eventually making a documentary to increase awareness in the community. In the end, these efforts met with remarkable success. Sierra says, “My hard work paid off as I watched fourteen endangered chicks grow to full adults under my protection, stabilizing the population.”
With much of her family still in Puerto Rico, Sierra has concerns about the environment and its impact. Along with powerful storm surges in coastal areas, she explains, “There is a major threat to the wetlands due to pollution and coastal development. These are the same problems I encountered this summer working with plovers. Coastal development is taking habitat away from indigenous species.”
However, these issues hit closer to home for Sierra, who worries about loved ones and whether their houses will remain after a storm. At the same time, she acknowledges that coastal hazards and their aftermath are essentially environmental issues. “New homes go up, habitat is lost, and animals become endangered. The loss of one species can cause a chain reaction affecting the entire ecosystem. My background brought me to the ocean and has encouraged me to seek ways to help coastal communities.”
For Sierra, community service is a lifelong endeavor, from those moments with her mother and collecting nonperishable goods for the food bank with her father, sewing special bears to raise funds for the Malaria Foundation, and launching The Thrifty Gardner Project to help people in the community create gardens on a budget. In addition to environment-related service projects, Sierra hopes to see economic, social, and educational equality in Latinx communities. “I will lend my voice to other Hispanic children, especially females, and let them know we don’t need to settle. We, too, can have more,” she remarks.
Sierra Cortes is proving that she is a force of nature in her commitment to community service.
BRONZE - Dylan Mondrus
Hometown: Weston, CT
High School: Weston High School
Hispanic Heritage: Dominican
“One of the first things I learned as a Cub Scout was the Scout Oath, which includes many promises I make as a scout. The one that resonated with me the most was the line ‘to help other people at all times,’” says Dylan Mondrus, a driven and giving student of Dominican roots from Weston, Connecticut. Dylan, who has been involved in scouting since he was six, embodies that guiding principle, especially when it comes to community service.
The worlds of scouting and community service always seem to converge for Dylan, who plans on majoring in Political Science and Criminal Justice at Santa Clara University, Tulane University, or Georgetown University. Last year, he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest attainable rank that requires earning many merit badges, demonstrating Scout Spirit, service, and leadership, including overseeing an extensive service project. Of the experience, Dylan says, “Earning the rank of Eagle Scout was probably my biggest accomplishment and an unforgettable milestone in my life.”
As for the community leader service project to earn the Eagle Scout honor, Dylan partnered with the Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation. During this time, he spent six months and more than 140 hours leading a team of scouts and adults and building agility equipment for the puppy and adult dog kennels. “This equipment is essential in providing mobility, orientation, and training to the dogs that serve as guide dogs for the visually impaired,” notes Dylan, who credits his “time in various roles such as troop guide and learning leadership, communication, time management, and resourcefulness,” for successfully navigating this project during the pandemic. Since then, Dylan has stayed connected with Fidelco and registered as a dog sitter for families fostering and training guide dogs.
When thinking about his Hispanic background and its impact on his community service, Dylan acknowledges his family for instilling a desire to help others. “This influence is something passed down from my mother. Although she was born in New York City, she was raised by a Dominican grandmother and aunt who were immigrants,” he says. Growing up, Dylan remembers “hearing lots of stories from his grandmother about the help she received when first arriving to the United States, as well as his mother, who was the first in her family to go to college—in huge part [thanks] to the network of counselors who helped her achieve her goal.” Although he acknowledges that he does not have first-hand immigrant experience, he lives it every day, saying, “My family taught me to be considerate of others trying to restart their lives in a different country. Also, it is important to never lose sight of your roots and to work together as a community to lift each other up.”
On the most crucial issue affecting the Latinx community, Dylan, says, “Immigration, employment, and education can be summed up as one issue affecting the Hispanic community.” While he believes that there is more to do to afford immigrants the opportunity to seek a better future in the United States at the government level, he thinks everyone should do their part. “It is not enough to relocate immigrants. We must all pitch in and help them seek education and employment.”
No stranger to doing his part, Dylan stays active with other community service endeavors. He gives back to several organizations, including partnering with Joshua’s Heart to create a Connecticut chapter and recruiting his younger brother, who is also an Eagle Scout, and friends to launch a book/school supply drive, resulting in more than 8,000 book donations and more than 7,000 school supplies. Other notable efforts include writing more than 1,000 letters to American soldiers serving overseas as part of the Million Thanks program, volunteering with Weston Social Services, and being a member of his school’s American Heroes Club to assist with initiatives for veterans.
Such steadfast dedication has earned Dylan several awards and recognition, including earning gold, silver, and bronze Congressional Award medals, receiving the President’s Volunteer Service Award gold medal, being recognized as a Daily Point of Light Award Honoree, and being a recipient of the Jefferson Award for Commitment to Public Service.
High School: Weston High School
Hispanic Heritage: Dominican
“One of the first things I learned as a Cub Scout was the Scout Oath, which includes many promises I make as a scout. The one that resonated with me the most was the line ‘to help other people at all times,’” says Dylan Mondrus, a driven and giving student of Dominican roots from Weston, Connecticut. Dylan, who has been involved in scouting since he was six, embodies that guiding principle, especially when it comes to community service.
The worlds of scouting and community service always seem to converge for Dylan, who plans on majoring in Political Science and Criminal Justice at Santa Clara University, Tulane University, or Georgetown University. Last year, he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest attainable rank that requires earning many merit badges, demonstrating Scout Spirit, service, and leadership, including overseeing an extensive service project. Of the experience, Dylan says, “Earning the rank of Eagle Scout was probably my biggest accomplishment and an unforgettable milestone in my life.”
As for the community leader service project to earn the Eagle Scout honor, Dylan partnered with the Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation. During this time, he spent six months and more than 140 hours leading a team of scouts and adults and building agility equipment for the puppy and adult dog kennels. “This equipment is essential in providing mobility, orientation, and training to the dogs that serve as guide dogs for the visually impaired,” notes Dylan, who credits his “time in various roles such as troop guide and learning leadership, communication, time management, and resourcefulness,” for successfully navigating this project during the pandemic. Since then, Dylan has stayed connected with Fidelco and registered as a dog sitter for families fostering and training guide dogs.
When thinking about his Hispanic background and its impact on his community service, Dylan acknowledges his family for instilling a desire to help others. “This influence is something passed down from my mother. Although she was born in New York City, she was raised by a Dominican grandmother and aunt who were immigrants,” he says. Growing up, Dylan remembers “hearing lots of stories from his grandmother about the help she received when first arriving to the United States, as well as his mother, who was the first in her family to go to college—in huge part [thanks] to the network of counselors who helped her achieve her goal.” Although he acknowledges that he does not have first-hand immigrant experience, he lives it every day, saying, “My family taught me to be considerate of others trying to restart their lives in a different country. Also, it is important to never lose sight of your roots and to work together as a community to lift each other up.”
On the most crucial issue affecting the Latinx community, Dylan, says, “Immigration, employment, and education can be summed up as one issue affecting the Hispanic community.” While he believes that there is more to do to afford immigrants the opportunity to seek a better future in the United States at the government level, he thinks everyone should do their part. “It is not enough to relocate immigrants. We must all pitch in and help them seek education and employment.”
No stranger to doing his part, Dylan stays active with other community service endeavors. He gives back to several organizations, including partnering with Joshua’s Heart to create a Connecticut chapter and recruiting his younger brother, who is also an Eagle Scout, and friends to launch a book/school supply drive, resulting in more than 8,000 book donations and more than 7,000 school supplies. Other notable efforts include writing more than 1,000 letters to American soldiers serving overseas as part of the Million Thanks program, volunteering with Weston Social Services, and being a member of his school’s American Heroes Club to assist with initiatives for veterans.
Such steadfast dedication has earned Dylan several awards and recognition, including earning gold, silver, and bronze Congressional Award medals, receiving the President’s Volunteer Service Award gold medal, being recognized as a Daily Point of Light Award Honoree, and being a recipient of the Jefferson Award for Commitment to Public Service.
Education
Please select a recipient name to read their bio.
GOLD - Daniela Acuna
Hometown: Boston, MA
High School: Boston Latin Academy
Hispanic Heritage: Mexican
As someone who knows how language and cultural barriers can impact education, Daniela Acuna is on a mission to make learning more equitable and accessible for a new generation of Hispanic youth. “Education is a never-ending process, which is why I devote myself to giving back to my community and helping young children create a positive start to their education[al] journey," says the aspiring educator of Mexican heritage.
Daniela, who plans on majoring in Computer Science at Northeastern University, Boston College, or Boston University, draws inspiration from her positive start in education. While in middle school, she had the opportunity to be a scholar at Steppingstone, a nonprofit organization that “prepares students from historically marginalized communities to access and navigate their educational journey.” The experience resonated with Daniela, who believed in Steppingstone’s mission and “wanted to be part of the impact” and would eventually return, albeit in a different role. “During the summers of 2021 and 2022, I gave back to my community by helping the future generation of scholars and providing the academic and emotional support that allowed me to excel as a student.”
Along with Steppingstone, Daniela has worked at the Boston Public Library as a homework mentor for three years. In this role, she realized her proudest achievement in the educational field was “providing students with learning strategies to help them succeed.” Wanting to ensure that the students received the best help possible, she turned to several teachers for guidance, inquiring about communication strategies and ways to assess student engagement. Through this undertaking, Daniela produced a spreadsheet featuring resources for students across diverse learning styles, including visual, auditory, and tactile learners. Using the new tool, she also developed innovative techniques to best serve students in her community. For one young visual learner who struggled with math, Daniela created a study guide complete with pictures, diagrams, and practice problems—the method worked and Daniela helped the student receive a perfect score on the test for which she was preparing.
Hailing from a Latinx background does influence Daniela and her outlook on the field of education. As part of an immigrant family, she “understands how difficult it is for parents to provide academic support because of the language barrier” and knows “how hard it is for students to access academic resources since most parents cannot afford a tutor.” “That is why it is important for me to continue working as a homework mentor at the East Boston Public Library,” she says. For this young Latina, diversity in education is key, as it allows students to connect with their educators on a personal level.
One observation that Daniela noticed during her time working with Latinx students is that many share a feeling of overwhelm due to the responsibility of translating documents, making doctors’ appointments, and other tasks because they are the only ones in their family that speak English. “Having been in their shoes once, I understand the pressure and responsibility of helping their family,” she says. “I direct them to free resources that assist their family’s needs and offer strategies that reduce their feelings of overwhelm.”
Outside of academic hours, Daniela keeps a busy schedule, including overseeing a Latin Caribbean Dance elective for Latinx scholars that promotes diversity and learning about other cultures. Of the experience, she says, “I was proud to see these young Latinx students feel empowered when they were waving their flags because it showed representation in an advanced academic community." She is also active within her school community as a member of the Boston Latin Academy chapter of the National Honor Society, where she served as an interpreter for Spanish-speaking parents during welcome nights and other events. Other rewarding pursuits for Daniela include being a producer of the Social Justice Film team at the Boston Public Library and publishing a magazine focusing on social justice.
High School: Boston Latin Academy
Hispanic Heritage: Mexican
As someone who knows how language and cultural barriers can impact education, Daniela Acuna is on a mission to make learning more equitable and accessible for a new generation of Hispanic youth. “Education is a never-ending process, which is why I devote myself to giving back to my community and helping young children create a positive start to their education[al] journey," says the aspiring educator of Mexican heritage.
Daniela, who plans on majoring in Computer Science at Northeastern University, Boston College, or Boston University, draws inspiration from her positive start in education. While in middle school, she had the opportunity to be a scholar at Steppingstone, a nonprofit organization that “prepares students from historically marginalized communities to access and navigate their educational journey.” The experience resonated with Daniela, who believed in Steppingstone’s mission and “wanted to be part of the impact” and would eventually return, albeit in a different role. “During the summers of 2021 and 2022, I gave back to my community by helping the future generation of scholars and providing the academic and emotional support that allowed me to excel as a student.”
Along with Steppingstone, Daniela has worked at the Boston Public Library as a homework mentor for three years. In this role, she realized her proudest achievement in the educational field was “providing students with learning strategies to help them succeed.” Wanting to ensure that the students received the best help possible, she turned to several teachers for guidance, inquiring about communication strategies and ways to assess student engagement. Through this undertaking, Daniela produced a spreadsheet featuring resources for students across diverse learning styles, including visual, auditory, and tactile learners. Using the new tool, she also developed innovative techniques to best serve students in her community. For one young visual learner who struggled with math, Daniela created a study guide complete with pictures, diagrams, and practice problems—the method worked and Daniela helped the student receive a perfect score on the test for which she was preparing.
Hailing from a Latinx background does influence Daniela and her outlook on the field of education. As part of an immigrant family, she “understands how difficult it is for parents to provide academic support because of the language barrier” and knows “how hard it is for students to access academic resources since most parents cannot afford a tutor.” “That is why it is important for me to continue working as a homework mentor at the East Boston Public Library,” she says. For this young Latina, diversity in education is key, as it allows students to connect with their educators on a personal level.
One observation that Daniela noticed during her time working with Latinx students is that many share a feeling of overwhelm due to the responsibility of translating documents, making doctors’ appointments, and other tasks because they are the only ones in their family that speak English. “Having been in their shoes once, I understand the pressure and responsibility of helping their family,” she says. “I direct them to free resources that assist their family’s needs and offer strategies that reduce their feelings of overwhelm.”
Outside of academic hours, Daniela keeps a busy schedule, including overseeing a Latin Caribbean Dance elective for Latinx scholars that promotes diversity and learning about other cultures. Of the experience, she says, “I was proud to see these young Latinx students feel empowered when they were waving their flags because it showed representation in an advanced academic community." She is also active within her school community as a member of the Boston Latin Academy chapter of the National Honor Society, where she served as an interpreter for Spanish-speaking parents during welcome nights and other events. Other rewarding pursuits for Daniela include being a producer of the Social Justice Film team at the Boston Public Library and publishing a magazine focusing on social justice.
SILVER - Briana Becerra
Hometown: New Rochelle, NY
High School: New Rochelle High School
Hispanic Heritage: Mexican
When Briana Becerra applied to her first job on a whim at the age of 15, she did not realize how rewarding the experience would be or the way it would influence her future path. Fast forward a few years later and the model student of Mexican descent from New Rochelle, New York, still works at the Montessori school for infants and toddlers, incorporating elements from her Hispanic heritage into the curriculum. “In the education field, I consider working at The Nurtury Montessori School as an assistant teacher as my proudest achievement,” says Briana, who plans on majoring in Nursing and minoring in Education at New York University, Fordham University, or Iona University.
Quickly, Briana became enamored in this role, where she spends a lot of time developing young minds. In the infant class, there are 12 students ranging from 3-month-olds to 16-month-olds at various stages, developmentally and physically. When speaking about her interactions, she says, “In the afternoons, I sit all 12 of my kids together for circle time. During circle time, we do my favorite segment: Spanish. During this time, we sing a welcome song, La Canción de los Colores, los Animals y los Números.” Afterward, the class focuses on singing about the alphabet and reading time before pickups, with the same routine happening again the next day.
When Briana reflects on the experience, her enthusiasm for education is evident. “I love the kids, the other teachers, the philosophy, and most importantly, teaching. Quickly, my after-school job became my second home,” she says, adding that she also made connections with amazing families, strengthened her communication skills, learned how to take care of children and how to work together as a team.
As for inclusion and representation, Briana believes “having a diverse background is important for educators because they provide a different perspective and diversity for students.” “As a Latinx/Hispanic woman, I have the utmost respect for education. Neither of my parents made it past grade school due to their economic challenges while growing up in Mexico,” says Briana, who does not take what she has for granted. “Living in America, people underestimate how lucky they are. In America, there is free education for all, multiple safe ways to get to school, and millions of opportunities to persevere,” she affirms.
On the issue that significantly affects the Latinx community, Briana says it is the negative perception and discrimination of immigrants. “To address this issue and prevent racism from spreading to future generations, as an educator, I would preach love and respect for everyone,” she says. “I do not believe people are born racist. Racism is taught and influenced by what we see and hear. We must remind students that America is full of immigration, and, without it, our country would not be as beautiful and diverse.”
Outside of teaching, Briana is highly involved in community service, taking the initiative with her family to help others, including the elderly and homeless in need. One of her earliest experiences was at the HOPE Kitchen at her church, which serves food to anyone who needs it. She started going when she was 11 years old and continued to do so weekly until COVID-19 happened, which devastated her because she constantly thought about the elderly that relied on HOPE Kitchen for resources and wondered what she could do to help. “During the pandemic, my family was fortunate enough to be able to keep working, and quickly realized how lucky we were, so we started making baskets for the homeless,” she recalls. Briana and her family would distribute the baskets filled with water, food, masks, and other things to people sleeping on the streets. This family effort continues to this day, with Briana saying, “The smile on people’s faces always makes everything worth it.”
High School: New Rochelle High School
Hispanic Heritage: Mexican
When Briana Becerra applied to her first job on a whim at the age of 15, she did not realize how rewarding the experience would be or the way it would influence her future path. Fast forward a few years later and the model student of Mexican descent from New Rochelle, New York, still works at the Montessori school for infants and toddlers, incorporating elements from her Hispanic heritage into the curriculum. “In the education field, I consider working at The Nurtury Montessori School as an assistant teacher as my proudest achievement,” says Briana, who plans on majoring in Nursing and minoring in Education at New York University, Fordham University, or Iona University.
Quickly, Briana became enamored in this role, where she spends a lot of time developing young minds. In the infant class, there are 12 students ranging from 3-month-olds to 16-month-olds at various stages, developmentally and physically. When speaking about her interactions, she says, “In the afternoons, I sit all 12 of my kids together for circle time. During circle time, we do my favorite segment: Spanish. During this time, we sing a welcome song, La Canción de los Colores, los Animals y los Números.” Afterward, the class focuses on singing about the alphabet and reading time before pickups, with the same routine happening again the next day.
When Briana reflects on the experience, her enthusiasm for education is evident. “I love the kids, the other teachers, the philosophy, and most importantly, teaching. Quickly, my after-school job became my second home,” she says, adding that she also made connections with amazing families, strengthened her communication skills, learned how to take care of children and how to work together as a team.
As for inclusion and representation, Briana believes “having a diverse background is important for educators because they provide a different perspective and diversity for students.” “As a Latinx/Hispanic woman, I have the utmost respect for education. Neither of my parents made it past grade school due to their economic challenges while growing up in Mexico,” says Briana, who does not take what she has for granted. “Living in America, people underestimate how lucky they are. In America, there is free education for all, multiple safe ways to get to school, and millions of opportunities to persevere,” she affirms.
On the issue that significantly affects the Latinx community, Briana says it is the negative perception and discrimination of immigrants. “To address this issue and prevent racism from spreading to future generations, as an educator, I would preach love and respect for everyone,” she says. “I do not believe people are born racist. Racism is taught and influenced by what we see and hear. We must remind students that America is full of immigration, and, without it, our country would not be as beautiful and diverse.”
Outside of teaching, Briana is highly involved in community service, taking the initiative with her family to help others, including the elderly and homeless in need. One of her earliest experiences was at the HOPE Kitchen at her church, which serves food to anyone who needs it. She started going when she was 11 years old and continued to do so weekly until COVID-19 happened, which devastated her because she constantly thought about the elderly that relied on HOPE Kitchen for resources and wondered what she could do to help. “During the pandemic, my family was fortunate enough to be able to keep working, and quickly realized how lucky we were, so we started making baskets for the homeless,” she recalls. Briana and her family would distribute the baskets filled with water, food, masks, and other things to people sleeping on the streets. This family effort continues to this day, with Briana saying, “The smile on people’s faces always makes everything worth it.”
BRONZE - Joselyn Paucar
Hometown: Woodside, NY
High School: Academy of American Studies
Hispanic Heritage: Ecuadoran
“My dream job, ever since I can remember, was to be a teacher. I felt a calling to serve, to be a mentor and to help others however I could,” says Joselyn Paucar. The rising educator with Ecuadoran roots is on track to make that a reality with powerful experiences guiding her along the way.
Always one to rise to the occasion and forge her own path, Joselyn decided to pursue a career in education despite having a few detractors around her decision. Currently, Joselyn, who plans on majoring in Early Childhood Education and minoring in Psychology at New York University, Columbia University, or Pace University, works as an afternoon schoolteacher at her local community organization, Sunnyside Community Services. On working with second and third-graders, she says, “Working with children requires dedication and patience. The generation now is unlike any other, and it is difficult to get them to put down these devices and interact with the world. But I go to work every day promising myself that I do my absolute best to understand and educate the children through the values that my educators instilled in my character: respect, kindness, and curiosity—because this is what being an educator means to me. Now, it is my turn to step into the bigger shoes. No matter what others might say, education has infinite value.”
Growing up in a Hispanic household, Joselyn understands the importance of honoring language, culture, and diversity. So, it is only natural for her to incorporate those influences into her approach to education and interaction with students, many of whom are ESL or bilingual students. “Language is one of the most powerful tools when it comes to human nature. It’s always a nice surprise when I find out that one of my kids can speak Spanish,” she says, adding, “To be honest, I love speaking Spanish to my students because it reminds me of when I was a child. I would be appreciative if my teacher could speak Spanish because it reminded me of my family. So, hopefully, I am doing the same for them.” For Joselyn, language is a way to further connect with children but also a way to develop stronger relationships with their parents, “who are the foundation of their children’s education.”
An area affecting the Latinx/Hispanic community that Joselyn hopes to address is poverty. As someone who has experienced economic challenges first-hand, she is extremely passionate about taking measures to solve this problem. Despite her family having lived through the struggles of poverty for a good portion of her life, together, they overcame those obstacles, opening up new opportunities for Joselyn. However, she brings up a good point, saying, “How can we help others living in poverty? It starts with education.” Specifically, she says it is imperative to ensure that every child graduates from high school and pursues higher education, no matter their background, so they can have better employment and income prospects.
Along with her educational endeavors, Joselyn stays active in the community. Part of the New York Police Department Youth Law Enforcement Explorer program, she participates in community service events, including free car washes during the summer, food drives during the holiday season, and community runs to advocate for health. In her spare time, she also volunteers at her local parish, St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, where she helps distribute food to those in the community in need. As for her community service experience, she says, “I am extremely grateful for those who helped me, and I strive to do the same for others.”
High School: Academy of American Studies
Hispanic Heritage: Ecuadoran
“My dream job, ever since I can remember, was to be a teacher. I felt a calling to serve, to be a mentor and to help others however I could,” says Joselyn Paucar. The rising educator with Ecuadoran roots is on track to make that a reality with powerful experiences guiding her along the way.
Always one to rise to the occasion and forge her own path, Joselyn decided to pursue a career in education despite having a few detractors around her decision. Currently, Joselyn, who plans on majoring in Early Childhood Education and minoring in Psychology at New York University, Columbia University, or Pace University, works as an afternoon schoolteacher at her local community organization, Sunnyside Community Services. On working with second and third-graders, she says, “Working with children requires dedication and patience. The generation now is unlike any other, and it is difficult to get them to put down these devices and interact with the world. But I go to work every day promising myself that I do my absolute best to understand and educate the children through the values that my educators instilled in my character: respect, kindness, and curiosity—because this is what being an educator means to me. Now, it is my turn to step into the bigger shoes. No matter what others might say, education has infinite value.”
Growing up in a Hispanic household, Joselyn understands the importance of honoring language, culture, and diversity. So, it is only natural for her to incorporate those influences into her approach to education and interaction with students, many of whom are ESL or bilingual students. “Language is one of the most powerful tools when it comes to human nature. It’s always a nice surprise when I find out that one of my kids can speak Spanish,” she says, adding, “To be honest, I love speaking Spanish to my students because it reminds me of when I was a child. I would be appreciative if my teacher could speak Spanish because it reminded me of my family. So, hopefully, I am doing the same for them.” For Joselyn, language is a way to further connect with children but also a way to develop stronger relationships with their parents, “who are the foundation of their children’s education.”
An area affecting the Latinx/Hispanic community that Joselyn hopes to address is poverty. As someone who has experienced economic challenges first-hand, she is extremely passionate about taking measures to solve this problem. Despite her family having lived through the struggles of poverty for a good portion of her life, together, they overcame those obstacles, opening up new opportunities for Joselyn. However, she brings up a good point, saying, “How can we help others living in poverty? It starts with education.” Specifically, she says it is imperative to ensure that every child graduates from high school and pursues higher education, no matter their background, so they can have better employment and income prospects.
Along with her educational endeavors, Joselyn stays active in the community. Part of the New York Police Department Youth Law Enforcement Explorer program, she participates in community service events, including free car washes during the summer, food drives during the holiday season, and community runs to advocate for health. In her spare time, she also volunteers at her local parish, St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, where she helps distribute food to those in the community in need. As for her community service experience, she says, “I am extremely grateful for those who helped me, and I strive to do the same for others.”
Engineering
Please select a recipient name to read their bio.
GOLD - Iris Guzman De Leon
Hometown: Lynn, MA
High School: KIPP Academy Lynn Collegiate
Hispanic Heritage: Guatemalan
Of Guatemalan descent, Iris Guzman’s love for engineering was ignited when she embarked on her three-year-long engineering Project Lead The Way program. With an uncanny ability to blend creativity and technical know-how in perfect balance, Iris took her limited first-year knowledge and did a remarkable amount of self-learning to master a design software called Onshape.
With the computer-aided software, she created an incredibly realistic toy train, which is still being used to inspire other engineering students to this day.
Her passion for 3D designing earned her an invitation to the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition, where she and four other amazing female engineering students designed using CAD, programmed an Arduino, and 3D-printed an air quality measuring device which was then presented to the mayor of our city.
Her team’s design was pivotal in spreading awareness about the harmful effects of air pollution, and their project was named one of the top 100 projects across the country in the Samsung 3Solve for Tomorrow competition.
In her senior year, she and a few of her classmates are working on a project to create a video game, and due to her passion for design, Iris is responsible for 3D renderings of the character using a software called Blender.
During a recent STEM fair, all her classmates opted for a group presentation in the cafeteria, but Iris was the only one that chose to present a solo and with a project of her sole creation. Although out of her comfort zone and nervous, Iris decided to present her automata project—a box with a 3D-printed dolphin and oscillating waves to create the illusion of swimming. Despite not winning any prizes that day, the experience and feedback she got were integral to her development and confidence as an engineer.
This motivated Latina plans to major in Mechanical Engineering at Brown University, Tufts University, or Northeastern University. She hopes that being among the few Hispanic women in engineering, she can help address issues present in low-income communities that others may not have thought to address, since they have not experienced these issues firsthand. Moreover, she hopes that her presence in the STEM field gives other children and students the courage to pursue their interests rather than be discouraged from pursuing disciplines where they are underrepresented.
Acutely conscious that being a Spanish-speaker in a predominantly English-speaking community could mean losing part of your identity, Iris aims to create spaces in the future where all children, including Latinx children, can come and learn or practice Spanish as well as explore other Latinx cultures together.
High School: KIPP Academy Lynn Collegiate
Hispanic Heritage: Guatemalan
Of Guatemalan descent, Iris Guzman’s love for engineering was ignited when she embarked on her three-year-long engineering Project Lead The Way program. With an uncanny ability to blend creativity and technical know-how in perfect balance, Iris took her limited first-year knowledge and did a remarkable amount of self-learning to master a design software called Onshape.
With the computer-aided software, she created an incredibly realistic toy train, which is still being used to inspire other engineering students to this day.
Her passion for 3D designing earned her an invitation to the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition, where she and four other amazing female engineering students designed using CAD, programmed an Arduino, and 3D-printed an air quality measuring device which was then presented to the mayor of our city.
Her team’s design was pivotal in spreading awareness about the harmful effects of air pollution, and their project was named one of the top 100 projects across the country in the Samsung 3Solve for Tomorrow competition.
In her senior year, she and a few of her classmates are working on a project to create a video game, and due to her passion for design, Iris is responsible for 3D renderings of the character using a software called Blender.
During a recent STEM fair, all her classmates opted for a group presentation in the cafeteria, but Iris was the only one that chose to present a solo and with a project of her sole creation. Although out of her comfort zone and nervous, Iris decided to present her automata project—a box with a 3D-printed dolphin and oscillating waves to create the illusion of swimming. Despite not winning any prizes that day, the experience and feedback she got were integral to her development and confidence as an engineer.
This motivated Latina plans to major in Mechanical Engineering at Brown University, Tufts University, or Northeastern University. She hopes that being among the few Hispanic women in engineering, she can help address issues present in low-income communities that others may not have thought to address, since they have not experienced these issues firsthand. Moreover, she hopes that her presence in the STEM field gives other children and students the courage to pursue their interests rather than be discouraged from pursuing disciplines where they are underrepresented.
Acutely conscious that being a Spanish-speaker in a predominantly English-speaking community could mean losing part of your identity, Iris aims to create spaces in the future where all children, including Latinx children, can come and learn or practice Spanish as well as explore other Latinx cultures together.
SILVER - Jovanny Aguilar
Hometown: Cornwall, NY
High School: Cornwall Central High School
Hispanic Heritage: Honduran, Salvadoran & Peruvian
As a young child, Jovanny Aguilar was already driven by a zealous desire to help solve the complex, multi-dimensional puzzle that is our universe. He was particularly fascinated by how humans can interpret the vast cosmic web using only the limited resources on Earth.
Immersing himself in classes and clubs focused on Aeronautical Engineering, Jovanny challenged himself with complex courses like AP Calculus, AP Chemistry, and AP Physics. He further accelerated his understanding of construction with courses like Design, Drawing and Planning, and Woodworking.
He is a keen participant in various school activities like the STEM Club, Math team, and National Honor Society. Furthermore, he volunteers for peer tutoring in many subjects and works with a local construction business in his spare time. Moving forward, he hopes to pursue a major in Aerospace Engineering and Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering and a minor in Astrophysics at Columbia University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, or Harvard College.
Fiercely determined, bright, and remarkably talented, Jovanny and a friend designed and built one of the most successful miniature catapults. Guided by their Technology teacher, they spent two weeks studying the mechanics of a real catapult, devised a blueprint, and constructed a miniature prototype.
The miniature catapult was meant to be an entry to be used in a friendly classroom tournament to see who could launch a penny with the most accuracy. The winners of the classroom tournament would then go on to compete at a grade level.
Jovanny and his friend won the classroom competition by a landslide. However, the withering glue that held the catapult together caused a collapse of the wooden blocks and disqualified them from the competition. Although they experienced defeat, they took an invaluable lesson on Murphy’s Law from their early failure.
Jovanny hopes that by pursuing his passions, he can one day inspire an upcoming generation of Latinx youths in the STEM field. He intends to create a platform to facilitate opportunities for Latinx youths and unify diverse backgrounds of STEM professionals to work together under the common goal of solving the galactic puzzle.
He believes that funds should be allocated to establishing free, interactive STEM activities in lower-income neighborhoods, particularly the majority of Latinx ones. The goal of such activities would be to inspire youths to pursue a career in a field of science that they wouldn’t ordinarily have considered.
Jovanny enjoys peer tutoring and strives to assist young minds and inspire a younger generation of constructive thinkers.
High School: Cornwall Central High School
Hispanic Heritage: Honduran, Salvadoran & Peruvian
As a young child, Jovanny Aguilar was already driven by a zealous desire to help solve the complex, multi-dimensional puzzle that is our universe. He was particularly fascinated by how humans can interpret the vast cosmic web using only the limited resources on Earth.
Immersing himself in classes and clubs focused on Aeronautical Engineering, Jovanny challenged himself with complex courses like AP Calculus, AP Chemistry, and AP Physics. He further accelerated his understanding of construction with courses like Design, Drawing and Planning, and Woodworking.
He is a keen participant in various school activities like the STEM Club, Math team, and National Honor Society. Furthermore, he volunteers for peer tutoring in many subjects and works with a local construction business in his spare time. Moving forward, he hopes to pursue a major in Aerospace Engineering and Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering and a minor in Astrophysics at Columbia University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, or Harvard College.
Fiercely determined, bright, and remarkably talented, Jovanny and a friend designed and built one of the most successful miniature catapults. Guided by their Technology teacher, they spent two weeks studying the mechanics of a real catapult, devised a blueprint, and constructed a miniature prototype.
The miniature catapult was meant to be an entry to be used in a friendly classroom tournament to see who could launch a penny with the most accuracy. The winners of the classroom tournament would then go on to compete at a grade level.
Jovanny and his friend won the classroom competition by a landslide. However, the withering glue that held the catapult together caused a collapse of the wooden blocks and disqualified them from the competition. Although they experienced defeat, they took an invaluable lesson on Murphy’s Law from their early failure.
Jovanny hopes that by pursuing his passions, he can one day inspire an upcoming generation of Latinx youths in the STEM field. He intends to create a platform to facilitate opportunities for Latinx youths and unify diverse backgrounds of STEM professionals to work together under the common goal of solving the galactic puzzle.
He believes that funds should be allocated to establishing free, interactive STEM activities in lower-income neighborhoods, particularly the majority of Latinx ones. The goal of such activities would be to inspire youths to pursue a career in a field of science that they wouldn’t ordinarily have considered.
Jovanny enjoys peer tutoring and strives to assist young minds and inspire a younger generation of constructive thinkers.
BRONZE - Helena Uceda
Hometown: Bronx, NY
High School: Bronx High School of Science
Hispanic Heritage: Spanish
Helena Uceda has always loved to figure out things work. Ever since she was little, if you give her a Phillips screwdriver, she will take apart something, like a stroller or alarm clock, curious to know how it works. From the time she tinkered with her parents’ appliances to a course she took in freshman year called “Elements of Engineering”, she remained fascinated with the different types of engineering and built everything from a rubber band-powered car to models of sustainable cities.
In her senior year, she gained access to wood, saws, laser printers, and a myriad of software to let her imagination run wild and experiment with her ideas.
Helena took Italian level I as a freshman, and although she was the youngest in class, she was the top student, but her AP Italian language class in junior year was where her language skills truly flourished.
Her passion for architecture was ignited when students from the Italian class were asked to present a place that they liked in Rome. They could present drawings, slides, and pictures, or even build a model to showcase in front of the class.
Helena built a model of the Bioparco di Roma, the Roman Zoo, with utmost detail and flawless craftsmanship. She now knows that this assignment was the turning point that convinced her to pursue a career in architecture. She now aspires to major in Architecture with a minor in Biomechanical Engineering at Princeton University, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, or Cornell University.
In the summer of 2021, Helena received a scholarship for a three-week trip to Taranto, Italy, to acquire video archives of interviews about cultural aspects that connected to the Italian curriculum. Her acquired archives were so exceptional that they became a reference for her AP Spanish class.
One of her achievements in Engineering class was building the strongest bridge out of matboard. Responsible for the design of the bridge, Helena used Blender before her team built the prototype. The cardboard-like bridge managed to support 22 kg of weight before it collapsed, not due to the structure of the bridge but to the flaws in the material.
Another side project Helena worked out was creating a lamp out of PVC pipes and wires. After a trip to Home Depot, she designed the lamp exactly the way she wanted, organized the tubes and structure, and wired the whole thing despite having no experience in electrical construction.
Out of school, Helena is concerned about social justice and the lack of Latinx representation in the media. Moreover, as a member of a predominantly Hispanic community, she notices that schools in the Bronx are typically not well-funded, and many children put their interest in STEM on the back burner.
She hopes to be able to act as a model for her two younger sisters and the rest of the girls in her community to inspire them to pursue their passions. In her spare time, she tutors kids for free in her neighborhood at a local library in Algebra, Arithmetic, and Spanish, providing access and academic support to those in need.
High School: Bronx High School of Science
Hispanic Heritage: Spanish
Helena Uceda has always loved to figure out things work. Ever since she was little, if you give her a Phillips screwdriver, she will take apart something, like a stroller or alarm clock, curious to know how it works. From the time she tinkered with her parents’ appliances to a course she took in freshman year called “Elements of Engineering”, she remained fascinated with the different types of engineering and built everything from a rubber band-powered car to models of sustainable cities.
In her senior year, she gained access to wood, saws, laser printers, and a myriad of software to let her imagination run wild and experiment with her ideas.
Helena took Italian level I as a freshman, and although she was the youngest in class, she was the top student, but her AP Italian language class in junior year was where her language skills truly flourished.
Her passion for architecture was ignited when students from the Italian class were asked to present a place that they liked in Rome. They could present drawings, slides, and pictures, or even build a model to showcase in front of the class.
Helena built a model of the Bioparco di Roma, the Roman Zoo, with utmost detail and flawless craftsmanship. She now knows that this assignment was the turning point that convinced her to pursue a career in architecture. She now aspires to major in Architecture with a minor in Biomechanical Engineering at Princeton University, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, or Cornell University.
In the summer of 2021, Helena received a scholarship for a three-week trip to Taranto, Italy, to acquire video archives of interviews about cultural aspects that connected to the Italian curriculum. Her acquired archives were so exceptional that they became a reference for her AP Spanish class.
One of her achievements in Engineering class was building the strongest bridge out of matboard. Responsible for the design of the bridge, Helena used Blender before her team built the prototype. The cardboard-like bridge managed to support 22 kg of weight before it collapsed, not due to the structure of the bridge but to the flaws in the material.
Another side project Helena worked out was creating a lamp out of PVC pipes and wires. After a trip to Home Depot, she designed the lamp exactly the way she wanted, organized the tubes and structure, and wired the whole thing despite having no experience in electrical construction.
Out of school, Helena is concerned about social justice and the lack of Latinx representation in the media. Moreover, as a member of a predominantly Hispanic community, she notices that schools in the Bronx are typically not well-funded, and many children put their interest in STEM on the back burner.
She hopes to be able to act as a model for her two younger sisters and the rest of the girls in her community to inspire them to pursue their passions. In her spare time, she tutors kids for free in her neighborhood at a local library in Algebra, Arithmetic, and Spanish, providing access and academic support to those in need.
Healthcare & Science
Please select a recipient name to read their bio.
GOLD - Andrea Lopez Abarca
Hometown: Lynn, MA
High School: Pioneer Charter School of Science II
Hispanic Heritage: Salvadoran
With roots in El Salvador, Andrea Lopez grew up with a Latina mother that frequently brought home microbiology and anatomy textbooks. She was at home in her mother’s lab, but it was not until her best friend was diagnosed with ADHD that she realized how much she wanted to pursue neurological science. She now aspires to major in Neuroscience with a minor in Film Studies and Production at Barnard College, Simmons University, or the University of Southern California.
Even though ADHD initially piqued her interest, she quickly broadened her research into other neurological disorders and delved into studying the brain’s limbic system, falling in love with the human brain and all its complexities.
The summer before her freshman year, Andrea, in the pursuit of greater challenges, audited an online Harvard University edX course, filling her notebook with drawings of action potential graphs and the Nernst Equation. She then went on to research complex concepts like how differently-colored temperatures in film affect a person’s synchronous neural activity.
She was also an enthusiastic participant in Wellesley College’s Neuroscience Mentorship Program where she researched and compared how viruses can cross the blood-brain barrier and infect Purkinje cells.
With her stellar grades, infectious enthusiasm to learn, and drive to excel, Andrea was accepted into an outreach program for underrepresented youth at Harvard Medical School. Participants in the program, which taught pediatric health advocacy, were assigned mentors from Boston Children’s Hospital and Mass General Brigham Hospital.
Andrea proposed that her team focus on food deserts in neighborhoods that lack fresh, healthy, and affordable food. The team went on to construct a strategy that helps immigrant families in the Greater Boston Area.
Using her knowledge and experience, she brought awareness to her group on the issues faced by communities like hers. They then designed a website with resources for healthy eating in these geographical areas and came up with a marketing strategy that would get the information to targeted families.
The judges, all medical professionals, were so impressed by their project and findings that they awarded Andrea’s group with “The Most Inclusive Project” award. Bringing awareness to the state of the immigrant community and taking a step to improve it is a source of great pride for Andrea.
Andrea’s interest in science was sparked by her early experiences in her mother’s lab. Wearing a too-big lab coat and looking up at mysterious chemicals, she spent her days off from school surrounded by Latina lab techs that taught her about aseptic techniques and the fascinating world under a microscope.
Inspired by the women that had to fight for their education, especially her Salvadoran mother, who had to hide at home while her school was turned into a battleground of guerilla warfare, Andrea wants to see more women-led, Spanish-speaking science labs in Boston.
High School: Pioneer Charter School of Science II
Hispanic Heritage: Salvadoran
With roots in El Salvador, Andrea Lopez grew up with a Latina mother that frequently brought home microbiology and anatomy textbooks. She was at home in her mother’s lab, but it was not until her best friend was diagnosed with ADHD that she realized how much she wanted to pursue neurological science. She now aspires to major in Neuroscience with a minor in Film Studies and Production at Barnard College, Simmons University, or the University of Southern California.
Even though ADHD initially piqued her interest, she quickly broadened her research into other neurological disorders and delved into studying the brain’s limbic system, falling in love with the human brain and all its complexities.
The summer before her freshman year, Andrea, in the pursuit of greater challenges, audited an online Harvard University edX course, filling her notebook with drawings of action potential graphs and the Nernst Equation. She then went on to research complex concepts like how differently-colored temperatures in film affect a person’s synchronous neural activity.
She was also an enthusiastic participant in Wellesley College’s Neuroscience Mentorship Program where she researched and compared how viruses can cross the blood-brain barrier and infect Purkinje cells.
With her stellar grades, infectious enthusiasm to learn, and drive to excel, Andrea was accepted into an outreach program for underrepresented youth at Harvard Medical School. Participants in the program, which taught pediatric health advocacy, were assigned mentors from Boston Children’s Hospital and Mass General Brigham Hospital.
Andrea proposed that her team focus on food deserts in neighborhoods that lack fresh, healthy, and affordable food. The team went on to construct a strategy that helps immigrant families in the Greater Boston Area.
Using her knowledge and experience, she brought awareness to her group on the issues faced by communities like hers. They then designed a website with resources for healthy eating in these geographical areas and came up with a marketing strategy that would get the information to targeted families.
The judges, all medical professionals, were so impressed by their project and findings that they awarded Andrea’s group with “The Most Inclusive Project” award. Bringing awareness to the state of the immigrant community and taking a step to improve it is a source of great pride for Andrea.
Andrea’s interest in science was sparked by her early experiences in her mother’s lab. Wearing a too-big lab coat and looking up at mysterious chemicals, she spent her days off from school surrounded by Latina lab techs that taught her about aseptic techniques and the fascinating world under a microscope.
Inspired by the women that had to fight for their education, especially her Salvadoran mother, who had to hide at home while her school was turned into a battleground of guerilla warfare, Andrea wants to see more women-led, Spanish-speaking science labs in Boston.
SILVER - Sofia Nwosu
theHometown: Monroe, CT
High School: Masuk High School
Hispanic Heritage: Dominican
Dominican-Nigerian-American, Sofia Nwosu, appreciates the human body as a complex, intricate work of art. Her interest in the mechanisms of the human body began in fourth grade when she fractured her patella while playing basketball.
Over the years, the injuries she suffered and countless physical therapy sessions only enhanced her desire to learn about the physiology of the body, especially in the field of orthopedics.
Sofia participated in the Perry Initiative, a program designed for young adults in high school and college with an interest in science, medicine, and engineering. There, she experienced hands-on mock surgeries, learned the biomechanics of gait, and engineered a fracture repair under the watchful eye of an orthopedic surgeon. She also fine-tuned her patient interaction, communication, and physical examination skills, and drastically improved her critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. The experience significantly increased her curiosity in this field of medicine, and she now seeks to pursue a major in Biology with a minor in Inequality Studies from Colgate University, the University of Michigan, or Cornell University.
She selected orthopedic surgery as her capstone project, where she shadowed her mentor and saw an overabundance of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears that were recurring and required surgery. ACL tears are most prevalent in youths and have long-term effects and potential complications like osteoarthritis later in life. However, the likelihood of occurrence can be reduced with proper care and prevention, explains Sofia. Inspired by the need, she extensively researched ACL tear prevention in young athletes, which earned her a finalist spot for the Barton L. Weller Scholarship from The Weller Foundation.
The objective of her search was to create a strength implementation program for youths between the ages of 12 to 18 that targets the ACL. Not only did she create a successful program, but she also integrated it into the workouts of high-impact athletes and led training sessions to educate them and encourage them to continue using these methods as part of their training regimen.
Sofia is concerned about the disparities between health and underprivileged communities of color. She is acutely aware of the prevalent health issues in the Latinx community, such as obesity, which increases the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
She strives to address these issues that contribute to the accessibility of adequate healthcare and nutrition for divergent communities and hopes to establish nutrition standards in worksites and schools. In addition, she aims to promote policies that allow low-income families access to nutritious and organic foods at a reduced cost.
This Latina’s school activities include serving as a board member of her school’s Peer Leadership as well as president of its Spanish Club and host of Latin Night. In her spare time, she volunteers with the DRI Foundation and their Veterans Outreach Program to aid with their fundraising efforts.
High School: Masuk High School
Hispanic Heritage: Dominican
Dominican-Nigerian-American, Sofia Nwosu, appreciates the human body as a complex, intricate work of art. Her interest in the mechanisms of the human body began in fourth grade when she fractured her patella while playing basketball.
Over the years, the injuries she suffered and countless physical therapy sessions only enhanced her desire to learn about the physiology of the body, especially in the field of orthopedics.
Sofia participated in the Perry Initiative, a program designed for young adults in high school and college with an interest in science, medicine, and engineering. There, she experienced hands-on mock surgeries, learned the biomechanics of gait, and engineered a fracture repair under the watchful eye of an orthopedic surgeon. She also fine-tuned her patient interaction, communication, and physical examination skills, and drastically improved her critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. The experience significantly increased her curiosity in this field of medicine, and she now seeks to pursue a major in Biology with a minor in Inequality Studies from Colgate University, the University of Michigan, or Cornell University.
She selected orthopedic surgery as her capstone project, where she shadowed her mentor and saw an overabundance of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears that were recurring and required surgery. ACL tears are most prevalent in youths and have long-term effects and potential complications like osteoarthritis later in life. However, the likelihood of occurrence can be reduced with proper care and prevention, explains Sofia. Inspired by the need, she extensively researched ACL tear prevention in young athletes, which earned her a finalist spot for the Barton L. Weller Scholarship from The Weller Foundation.
The objective of her search was to create a strength implementation program for youths between the ages of 12 to 18 that targets the ACL. Not only did she create a successful program, but she also integrated it into the workouts of high-impact athletes and led training sessions to educate them and encourage them to continue using these methods as part of their training regimen.
Sofia is concerned about the disparities between health and underprivileged communities of color. She is acutely aware of the prevalent health issues in the Latinx community, such as obesity, which increases the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
She strives to address these issues that contribute to the accessibility of adequate healthcare and nutrition for divergent communities and hopes to establish nutrition standards in worksites and schools. In addition, she aims to promote policies that allow low-income families access to nutritious and organic foods at a reduced cost.
This Latina’s school activities include serving as a board member of her school’s Peer Leadership as well as president of its Spanish Club and host of Latin Night. In her spare time, she volunteers with the DRI Foundation and their Veterans Outreach Program to aid with their fundraising efforts.
BRONZE - Gissell Villatoro
Hometown: Hempstead, NY
High School: Hempstead High School
Hispanic Heritage: Salvadoran
Gissell Villatoro has an avid interest in the field of dentistry, which was evidenced by her successful participation and completion of her school’s Dental Assisting Program, where she went above and beyond her class assignments, constantly demonstrating her excellent work ethic and interpersonal skills.
Diligent and hardworking, Gissell learned several key skills in the program, such as taking dental radiographs, mixing dental cement, pouring models, and fabricating bleaching trays.
Being in the program for two years has made Gissell even more enthusiastic about pursuing a career in dentistry, and she now hopes to pursue a major in Biology with a minor in Psychology at Long Island University, Farmingdale State College, or Stony Brook University.
Driven by her desire to help people, Gissell loved the time she spent attending the clinic, experiencing firsthand the work that dentists and their assistants do to help their patients.
She finds dental work that most people can be squeamish about fascinating! Observing root canals, oral surgery, and maxillofacial surgery only managed to pique Gissell’s interest in the field more.
As a first-generation child of immigrant parents, Gissell has seen firsthand the hardships her parents faced in their own country of El Salvador. She wanted to strive for better and recognizes that having diverse backgrounds in the STEM field makes it easier to communicate and relate to patients.
Through this diversity, she hopes to bring her unique point of view and problem-solving skills to the challenges encountered in her line of work and challenge the norm with creativity that enhances the quality of life for all.
One of her main concerns is the lack of accessible healthcare, healthy foods, and clean water in the Latinx community. Many immigrants are under-educated and the language barrier often prevents them from obtaining the resources they need to live better, healthier lifestyles.
In her spare time, Gissell tries to give back to her Latinx community and habitually participates in activities like making Christmas cards for seniors and giving away backpacks, electronic devices, and other school supplies in “back-to-school” drives.
Polite, considerate, and well-liked, her people skills are an excellent complement to her impressive grades, stellar attendance, and high level of competence in anything she sets her mind to doing.
High School: Hempstead High School
Hispanic Heritage: Salvadoran
Gissell Villatoro has an avid interest in the field of dentistry, which was evidenced by her successful participation and completion of her school’s Dental Assisting Program, where she went above and beyond her class assignments, constantly demonstrating her excellent work ethic and interpersonal skills.
Diligent and hardworking, Gissell learned several key skills in the program, such as taking dental radiographs, mixing dental cement, pouring models, and fabricating bleaching trays.
Being in the program for two years has made Gissell even more enthusiastic about pursuing a career in dentistry, and she now hopes to pursue a major in Biology with a minor in Psychology at Long Island University, Farmingdale State College, or Stony Brook University.
Driven by her desire to help people, Gissell loved the time she spent attending the clinic, experiencing firsthand the work that dentists and their assistants do to help their patients.
She finds dental work that most people can be squeamish about fascinating! Observing root canals, oral surgery, and maxillofacial surgery only managed to pique Gissell’s interest in the field more.
As a first-generation child of immigrant parents, Gissell has seen firsthand the hardships her parents faced in their own country of El Salvador. She wanted to strive for better and recognizes that having diverse backgrounds in the STEM field makes it easier to communicate and relate to patients.
Through this diversity, she hopes to bring her unique point of view and problem-solving skills to the challenges encountered in her line of work and challenge the norm with creativity that enhances the quality of life for all.
One of her main concerns is the lack of accessible healthcare, healthy foods, and clean water in the Latinx community. Many immigrants are under-educated and the language barrier often prevents them from obtaining the resources they need to live better, healthier lifestyles.
In her spare time, Gissell tries to give back to her Latinx community and habitually participates in activities like making Christmas cards for seniors and giving away backpacks, electronic devices, and other school supplies in “back-to-school” drives.
Polite, considerate, and well-liked, her people skills are an excellent complement to her impressive grades, stellar attendance, and high level of competence in anything she sets her mind to doing.
Media & Entertainment
Please select a recipient name to read their bio.
GOLD - David Pagan
Hometown: Forest Hills, NY
High School: Bronx High School of Science
Hispanic Heritage: Puerto Rican
David Pagan not only has an impressive academic track record; he has also made it one of his life’s missions to do a good deed daily and go out of his way to help others whenever he can. With a primary focus on standing up for the disenfranchised and marginalized, he wants his journalism skills to provide the world with unbiased, factual information and be the voice of the unheard.
As part of his school’s yearbook graphic design studio class in sophomore year, he quickly worked his way up to editor-in-chief. In addition, he wrote an exceptional article for his school newspaper titled “Yom HaShoah: Holocaust Remembrance” featuring Holocaust survivor Paul Galan.
David believes that the media industry needs people from diverse backgrounds in order to provide unbiased, inclusive information in the news. Diversity brings different viewpoints and identities, all of which should be regarded with equal importance.
Moreover, having cast members from different backgrounds in films can challenge stereotypes, change paradigms, and inspire people to move past their own preconceived notions, according to David.
This Forest Hills, New York resident is concerned about the underrepresentation of the Latinx community in the classroom. He gives an example of AP World History that highlights the development of Europe and East Asia while barely skimming the surface of Latin American countries.
As the only Latinx student in many of his classes, he often feels isolated and hopes to see more Latinx students and teachers, especially in highly-selective schools with strict entry requirements. He would like to see such schools offer inexpensive tutoring programs to prospective underrepresented students or do away with the entrance examination.
Kind, charismatic, and resourceful, David is a spiritual person and active in The Reform Temple of Forest Hills (RTFH). Within the synagogue community and as a boy scout, David participates enthusiastically in many programs to benefit the less fortunate.
From installing benches for physically-challenged seniors at RTFH and handing out food to the homeless as part of the Midnight Run program, to serving Christmas dinner at the local American Legion Post for veterans, David is active in numerous activities that have one goal—to do good.
Continuing his journey, this remarkable young man aspires to major in History with a minor in Journalism at Binghamton University, Skidmore College, or Cornell University.
High School: Bronx High School of Science
Hispanic Heritage: Puerto Rican
David Pagan not only has an impressive academic track record; he has also made it one of his life’s missions to do a good deed daily and go out of his way to help others whenever he can. With a primary focus on standing up for the disenfranchised and marginalized, he wants his journalism skills to provide the world with unbiased, factual information and be the voice of the unheard.
As part of his school’s yearbook graphic design studio class in sophomore year, he quickly worked his way up to editor-in-chief. In addition, he wrote an exceptional article for his school newspaper titled “Yom HaShoah: Holocaust Remembrance” featuring Holocaust survivor Paul Galan.
David believes that the media industry needs people from diverse backgrounds in order to provide unbiased, inclusive information in the news. Diversity brings different viewpoints and identities, all of which should be regarded with equal importance.
Moreover, having cast members from different backgrounds in films can challenge stereotypes, change paradigms, and inspire people to move past their own preconceived notions, according to David.
This Forest Hills, New York resident is concerned about the underrepresentation of the Latinx community in the classroom. He gives an example of AP World History that highlights the development of Europe and East Asia while barely skimming the surface of Latin American countries.
As the only Latinx student in many of his classes, he often feels isolated and hopes to see more Latinx students and teachers, especially in highly-selective schools with strict entry requirements. He would like to see such schools offer inexpensive tutoring programs to prospective underrepresented students or do away with the entrance examination.
Kind, charismatic, and resourceful, David is a spiritual person and active in The Reform Temple of Forest Hills (RTFH). Within the synagogue community and as a boy scout, David participates enthusiastically in many programs to benefit the less fortunate.
From installing benches for physically-challenged seniors at RTFH and handing out food to the homeless as part of the Midnight Run program, to serving Christmas dinner at the local American Legion Post for veterans, David is active in numerous activities that have one goal—to do good.
Continuing his journey, this remarkable young man aspires to major in History with a minor in Journalism at Binghamton University, Skidmore College, or Cornell University.
SILVER - Massimo Soto
Hometown: Pleasantville, NY
High School: Hackley School
Hispanic Heritage: Mexican
In 1948, Massimo Soto's great-grandfather, Arturo, was needlessly shot in Veracruz, Mexico, by two men who were never found. As women, Arturo's wife and three young daughters were not entitled to inherit and had to flee, penniless, to Mexico City with nothing.
Immensely affected by the injustice in the senseless act and its consequences, Massimo is now fueled by a burning passion to research and tell stories that reveal undiscovered social injustices and issues facing society today.
As a freshman in 2020, Massimo approached his Visual Arts instructor and requested to skip his school's Introduction to Filmmaking course and embark on an independent study. Impressed by the quality of his family films and visually stunning athlete highlight videos, his teacher, Mark Green, granted his request.
At this point, Massimo's filmmaking was limited to only what he had taught himself, but he had already developed a sophisticated eye for composition and an intelligent use of cinematic techniques. At such a young age, he was already commissioned to direct and film music videos in Washington DC and Miami.
As Massimo's techniques and ambition flourished, he yearned for deeper and more meaningful content, spurred on by his hunger for social justice and environmental responsibility. This powerful calling led to two remarkable projects: Below the Rise and Wind River Full Court Peace.
Below the Rise: the Untold Story of Costa Rica is an investigative environmental documentary on how severely the sea levels in Costa Rica are affected by climate change. Comprising extensive footage and detailed interviews with marine biologists, hotel owners, conservationists, tourism officials, and educators, the film was selected by a whopping thirteen film festivals in three different countries.
His second major film, Wind River Full Court Peace, follows a volunteer basketball team as they travel into the Wind River Reservation to connect with the community over a shared love of the sport and help rebuild its basketball courts. This incredibly engaging, emotional film has been accepted to four festivals, including the prestigious Skins Film Festival at the TCL Theater.
A student at Hackley School, Massimo greatly values school spirit and, through some of his work, like a video promoting homecoming and content for the student government and clubs, he hopes to increase student engagement and participation.
This talented young filmmaker aspires to major in Film and Media with a minor in Environmental Studies at Duke University, the University of Miami, or the University of Southern California.
High School: Hackley School
Hispanic Heritage: Mexican
In 1948, Massimo Soto's great-grandfather, Arturo, was needlessly shot in Veracruz, Mexico, by two men who were never found. As women, Arturo's wife and three young daughters were not entitled to inherit and had to flee, penniless, to Mexico City with nothing.
Immensely affected by the injustice in the senseless act and its consequences, Massimo is now fueled by a burning passion to research and tell stories that reveal undiscovered social injustices and issues facing society today.
As a freshman in 2020, Massimo approached his Visual Arts instructor and requested to skip his school's Introduction to Filmmaking course and embark on an independent study. Impressed by the quality of his family films and visually stunning athlete highlight videos, his teacher, Mark Green, granted his request.
At this point, Massimo's filmmaking was limited to only what he had taught himself, but he had already developed a sophisticated eye for composition and an intelligent use of cinematic techniques. At such a young age, he was already commissioned to direct and film music videos in Washington DC and Miami.
As Massimo's techniques and ambition flourished, he yearned for deeper and more meaningful content, spurred on by his hunger for social justice and environmental responsibility. This powerful calling led to two remarkable projects: Below the Rise and Wind River Full Court Peace.
Below the Rise: the Untold Story of Costa Rica is an investigative environmental documentary on how severely the sea levels in Costa Rica are affected by climate change. Comprising extensive footage and detailed interviews with marine biologists, hotel owners, conservationists, tourism officials, and educators, the film was selected by a whopping thirteen film festivals in three different countries.
His second major film, Wind River Full Court Peace, follows a volunteer basketball team as they travel into the Wind River Reservation to connect with the community over a shared love of the sport and help rebuild its basketball courts. This incredibly engaging, emotional film has been accepted to four festivals, including the prestigious Skins Film Festival at the TCL Theater.
A student at Hackley School, Massimo greatly values school spirit and, through some of his work, like a video promoting homecoming and content for the student government and clubs, he hopes to increase student engagement and participation.
This talented young filmmaker aspires to major in Film and Media with a minor in Environmental Studies at Duke University, the University of Miami, or the University of Southern California.
BRONZE - Antoine Chisholm
Hometown: Hartford, CT
High School: Howell Cheney Technical High School
Hispanic Heritage: Puerto Rican & Dominican
Antoine Chisholm is a natural-born storyteller. When he was little, he would act out stories with his friend based on the art to which he was exposed. His creativity sparked, he would draw inspiration and learn about the different forms of art from writing novels, comic books, and music. It wasn’t until high school that his imagination took off and he was allowed to explore art in the realm of film by pursuing digital media.
Given a camera and told to create whatever he wanted, he became an avid filmmaker and used everything at his disposal to let his imagination run wild. Particularly enamored by film, he seeks to create art-like aesthetics in a moving medium for his audience to visualize the experience.
In his sophomore year, he created a high school senior elective course together with his English teacher, Mr. Dinneen, who gave him the freedom to express how the ideas of Afrofuturism were expressed in music and literature. Antoine researched heavily into influential artists like Sun Ra and George Clinton, particularly focused on how they used music to create a future that gave black people a life free of persecution and racism.
As a team, Antoine and his teacher created a lesson plan and coursework for each quarter for the rest of the students. As a critical thinker, defending the lesson plan and coursework to his principal helped hone Antoine’s problem-solving skills, which have stood him in good stead in many other scenarios.
Antoine is concerned about the lack of awareness in schools about the history and culture of Latinx people. With an increasing Latinx population, the history taught in school is often limited to Hispanic Heritage Month, which barely skims the surface to fully understand the histories of at least 20 distinct Central and South American cultures.
In addition, most of the education often focuses on the Spanish colonization and not the indigenous history and culture of Central America, South America, or the Caribbean. Antoine hopes to see more inclusion of other lesser-known Hispanic history and art that would expand the awareness of Latinx culture above and beyond Hispanic Heritage Month.
Out of school, Antoine most recently helps out at the Urban League of Greater Hartford to seed and harvest multiple aeroponic towers to give away food for free to the underprivileged, especially on the north end of Hartford, which is an active food desert.
His love for film stronger than ever, he now seeks a major in Film Production and a minor in Creative Writing at New York University, Emerson College, or the University of Southern California.
High School: Howell Cheney Technical High School
Hispanic Heritage: Puerto Rican & Dominican
Antoine Chisholm is a natural-born storyteller. When he was little, he would act out stories with his friend based on the art to which he was exposed. His creativity sparked, he would draw inspiration and learn about the different forms of art from writing novels, comic books, and music. It wasn’t until high school that his imagination took off and he was allowed to explore art in the realm of film by pursuing digital media.
Given a camera and told to create whatever he wanted, he became an avid filmmaker and used everything at his disposal to let his imagination run wild. Particularly enamored by film, he seeks to create art-like aesthetics in a moving medium for his audience to visualize the experience.
In his sophomore year, he created a high school senior elective course together with his English teacher, Mr. Dinneen, who gave him the freedom to express how the ideas of Afrofuturism were expressed in music and literature. Antoine researched heavily into influential artists like Sun Ra and George Clinton, particularly focused on how they used music to create a future that gave black people a life free of persecution and racism.
As a team, Antoine and his teacher created a lesson plan and coursework for each quarter for the rest of the students. As a critical thinker, defending the lesson plan and coursework to his principal helped hone Antoine’s problem-solving skills, which have stood him in good stead in many other scenarios.
Antoine is concerned about the lack of awareness in schools about the history and culture of Latinx people. With an increasing Latinx population, the history taught in school is often limited to Hispanic Heritage Month, which barely skims the surface to fully understand the histories of at least 20 distinct Central and South American cultures.
In addition, most of the education often focuses on the Spanish colonization and not the indigenous history and culture of Central America, South America, or the Caribbean. Antoine hopes to see more inclusion of other lesser-known Hispanic history and art that would expand the awareness of Latinx culture above and beyond Hispanic Heritage Month.
Out of school, Antoine most recently helps out at the Urban League of Greater Hartford to seed and harvest multiple aeroponic towers to give away food for free to the underprivileged, especially on the north end of Hartford, which is an active food desert.
His love for film stronger than ever, he now seeks a major in Film Production and a minor in Creative Writing at New York University, Emerson College, or the University of Southern California.
Public Service & Social Justice
Please select a recipient name to read their bio.
GOLD - Julian Reyes
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
High School: Friends Seminary
Hispanic Heritage: Dominican
Brooklyn, New York resident Julian Reyes is an outstanding role model in his Friends Seminary community. He is an accomplished and bright young man who can trace his inspirations back to when he was just seven years old. It was then that Julian witnessed the inauguration of President Barack Obama. From the moment President Obama took the oath, Julian knew that he could do and be anything he set his mind to. Seeing a man of color inaugurated as President of the United States sparked something in Julian. It changed his life. He felt “seen, inspired, and awestruck.” The impact of that inauguration ceremony lives on in him to this day.
As a passionate young man, Julian participates in family discussions on politics, such as who would be a better candidate for his people. In pursuit of his interests, he takes it upon himself to research government, elections, and politics. Julian is a mover and a shaker who excels in academics, maintaining a 3.94 GPA through a demanding schedule full of AP courses and extracurricular activities.
Julian also thrives in leadership positions. He has served as class representative on his school’s service committee during his freshman and sophomore years and currently serves as one of its co-clerks. In his role as co-leader of his school’s Latinx Culture Club, he is in charge of contributing to club meetings and announcements. While studying at the School for Ethics and Global Leadership, Julian again took on a leadership role. As his school advisor shares, “Julian’s impact as a leader was palpable in our residential environment. He moved easily among social groups and subtly helped navigate conflicts. He was one of our most respected students.”
Julian’s grandparents are another source of inspiration for the young Dominican-American student. Julian’s grandparents struggled when they moved from the Dominican Republic to the United States. Julian’s grandmother worked at a factory until she learned that she wanted to work in the beauty industry. She eventually learned how to do hair and through her hard work, was able to open her own salon. Her tenacity, drive, and determination for success are a continuous source of inspiration for Julian.
In pursuing his dreams, Julian has volunteered in many political campaigns. He worked for senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff and was a field canvasser for Tahanie Aboushi, the first woman of Palestinian descent to run for Manhattan District Attorney. One of Julian’s proudest achievements happened before his senior year in high school, when Julian became a constituent service intern for US Congressman Hakeem Jeffries. At the time of his internship, he was the only high school student to intern for the office of Congressman Jeffries. Julian worked hard to prove himself despite being the youngest one there.
Julian perseveres in the face of challenges and succeeds in taking on extra responsibilities without losing momentum. He also works to educate people on the power and importance of voting. He is committed to working to evoke the necessary change in his community. Julian desires to give a voice to people who have been left behind and to remedy issues that have fallen into the shadows. This is his ideal. He understands the power of voting and how people can bring about the change they need by making their voices heard.
This amazing young man is seeking to major in political science and economics with a minor in Spanish at Yale University, Emory University, or Duke University. In the words of Congressman Jeffries, Julian’s “loyalty, character, and work ethic will set him apart for the rest of his life.”
High School: Friends Seminary
Hispanic Heritage: Dominican
Brooklyn, New York resident Julian Reyes is an outstanding role model in his Friends Seminary community. He is an accomplished and bright young man who can trace his inspirations back to when he was just seven years old. It was then that Julian witnessed the inauguration of President Barack Obama. From the moment President Obama took the oath, Julian knew that he could do and be anything he set his mind to. Seeing a man of color inaugurated as President of the United States sparked something in Julian. It changed his life. He felt “seen, inspired, and awestruck.” The impact of that inauguration ceremony lives on in him to this day.
As a passionate young man, Julian participates in family discussions on politics, such as who would be a better candidate for his people. In pursuit of his interests, he takes it upon himself to research government, elections, and politics. Julian is a mover and a shaker who excels in academics, maintaining a 3.94 GPA through a demanding schedule full of AP courses and extracurricular activities.
Julian also thrives in leadership positions. He has served as class representative on his school’s service committee during his freshman and sophomore years and currently serves as one of its co-clerks. In his role as co-leader of his school’s Latinx Culture Club, he is in charge of contributing to club meetings and announcements. While studying at the School for Ethics and Global Leadership, Julian again took on a leadership role. As his school advisor shares, “Julian’s impact as a leader was palpable in our residential environment. He moved easily among social groups and subtly helped navigate conflicts. He was one of our most respected students.”
Julian’s grandparents are another source of inspiration for the young Dominican-American student. Julian’s grandparents struggled when they moved from the Dominican Republic to the United States. Julian’s grandmother worked at a factory until she learned that she wanted to work in the beauty industry. She eventually learned how to do hair and through her hard work, was able to open her own salon. Her tenacity, drive, and determination for success are a continuous source of inspiration for Julian.
In pursuing his dreams, Julian has volunteered in many political campaigns. He worked for senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff and was a field canvasser for Tahanie Aboushi, the first woman of Palestinian descent to run for Manhattan District Attorney. One of Julian’s proudest achievements happened before his senior year in high school, when Julian became a constituent service intern for US Congressman Hakeem Jeffries. At the time of his internship, he was the only high school student to intern for the office of Congressman Jeffries. Julian worked hard to prove himself despite being the youngest one there.
Julian perseveres in the face of challenges and succeeds in taking on extra responsibilities without losing momentum. He also works to educate people on the power and importance of voting. He is committed to working to evoke the necessary change in his community. Julian desires to give a voice to people who have been left behind and to remedy issues that have fallen into the shadows. This is his ideal. He understands the power of voting and how people can bring about the change they need by making their voices heard.
This amazing young man is seeking to major in political science and economics with a minor in Spanish at Yale University, Emory University, or Duke University. In the words of Congressman Jeffries, Julian’s “loyalty, character, and work ethic will set him apart for the rest of his life.”
SILVER - Debbie Atahualpa
Hometown: New Hyde Park, NY
High School: Great Neck South High School
Hispanic Heritage: Peruvian
The story of Debbie Atahualpa’s deep interest in political science takes root in her home. A passionate student at Great Neck South High School, Debbie is the daughter of two immigrant parents from Peru. Her activist spirit was influenced by their sacrifices to take care of her and her brother, and by the daily struggles faced by her family and other immigrant families. Growing up, Debbie’s parents would wake up before sunrise every day to go to work, often not returning until late in the afternoon. Their sacrifices to put food on the table and keep the electricity running in the house, and their enduring resilience and triumph of spirit, have continued to influence the young New Hyde Park, New York resident every day. Recognizing Debbie’s instinctive courage to stand up and fight against injustices, unlike other parents who often encourage their children to be doctors, lawyers, and engineers, her parents saw something else in her future: a career in politics.
At school, Debbie maintains an impressive 4.0 GPA while taking on the most academically rigorous courses. She manages to make honors without many of the resources and privileges that other students at her school have access to, a testament to her sacrifice and dedication. Devoted and bright, Debbie taught herself and her parents English, which she notes was stressful, but made her feel proud of herself. She wants to apply her knowledge of the law to policy-making for other immigrant families so that they can have access to English lessons at a low cost.
Debbie recognizes that everyone should be allowed to learn, noting that it is essential for immigrant families to learn English in America. She wants to work on enacting policy so that those who wish to attend school at night can have the option to do so. Education is key and Debbie desires to “be someone that other first-generation students can look up to in an ever-growing community.” Her genius lies in her desire to visualize what changes are necessary to improve her community.
Debbie’s proudest Public Service & Social Justice achievement is receiving a Nassau County Legislature Citation last year. This achievement represents the hard work she put into contributing to a congressional campaign. She took the call to action by calling thousands of constituents while interning for her running congressman and advocated for giving back resources to underprivileged students in her district. This opportunity allowed Debbie to learn more about the process of policy-making.
Most impressively, Debbie is a mature and responsible young woman who spends countless hours of her time volunteering in an after-school program that caters to those facing financial hardship in her community. As she fosters relationships with the students there, she is able to witness firsthand the struggles they endure due to not being able to access resources readily available to other children. This passion and dedication have grown into a desire to create political change. For Debbie, enacting policy that prevents parents from missing out on their children’s lives due to lack of finances would be a great start. She spends a lot of her time thinking about how she can integrate and expand the work she does to serve the children in her town so she can serve her community at large. She has found herself standing in front of doors speaking out to grandparents, mothers, and fathers in different areas to share influential stories and advocate for intended politics, and has also worked alongside legislators and running congressmen. Debbie does not shy away from knocking on doors and is an absolute go-getter. She believes in her future.
Next in her plans is pursuing a Political Science degree at Harvard College, Columbia University, or Barnard College. This determined and assiduous Latina knows where she’s going and will stop at nothing until she gets there.
High School: Great Neck South High School
Hispanic Heritage: Peruvian
The story of Debbie Atahualpa’s deep interest in political science takes root in her home. A passionate student at Great Neck South High School, Debbie is the daughter of two immigrant parents from Peru. Her activist spirit was influenced by their sacrifices to take care of her and her brother, and by the daily struggles faced by her family and other immigrant families. Growing up, Debbie’s parents would wake up before sunrise every day to go to work, often not returning until late in the afternoon. Their sacrifices to put food on the table and keep the electricity running in the house, and their enduring resilience and triumph of spirit, have continued to influence the young New Hyde Park, New York resident every day. Recognizing Debbie’s instinctive courage to stand up and fight against injustices, unlike other parents who often encourage their children to be doctors, lawyers, and engineers, her parents saw something else in her future: a career in politics.
At school, Debbie maintains an impressive 4.0 GPA while taking on the most academically rigorous courses. She manages to make honors without many of the resources and privileges that other students at her school have access to, a testament to her sacrifice and dedication. Devoted and bright, Debbie taught herself and her parents English, which she notes was stressful, but made her feel proud of herself. She wants to apply her knowledge of the law to policy-making for other immigrant families so that they can have access to English lessons at a low cost.
Debbie recognizes that everyone should be allowed to learn, noting that it is essential for immigrant families to learn English in America. She wants to work on enacting policy so that those who wish to attend school at night can have the option to do so. Education is key and Debbie desires to “be someone that other first-generation students can look up to in an ever-growing community.” Her genius lies in her desire to visualize what changes are necessary to improve her community.
Debbie’s proudest Public Service & Social Justice achievement is receiving a Nassau County Legislature Citation last year. This achievement represents the hard work she put into contributing to a congressional campaign. She took the call to action by calling thousands of constituents while interning for her running congressman and advocated for giving back resources to underprivileged students in her district. This opportunity allowed Debbie to learn more about the process of policy-making.
Most impressively, Debbie is a mature and responsible young woman who spends countless hours of her time volunteering in an after-school program that caters to those facing financial hardship in her community. As she fosters relationships with the students there, she is able to witness firsthand the struggles they endure due to not being able to access resources readily available to other children. This passion and dedication have grown into a desire to create political change. For Debbie, enacting policy that prevents parents from missing out on their children’s lives due to lack of finances would be a great start. She spends a lot of her time thinking about how she can integrate and expand the work she does to serve the children in her town so she can serve her community at large. She has found herself standing in front of doors speaking out to grandparents, mothers, and fathers in different areas to share influential stories and advocate for intended politics, and has also worked alongside legislators and running congressmen. Debbie does not shy away from knocking on doors and is an absolute go-getter. She believes in her future.
Next in her plans is pursuing a Political Science degree at Harvard College, Columbia University, or Barnard College. This determined and assiduous Latina knows where she’s going and will stop at nothing until she gets there.
BRONZE - Cailee Andreorio
Hometown: Endicott, NY
High School: Union Endicott High School
Hispanic Heritage: Puerto Rican, Cuban, Spanish & Filipino
After years of pondering the question “What do I want from life?” Cailee Andreorio learned through experience that politics was her passion. Wanting to dedicate her life to something meaningful that also brought her excitement and played to her strengths, this Endicott, New York resident came to recognize that politics perfectly blended her interests and abilities into one. As she pursued this newfound interest, she traveled to Albany, New York to speak with politicians one-on-one, found herself traveling down to the assembly chambers primary level and witnessing the passing of the Adult Survivors Act. This young Latina’s enthusiasm for political science truly has no limits, as she has pursued several pathways and programs in an effort to enrich her understanding of politics and law.
Giving back to her community is central to Cailee’s way of life. She believes in her ability to make an impact and has been actively involved with 4-H Urban Neighborhoods Improved Through Youth (UNITY), a youth development and civic engagement after-school program in connection with the Cornell Cooperative Extension for the last two years. As a UNITY teen leader and thanks to her work ethic, powerful advocacy skills, and willingness to devote her extra time to serving those around her, Cailee has proven herself to be a dedicated and exceptional leader. “Through UNITY I have been able to become highly proactive in my community and also get involved in politics, which has really strengthened my belief in the career path I am choosing,” she remarks.
Cailee has also helped organize food drives for her local food pantry, raised funds for a local nonprofit offering services to families affected by domestic violence, completed beautification projects, and contributed to the organizing effort of festivals promoting mental health and STEAM. Her dedication to her community has not gone unnoticed, as Cailee’s service work has been featured and recognized by her local TV station, WBNG, as well as by a number of politicians with whom she has collaborated.
Over the years, through the numerous challenges she has faced due to her racial, cultural, and gender identity, Cailee has fought to break down barriers to reach her goals and make the world a better place. She aims to contribute to making our society a place where we can uplift one another and celebrate our differences, and desires to knock down racial barriers for all communities of color by building community programs that honor our diversity.
Cailee has paved a path of her own as a student at Union Endicott High School. She is currently on track to become the first student in the history of her school district to graduate having already earned an associate degree. Though there have been innumerable hurdles in her path, Cailee’s determination and self-motivation have seen her emerge victorious. Committed to making her story a tale of success and triumph, and to be an inspiration to others facing adversities, she has her heart and dreams set on one day being among the less than 2% of Latina lawyers in the country. Next fall, she is set to begin pursuing a Political Science major and a Women & Gender Studies minor at Cornell University, Princeton University, or the University of Florida.
High School: Union Endicott High School
Hispanic Heritage: Puerto Rican, Cuban, Spanish & Filipino
After years of pondering the question “What do I want from life?” Cailee Andreorio learned through experience that politics was her passion. Wanting to dedicate her life to something meaningful that also brought her excitement and played to her strengths, this Endicott, New York resident came to recognize that politics perfectly blended her interests and abilities into one. As she pursued this newfound interest, she traveled to Albany, New York to speak with politicians one-on-one, found herself traveling down to the assembly chambers primary level and witnessing the passing of the Adult Survivors Act. This young Latina’s enthusiasm for political science truly has no limits, as she has pursued several pathways and programs in an effort to enrich her understanding of politics and law.
Giving back to her community is central to Cailee’s way of life. She believes in her ability to make an impact and has been actively involved with 4-H Urban Neighborhoods Improved Through Youth (UNITY), a youth development and civic engagement after-school program in connection with the Cornell Cooperative Extension for the last two years. As a UNITY teen leader and thanks to her work ethic, powerful advocacy skills, and willingness to devote her extra time to serving those around her, Cailee has proven herself to be a dedicated and exceptional leader. “Through UNITY I have been able to become highly proactive in my community and also get involved in politics, which has really strengthened my belief in the career path I am choosing,” she remarks.
Cailee has also helped organize food drives for her local food pantry, raised funds for a local nonprofit offering services to families affected by domestic violence, completed beautification projects, and contributed to the organizing effort of festivals promoting mental health and STEAM. Her dedication to her community has not gone unnoticed, as Cailee’s service work has been featured and recognized by her local TV station, WBNG, as well as by a number of politicians with whom she has collaborated.
Over the years, through the numerous challenges she has faced due to her racial, cultural, and gender identity, Cailee has fought to break down barriers to reach her goals and make the world a better place. She aims to contribute to making our society a place where we can uplift one another and celebrate our differences, and desires to knock down racial barriers for all communities of color by building community programs that honor our diversity.
Cailee has paved a path of her own as a student at Union Endicott High School. She is currently on track to become the first student in the history of her school district to graduate having already earned an associate degree. Though there have been innumerable hurdles in her path, Cailee’s determination and self-motivation have seen her emerge victorious. Committed to making her story a tale of success and triumph, and to be an inspiration to others facing adversities, she has her heart and dreams set on one day being among the less than 2% of Latina lawyers in the country. Next fall, she is set to begin pursuing a Political Science major and a Women & Gender Studies minor at Cornell University, Princeton University, or the University of Florida.
Sports & Fitness
Please select a recipient name to read their bio.
GOLD - Dylan Hooshi
Hometown: Old Westbury, NY
High School: Jericho High School
Hispanic Heritage: Filipino
Old Westbury, New York resident, Dylan Hooshi, began making a name for himself and showing incredible promise as a fencer from an early age. He was an active travel team member in several sports, including soccer, basketball, and baseball, but everything changed after he tried his hand at fencing. “Fencing has been the ultimate sport for me,” explains Dylan.
This young Filipino-American’s fencing accolades are innumerable and are a reflection of his unwavering commitment to excellence in his sport. He is an internationally ranked fencer, showcasing exceptional talent every week as he travels throughout the country and the world to compete against the most gifted of opponents. At 12, Dylan helped his school become his county’s fencing champion. In 2017, he was the youngest varsity fencer on Long Island. At 14 and 15, while representing Team USA in Italy, he was the youngest world fencer to compete at the 2020 and 2021 Senior Grand Prix—the most anticipated and elite fencing world Olympics qualifier competition—ranking 22nd in the United States on the Senior Men's Foil Tokyo Olympics Qualifying List. Most recently, he won bronze at the Pan American Championships in Lima, Peru, defeating top international athletes from countries like Brazil, Chile, and Argentina. This summer, in recognition of his outstanding academic and athletic achievements and for his accomplishments while representing Team USA, Dylan was honored with Proclamations on behalf of the state of New York.
“I have never had the pleasure of seeing an individual achieve so much in such a short period of time,” remarks Brian M. Deaner, Dylan's school counselor. “What is most fascinating about Dylan is that he is as charismatic an individual as you will ever meet but, at the same time, he is an exceptionally modest student,” he adds, sharing that, for example, not once has Dylan mentioned to him that he needed to leave school early on a Friday to travel overnight on a trip half-way across the world to compete in a fencing tournament.
An academic powerhouse, and a dedicated student and independent learner, on a few occasions, Dylan has had to teach himself the course material in some of the most demanding classes offered at his school after having to miss class periods on some Mondays and Fridays because of athletic commitments during the weekend. Never complaining or asking his teachers for any special treatment, he works tirelessly to remain current with his assignments, oftentimes immersing himself in material ahead of time, so he can best prepare for upcoming classes. He never backs down from an academic challenge, no matter the demands of his international fencing schedule.
With his eyes set on the Olympics, this remarkable student-athlete has committed to the University of Notre Dame. He will continue his fencing career at the Division I institution known for producing the largest number of Olympic fencers. He plans on pursuing a Computer Science degree while completing a pre-med track.
High School: Jericho High School
Hispanic Heritage: Filipino
Old Westbury, New York resident, Dylan Hooshi, began making a name for himself and showing incredible promise as a fencer from an early age. He was an active travel team member in several sports, including soccer, basketball, and baseball, but everything changed after he tried his hand at fencing. “Fencing has been the ultimate sport for me,” explains Dylan.
This young Filipino-American’s fencing accolades are innumerable and are a reflection of his unwavering commitment to excellence in his sport. He is an internationally ranked fencer, showcasing exceptional talent every week as he travels throughout the country and the world to compete against the most gifted of opponents. At 12, Dylan helped his school become his county’s fencing champion. In 2017, he was the youngest varsity fencer on Long Island. At 14 and 15, while representing Team USA in Italy, he was the youngest world fencer to compete at the 2020 and 2021 Senior Grand Prix—the most anticipated and elite fencing world Olympics qualifier competition—ranking 22nd in the United States on the Senior Men's Foil Tokyo Olympics Qualifying List. Most recently, he won bronze at the Pan American Championships in Lima, Peru, defeating top international athletes from countries like Brazil, Chile, and Argentina. This summer, in recognition of his outstanding academic and athletic achievements and for his accomplishments while representing Team USA, Dylan was honored with Proclamations on behalf of the state of New York.
“I have never had the pleasure of seeing an individual achieve so much in such a short period of time,” remarks Brian M. Deaner, Dylan's school counselor. “What is most fascinating about Dylan is that he is as charismatic an individual as you will ever meet but, at the same time, he is an exceptionally modest student,” he adds, sharing that, for example, not once has Dylan mentioned to him that he needed to leave school early on a Friday to travel overnight on a trip half-way across the world to compete in a fencing tournament.
An academic powerhouse, and a dedicated student and independent learner, on a few occasions, Dylan has had to teach himself the course material in some of the most demanding classes offered at his school after having to miss class periods on some Mondays and Fridays because of athletic commitments during the weekend. Never complaining or asking his teachers for any special treatment, he works tirelessly to remain current with his assignments, oftentimes immersing himself in material ahead of time, so he can best prepare for upcoming classes. He never backs down from an academic challenge, no matter the demands of his international fencing schedule.
With his eyes set on the Olympics, this remarkable student-athlete has committed to the University of Notre Dame. He will continue his fencing career at the Division I institution known for producing the largest number of Olympic fencers. He plans on pursuing a Computer Science degree while completing a pre-med track.
SILVER - Adam Diaz
Hometown: New York, NY
High School: Fordham Preparatory School
Hispanic Heritage: Dominican
In athletics and academics, Adam Diaz shines for his determination, hard work, and commitment to excellence. The student-athlete, who grew up in a Dominican household in New York City, is a Fordham Preparatory Scholar, captain of the Riverbank Redtails Swim Team, and has earned varsity letters as part of his school’s swim team.
As for who inspired him to get into the pool, Adam says, “My mother was my primary influence in sports and fitness. She stressed that I have fun, do my best, and learn something new. As an only child, the friendships I developed with my teammates as we encouraged each other through the levels of swimming motivated me before the pandemic and during the COVID-19 lockdown to remain competition-ready.”
Throughout swimming, Adam has experienced many standout moments. However, one experience makes him the proudest. He recalls how one day, “[his] coach tapped me on the back and said, ‘we need you to make finals in the 100-yard butterfly in championships, and to make finals, you will have to break a minute in the swim.’” “My teammates stopped and cheered for me like the time trial was an Olympic event,” details Adam.
HE was up for the challenge, although knowing that “every practice for the next month would deplete [his] muscles of oxygen in a way that [he] had never felt before.” Eventually, the championships finally arrived, with Adam making the finals in the 100-yard butterfly and breaking a minute. He says, “My teammates roared when I finished the race, and my coach gave me that same pat on the back. Ultimately, we took the second-place trophy as a team, but boy was I proud of myself for saying yes in my soul to this challenge.”
On how his Latinx heritage helps shape his approach to sports and fitness, Adam reflects on his first varsity out-of-state swim meet, which was a little eye-opening. “With close to 900 participants and only nine people of color, five were on the bus with me. The lack of diversity surprised me because swimming in New York City has participants from all over the world, but not so at this meet,” he says.
“Side-eye glances at me as I extended my hand for a great race handshake after my swims did not keep me from displaying sportsmanship,” says Adam, who adds that while diversity in swimming has a long way to go, he believes that sports can build bridges.
Even when the global pandemic shut down pools, Adam kept it moving with other pursuits and participated in the Horizon Academic Research Program. During this enriching experience, he immersed himself in research methods, data analysis, and critical writing methods, which helped build new skills and confidence.
When it comes to the most pressing issue affecting the Latinx community, Adam believes that is gun violence. He says, “Gun violence sadly unites Hispanics because its sting crosses the socioeconomic and geographic lines drawn by current politics. How can any Hispanic youth have a future while feeling unsafe, suffering from trauma, and shut down creatively?” He believes a good start to stopping gun violence is implementing a government-funded mass gun education program beginning in middle school. Adam says, “There is a saying, ‘When you know better, you do better.’ If young people knew more about guns, every individual could participate in keeping each other safe.”
Closer to home, Adam cared for his father, who suffered a heart attack during the early days of the pandemic. The experience was the catalyst that inspired Adam to always be there for others, which he says will continue to be a core value of his life. Also active in his community, he says, “I shine when contributing positively to the lives of others.” Along with delivering handmade cards and spending time with seniors at the John Paul II nursing home as part of the St. Charles Spirit Youth Group, he has also served on the Ministry Leadership Team at his church and interned with Congressman Adriano Espaillat’s office, helping constituents with housing issues, safety concerns, citizenship questions, and community events.
Ready for what’s ahead, Adam plans on attending Georgetown University, Howard University, or the University of Miami while pursuing a degree in a STEM field.
High School: Fordham Preparatory School
Hispanic Heritage: Dominican
In athletics and academics, Adam Diaz shines for his determination, hard work, and commitment to excellence. The student-athlete, who grew up in a Dominican household in New York City, is a Fordham Preparatory Scholar, captain of the Riverbank Redtails Swim Team, and has earned varsity letters as part of his school’s swim team.
As for who inspired him to get into the pool, Adam says, “My mother was my primary influence in sports and fitness. She stressed that I have fun, do my best, and learn something new. As an only child, the friendships I developed with my teammates as we encouraged each other through the levels of swimming motivated me before the pandemic and during the COVID-19 lockdown to remain competition-ready.”
Throughout swimming, Adam has experienced many standout moments. However, one experience makes him the proudest. He recalls how one day, “[his] coach tapped me on the back and said, ‘we need you to make finals in the 100-yard butterfly in championships, and to make finals, you will have to break a minute in the swim.’” “My teammates stopped and cheered for me like the time trial was an Olympic event,” details Adam.
HE was up for the challenge, although knowing that “every practice for the next month would deplete [his] muscles of oxygen in a way that [he] had never felt before.” Eventually, the championships finally arrived, with Adam making the finals in the 100-yard butterfly and breaking a minute. He says, “My teammates roared when I finished the race, and my coach gave me that same pat on the back. Ultimately, we took the second-place trophy as a team, but boy was I proud of myself for saying yes in my soul to this challenge.”
On how his Latinx heritage helps shape his approach to sports and fitness, Adam reflects on his first varsity out-of-state swim meet, which was a little eye-opening. “With close to 900 participants and only nine people of color, five were on the bus with me. The lack of diversity surprised me because swimming in New York City has participants from all over the world, but not so at this meet,” he says.
“Side-eye glances at me as I extended my hand for a great race handshake after my swims did not keep me from displaying sportsmanship,” says Adam, who adds that while diversity in swimming has a long way to go, he believes that sports can build bridges.
Even when the global pandemic shut down pools, Adam kept it moving with other pursuits and participated in the Horizon Academic Research Program. During this enriching experience, he immersed himself in research methods, data analysis, and critical writing methods, which helped build new skills and confidence.
When it comes to the most pressing issue affecting the Latinx community, Adam believes that is gun violence. He says, “Gun violence sadly unites Hispanics because its sting crosses the socioeconomic and geographic lines drawn by current politics. How can any Hispanic youth have a future while feeling unsafe, suffering from trauma, and shut down creatively?” He believes a good start to stopping gun violence is implementing a government-funded mass gun education program beginning in middle school. Adam says, “There is a saying, ‘When you know better, you do better.’ If young people knew more about guns, every individual could participate in keeping each other safe.”
Closer to home, Adam cared for his father, who suffered a heart attack during the early days of the pandemic. The experience was the catalyst that inspired Adam to always be there for others, which he says will continue to be a core value of his life. Also active in his community, he says, “I shine when contributing positively to the lives of others.” Along with delivering handmade cards and spending time with seniors at the John Paul II nursing home as part of the St. Charles Spirit Youth Group, he has also served on the Ministry Leadership Team at his church and interned with Congressman Adriano Espaillat’s office, helping constituents with housing issues, safety concerns, citizenship questions, and community events.
Ready for what’s ahead, Adam plans on attending Georgetown University, Howard University, or the University of Miami while pursuing a degree in a STEM field.
BRONZE - Diana Cavalieri
Hometown: Staten Island, NY
High School: Saint Joseph Hill Academy High School
Hispanic Heritage: Puerto Rican & Cuban
Diana Cavalieri has been an athlete for as long as she can remember. When she was in kindergarten, her parents embarked her on soccer, which would go on to play an integral role in her young life, whether she knew it then or not.
She fell in love with the sport, which quickly became her passion all throughout elementary and high school. When the time came in 2019 for the head coach and assistant coach of her club soccer team to choose captains for the season, Diana, was an obvious choice.
“Diana always gives 100% effort and total dedication in every practice and every game. She is a talented and hardworking player, but above these, she is humble, team-oriented, and sportsmanlike,” says Ms. Meagan Koeth, her varsity soccer assistant coach and math teacher.
Over the years, Diana enjoyed many athletic successes, including getting selected for the All-League Team, which consists of the crème de la crème of all players in her division. In addition, Diana and her team went on to win as back-to-back archdiocesan champions for the 2021 and 2022 seasons, a feat that had not been done in 14 years. Moreover, they finished the season as one of the New York state semi-finalists.
When she isn’t in soccer training, Diana runs varsity middle distance track and serves as co-president of her school’s Tunnel to Towers Club. The club is part of a larger organization that raises funds for first responders and their families, particularly those affected by the events of 9/11.
Diana vehemently believes in the mission of the club and her passion in part, is due to the strong affiliation her family has with first responders. Her father is a current New York City Fire Department (FDNY) lieutenant, her uncle is a retired firefighter, and her late grandfather was an FDNY lieutenant.
This hardworking young Latina enjoys much of her success due to pure determination and drive. “My approach has always been, and will remain to be, to persevere, despite other people’s expectations of me. My whole life I have been called “a try-hard”, a perception that is simply a result of hard work,” says Diana.
One of the women Diana looks up to is Sonia Sotomayor, the third woman and first Latinx person on the Supreme Court, who is also from Puerto Rico, like Diana. She hopes to have a similarly profound effect on the Latinx community and show that Hispanic representation matters.
Her next step to achieve those goals, is to pursue a major in Biomedical Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology, Stony Brook University, or Boston University.
High School: Saint Joseph Hill Academy High School
Hispanic Heritage: Puerto Rican & Cuban
Diana Cavalieri has been an athlete for as long as she can remember. When she was in kindergarten, her parents embarked her on soccer, which would go on to play an integral role in her young life, whether she knew it then or not.
She fell in love with the sport, which quickly became her passion all throughout elementary and high school. When the time came in 2019 for the head coach and assistant coach of her club soccer team to choose captains for the season, Diana, was an obvious choice.
“Diana always gives 100% effort and total dedication in every practice and every game. She is a talented and hardworking player, but above these, she is humble, team-oriented, and sportsmanlike,” says Ms. Meagan Koeth, her varsity soccer assistant coach and math teacher.
Over the years, Diana enjoyed many athletic successes, including getting selected for the All-League Team, which consists of the crème de la crème of all players in her division. In addition, Diana and her team went on to win as back-to-back archdiocesan champions for the 2021 and 2022 seasons, a feat that had not been done in 14 years. Moreover, they finished the season as one of the New York state semi-finalists.
When she isn’t in soccer training, Diana runs varsity middle distance track and serves as co-president of her school’s Tunnel to Towers Club. The club is part of a larger organization that raises funds for first responders and their families, particularly those affected by the events of 9/11.
Diana vehemently believes in the mission of the club and her passion in part, is due to the strong affiliation her family has with first responders. Her father is a current New York City Fire Department (FDNY) lieutenant, her uncle is a retired firefighter, and her late grandfather was an FDNY lieutenant.
This hardworking young Latina enjoys much of her success due to pure determination and drive. “My approach has always been, and will remain to be, to persevere, despite other people’s expectations of me. My whole life I have been called “a try-hard”, a perception that is simply a result of hard work,” says Diana.
One of the women Diana looks up to is Sonia Sotomayor, the third woman and first Latinx person on the Supreme Court, who is also from Puerto Rico, like Diana. She hopes to have a similarly profound effect on the Latinx community and show that Hispanic representation matters.
Her next step to achieve those goals, is to pursue a major in Biomedical Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology, Stony Brook University, or Boston University.
Sustainability (Green)
Please select a recipient name to read their bio.
GOLD - Melissa Suquisupa
Hometown: Ossining, NY
High School: Ossining High School
Hispanic Heritage: Ecuadoran
Ecuadoran-American Melissa Suquisupa is an ambitious student scientist who is making waves with her environmental science research. While looking for a way to spend her time during the pandemic stay-at-home orders, Melissa began taking walks and playing ball with her family at parks in her town of Ossining, New York. It was there that Melissa began to develop an appreciation for the natural resources she had nearby. She noticed, however, that the parks she enjoyed were often polluted with litter and decided to do something about it.
A student at Ossining High School, Melissa is part of the Ossining Science Research Program, a three-year course that provides her with the opportunity to conduct graduate-level independent research. Curious to learn more, she conducted a thorough literature review, where she learned about microplastics and came to the realization that the accumulated pollution seen by human eyes was not the only pollution on the Ossining shorelines.
As Melissa grew interested in assessing the accumulation of pollutants in the Hudson River, she began collecting samples and continued to do so over the course of a year. Her goal was to investigate seasonal trends of microplastic and macro-debris counts on the river shorelines and measure pollution levels caused by human activity. Her research revealed a positive correlation between microplastic abundance and human population density in nearby watersheds. Furthermore, Melissa also found that pre-production plastic pellets, also known as nurdles, were the dominant type of microplastic in her study, which points to the need for stricter regulatory measures and monitoring of plastic manufacturers to reduce the abundance of these pollutants on our shorelines. “My research is a viable model for demonstrating the accumulation of microplastics and macro-debris during different seasons, which is critical for developing novel methods and designs to limit and control the accumulation of these pollutants,” explains Melissa.
COVID-19 ended up being a blessing in disguise for Melissa as it allowed her to reconnect with her Ecuadoran roots and bond with her grandparents. They accompanied her on her daily walks to the places that inspired her research, which later became her sampling sites. “I learned about my mother's childhood and reasons for moving to the US, and learned about my father's indigenous ancestry. My grandpa's eyes lit up when he realized that my vocabulary included many words and phrases from the Quechua language,” remembers Melissa.
In an effort to help bridge the achievement gap that limits the access of underrepresented students to advanced classes, Melissa exclusively tutors Spanish-speaking students in all academic subjects across grades K-12. She has also worked out a project with her Calculus teacher to tutor ESL students in Algebra during her final senior semester.
Melissa’s diverse interests guided her involvement in extracurricular and academic activities throughout her high school career. In addition to her impressive academic pursuits, she participated in sports and was an active member of various clubs and organizations that placed an emphasis on peer support. With a 4.0 GPA, she is highly regarded as a conscientious learner and a self-driven scholar who engages in every aspect of the learning process
“[E]ager to attend college as a scholar and look[ing] forward to connecting with like-minded individuals," Melissa plans to pursue a major in Environmental Science and a minor in Theatre at Duke University, New York University, or Fordham University.
High School: Ossining High School
Hispanic Heritage: Ecuadoran
Ecuadoran-American Melissa Suquisupa is an ambitious student scientist who is making waves with her environmental science research. While looking for a way to spend her time during the pandemic stay-at-home orders, Melissa began taking walks and playing ball with her family at parks in her town of Ossining, New York. It was there that Melissa began to develop an appreciation for the natural resources she had nearby. She noticed, however, that the parks she enjoyed were often polluted with litter and decided to do something about it.
A student at Ossining High School, Melissa is part of the Ossining Science Research Program, a three-year course that provides her with the opportunity to conduct graduate-level independent research. Curious to learn more, she conducted a thorough literature review, where she learned about microplastics and came to the realization that the accumulated pollution seen by human eyes was not the only pollution on the Ossining shorelines.
As Melissa grew interested in assessing the accumulation of pollutants in the Hudson River, she began collecting samples and continued to do so over the course of a year. Her goal was to investigate seasonal trends of microplastic and macro-debris counts on the river shorelines and measure pollution levels caused by human activity. Her research revealed a positive correlation between microplastic abundance and human population density in nearby watersheds. Furthermore, Melissa also found that pre-production plastic pellets, also known as nurdles, were the dominant type of microplastic in her study, which points to the need for stricter regulatory measures and monitoring of plastic manufacturers to reduce the abundance of these pollutants on our shorelines. “My research is a viable model for demonstrating the accumulation of microplastics and macro-debris during different seasons, which is critical for developing novel methods and designs to limit and control the accumulation of these pollutants,” explains Melissa.
COVID-19 ended up being a blessing in disguise for Melissa as it allowed her to reconnect with her Ecuadoran roots and bond with her grandparents. They accompanied her on her daily walks to the places that inspired her research, which later became her sampling sites. “I learned about my mother's childhood and reasons for moving to the US, and learned about my father's indigenous ancestry. My grandpa's eyes lit up when he realized that my vocabulary included many words and phrases from the Quechua language,” remembers Melissa.
In an effort to help bridge the achievement gap that limits the access of underrepresented students to advanced classes, Melissa exclusively tutors Spanish-speaking students in all academic subjects across grades K-12. She has also worked out a project with her Calculus teacher to tutor ESL students in Algebra during her final senior semester.
Melissa’s diverse interests guided her involvement in extracurricular and academic activities throughout her high school career. In addition to her impressive academic pursuits, she participated in sports and was an active member of various clubs and organizations that placed an emphasis on peer support. With a 4.0 GPA, she is highly regarded as a conscientious learner and a self-driven scholar who engages in every aspect of the learning process
“[E]ager to attend college as a scholar and look[ing] forward to connecting with like-minded individuals," Melissa plans to pursue a major in Environmental Science and a minor in Theatre at Duke University, New York University, or Fordham University.
SILVER - Gabriela Mendoza
Hometown: Saint Albans, NY
High School: The Young Women's Leadership School of Astoria
Hispanic Heritage: Dominican & Ecuadoran
Serving her community and being a voice for those without one is a passion of Gabriela Mendoza, a resident of Queens, New York. Gabriela is dedicated to serving her community, advocating for the environment and populations facing injustice. She is a brave and dedicated leader who, from the start of high school, showed her passion for building community in her school.
When Gabriela transferred to the Young Women's Leadership School of Astoria, she embraced the challenges that came along with being a new student and took the initiative to organize student civic engagement and environmental initiatives.
This Dominican-Ecuadoran-American student had the opportunity to attend the Department of Energy’s Youth Climate Summit. Attending this event marked the beginning of her youth advocacy journey. At the summit, Gabriela connected with various climate organizations, including a youth group that worked on implementing climate education in NYC public schools. She collaborated with educators and students alike, reaching a broad audience and learning more about sustainability research along the way.
Gabriela's highlight of environmental justice advocacy was her participation in organizing and speaking at the NYC Youth Climate Strike. As an organizer, her goal was to disseminate information and gain support for the cause through various means such as social media, meetings, student organizations, and in-person interactions. Gabriela's outspoken demeanor made this task seem effortless. After the speech she had prepared was selected for the protest, she had the opportunity to deliver her speech in front of everyone that attended the strike. "The moment I stood on the steps of City Hall, I realized that amplifying the voices of those without a platform was the most empowering thing for me," Gabriela reflects on her experience.
Gabriela is an inspiration to all, dedicated to her own growth and the growth of her community. She works to advance equitable and sustainable policies and has drafted policy, lobbying with local legislators to involve young people in city decisions. With her unique leadership skills, she often goes the extra mile, proposing solutions and finding common ground among diverse perspectives.
Not surprisingly, Gabriela is an exceptional student and ranks among the top in her class. She has taken some of the most demanding courses at her school, including AP Literature and Composition, AP Language, and AP Environmental Science. She effectively balances her academic pursuits with sports, extracurricular activities, and her tireless community efforts.
A proud Afro-Latina, Gabriela is genuinely committed to community involvement. Outside of school, she dedicates much of her time to addressing environmental racism in NYC. She finds environmental work fascinating because of its complex negative impacts and the opportunities it presents for her to make a difference. Furthermore, Gabriela is deeply committed to advocating for social justice, striving to dismantle the pervasive racist and classist structures in the nation. After learning that both of her passions intersected under the concept of environmental justice, she redirected her efforts.
Gabriela's involvement in advocacy programs has transformed her into the confident and vocal individual she is today. Through her advocacy work, she has provided mutual aid by creating and supporting community fridges and gardens, and developing a K-12 climate toolkit with educational resources and a lesson plan for teachers to integrate climate discussions into the classroom. Gabriela is fully committed to environmental justice and aspires to pursue a career in this field.
For this remarkable leader, the fight for environmental and social justice has been an everyday battle for the past three-plus years. Thoroughly devoted to the cause, she plans to pursue degrees in Environmental Law and Policy and Humanities at Duke University, Northwestern University, or Brown University. Gabriela recognizes the climate crisis as the most pressing issue of her generation and considers young people like herself to be the driving force behind necessary change.
High School: The Young Women's Leadership School of Astoria
Hispanic Heritage: Dominican & Ecuadoran
Serving her community and being a voice for those without one is a passion of Gabriela Mendoza, a resident of Queens, New York. Gabriela is dedicated to serving her community, advocating for the environment and populations facing injustice. She is a brave and dedicated leader who, from the start of high school, showed her passion for building community in her school.
When Gabriela transferred to the Young Women's Leadership School of Astoria, she embraced the challenges that came along with being a new student and took the initiative to organize student civic engagement and environmental initiatives.
This Dominican-Ecuadoran-American student had the opportunity to attend the Department of Energy’s Youth Climate Summit. Attending this event marked the beginning of her youth advocacy journey. At the summit, Gabriela connected with various climate organizations, including a youth group that worked on implementing climate education in NYC public schools. She collaborated with educators and students alike, reaching a broad audience and learning more about sustainability research along the way.
Gabriela's highlight of environmental justice advocacy was her participation in organizing and speaking at the NYC Youth Climate Strike. As an organizer, her goal was to disseminate information and gain support for the cause through various means such as social media, meetings, student organizations, and in-person interactions. Gabriela's outspoken demeanor made this task seem effortless. After the speech she had prepared was selected for the protest, she had the opportunity to deliver her speech in front of everyone that attended the strike. "The moment I stood on the steps of City Hall, I realized that amplifying the voices of those without a platform was the most empowering thing for me," Gabriela reflects on her experience.
Gabriela is an inspiration to all, dedicated to her own growth and the growth of her community. She works to advance equitable and sustainable policies and has drafted policy, lobbying with local legislators to involve young people in city decisions. With her unique leadership skills, she often goes the extra mile, proposing solutions and finding common ground among diverse perspectives.
Not surprisingly, Gabriela is an exceptional student and ranks among the top in her class. She has taken some of the most demanding courses at her school, including AP Literature and Composition, AP Language, and AP Environmental Science. She effectively balances her academic pursuits with sports, extracurricular activities, and her tireless community efforts.
A proud Afro-Latina, Gabriela is genuinely committed to community involvement. Outside of school, she dedicates much of her time to addressing environmental racism in NYC. She finds environmental work fascinating because of its complex negative impacts and the opportunities it presents for her to make a difference. Furthermore, Gabriela is deeply committed to advocating for social justice, striving to dismantle the pervasive racist and classist structures in the nation. After learning that both of her passions intersected under the concept of environmental justice, she redirected her efforts.
Gabriela's involvement in advocacy programs has transformed her into the confident and vocal individual she is today. Through her advocacy work, she has provided mutual aid by creating and supporting community fridges and gardens, and developing a K-12 climate toolkit with educational resources and a lesson plan for teachers to integrate climate discussions into the classroom. Gabriela is fully committed to environmental justice and aspires to pursue a career in this field.
For this remarkable leader, the fight for environmental and social justice has been an everyday battle for the past three-plus years. Thoroughly devoted to the cause, she plans to pursue degrees in Environmental Law and Policy and Humanities at Duke University, Northwestern University, or Brown University. Gabriela recognizes the climate crisis as the most pressing issue of her generation and considers young people like herself to be the driving force behind necessary change.
BRONZE - Alana Kramer Gomez
Hometown: Jamaica Plain, MA
High School: Buckingham Browne and Nichols School
Hispanic Heritage: Colombian
Alana Kramer Gomez’s interest in sustainability, climate activism, and justice, stems from hikes and long nature walks with her parents in Maine’s Acadia National Park, a place dear to her heart. Taking after her parents’ exploratory outlook on life, Alana explored nature trails, played in tidal pools, and built fires at a very young age. Her interest was piqued as she started to explore Colombia, the country where her parents are from. There, she discovered a place rich in biocultural diversity and her love for nature grew exponentially.
As she grew older and went to high school, Alana decided to join the Sunrise Movement Action Team in Cambridge, Massachusetts. A fairly new hub, they were looking for people to lead specific teams and soon chose Alana. As a co-leader and participant, Alana has canvassed for politicians and attended numerous protests and banner drops, in addition to educating youth and the public on climate justice.
Moreover, she has since gone back to her elementary school to teach a group of younger students about climate activism. In her carefully curated presentation, she shared her recent achievements with the Sunrise Movement and explained the roots of her motivation, hoping that her story will help the younger generation find things that they are passionate about like environmental justice.
Alana regards her successful presentation as one of her greatest accomplishments, and it was then that she started to entertain thoughts on becoming an educator and inspiring future generations to make a positive change in the world.
Her interest in sustainability was further spurred by a visit to Colombia early on in life. She observed the food industry there and loved that everything was fresher than the often overly-processed food in the United States. Fascinated by the plethora of fresh fruit, vegetables, and meat in markets, Alana hopes that the US will one day move away from conventional farms that are detrimental to the environment and more toward smaller-scale farming.
Alana is concerned with the limited experience and awareness that the general public has of the Latinx community. She believes many fail to realize that the community is an incredibly diverse group of people and that treating it as one monolithic group is inefficient and inaccurate. She hopes to apply her learning and education to create more campaigns that educate her peers about the community while developing her own future as an artist, educator, or geographer.
In her very limited free time, Alana is the captain of two athletic teams at Buckingham Browne and Nichols School, as well as the co-president of the Latinx and Hispanic Student Association, in addition to her duties as the co-leader of the Sunrise Movement. She is an extremely active participant in all her groups and has done several community projects related to her Hispanic identity.
Kind, sensitive, and passionate about human and environmental rights, this remarkable young Latina is well-loved and respected by her classmates and teachers alike. She cares deeply for people and strives to make a positive impact, first with her school and then the world. She is considering a major in Geography and an Interdisciplinary Major focused on Social & Environmental Justice at Barnard College, Northeastern University, or Clark University.
High School: Buckingham Browne and Nichols School
Hispanic Heritage: Colombian
Alana Kramer Gomez’s interest in sustainability, climate activism, and justice, stems from hikes and long nature walks with her parents in Maine’s Acadia National Park, a place dear to her heart. Taking after her parents’ exploratory outlook on life, Alana explored nature trails, played in tidal pools, and built fires at a very young age. Her interest was piqued as she started to explore Colombia, the country where her parents are from. There, she discovered a place rich in biocultural diversity and her love for nature grew exponentially.
As she grew older and went to high school, Alana decided to join the Sunrise Movement Action Team in Cambridge, Massachusetts. A fairly new hub, they were looking for people to lead specific teams and soon chose Alana. As a co-leader and participant, Alana has canvassed for politicians and attended numerous protests and banner drops, in addition to educating youth and the public on climate justice.
Moreover, she has since gone back to her elementary school to teach a group of younger students about climate activism. In her carefully curated presentation, she shared her recent achievements with the Sunrise Movement and explained the roots of her motivation, hoping that her story will help the younger generation find things that they are passionate about like environmental justice.
Alana regards her successful presentation as one of her greatest accomplishments, and it was then that she started to entertain thoughts on becoming an educator and inspiring future generations to make a positive change in the world.
Her interest in sustainability was further spurred by a visit to Colombia early on in life. She observed the food industry there and loved that everything was fresher than the often overly-processed food in the United States. Fascinated by the plethora of fresh fruit, vegetables, and meat in markets, Alana hopes that the US will one day move away from conventional farms that are detrimental to the environment and more toward smaller-scale farming.
Alana is concerned with the limited experience and awareness that the general public has of the Latinx community. She believes many fail to realize that the community is an incredibly diverse group of people and that treating it as one monolithic group is inefficient and inaccurate. She hopes to apply her learning and education to create more campaigns that educate her peers about the community while developing her own future as an artist, educator, or geographer.
In her very limited free time, Alana is the captain of two athletic teams at Buckingham Browne and Nichols School, as well as the co-president of the Latinx and Hispanic Student Association, in addition to her duties as the co-leader of the Sunrise Movement. She is an extremely active participant in all her groups and has done several community projects related to her Hispanic identity.
Kind, sensitive, and passionate about human and environmental rights, this remarkable young Latina is well-loved and respected by her classmates and teachers alike. She cares deeply for people and strives to make a positive impact, first with her school and then the world. She is considering a major in Geography and an Interdisciplinary Major focused on Social & Environmental Justice at Barnard College, Northeastern University, or Clark University.
Technology
Please select a recipient name to read their bio.
GOLD - Federico Barrera
Hometown: Madison, CT
High School: Daniel Hand High School
Hispanic Heritage: Argentine
Federico Barrera, affectionately known as Fede, grew up among engineers and doctors, spending a substantial amount of time in laboratories. As a child, he was always fascinated with the natural sciences and constantly disassembled old appliances to experiment with circuits, much to his parents' chagrin.
It wasn’t until middle school that Fede became so passionate about mathematics that it bordered on an obsession. He taught himself enough math to take calculus during his freshman year and used the knowledge to expand his horizons, such as using physics to solve problems and trigonometry to optimize his team’s first Lego League robot. It was in high school where he finally fell in love with computer science. He started developing Python scripts to automate tasks like translating genetic sequences for biology class or visualizing abstract math concepts.
In 2021, he enrolled in an AP Physics C course that was offered in partnership with the University of Connecticut’s Early College Experience program. He taught himself the mechanics part of the course and was one of two juniors who successfully signed up and completed the class. In addition, in the university’s first semester exam, he earned one of the only two perfect scores.
Fede has since focused his efforts on automating chemistry schoolwork, which for him has been one of his greatest accomplishments in his young life. He recognized that calculations in science can be tedious and strove to develop modular functions to create practical solutions for daily work. Soon, he combined algorithms from number theory and linear algebra and wrote a script that balanced chemical equations to deal with general mathematical structure.
Fede believes that dual language systems are the most effective in education. However, because they are resource intensive and financially taxing, they face many pushbacks. He believes that the Latinx community does not threaten the perceived “American identity” in any way and that some efforts should be made to distinguish different cultures by country of origin and draw attention to political diversity.
In his spare time, Fede enjoys translating Wikipedia pages from English to Spanish to facilitate a greater flow of information and making sure he understands the material at the same time. In addition, he enjoys rewriting hard-to-read passages into more reader-friendly content to make them more accessible to even native speakers. He is a leading mentor at the Community Integration Mentorship Program, a youth-oriented grassroots organization dedicated to building and empowering young communities, and gives particular attention to Hispanic non-native English speakers.
More than prepared for the next step in his journey, this remarkable young Argentine-American is planning to major in Computer Science with a minor in Mathematics at Brown University, the University of Connecticut, or Brandeis University, where he will undoubtedly continue to flourish the same way he has thus far.
High School: Daniel Hand High School
Hispanic Heritage: Argentine
Federico Barrera, affectionately known as Fede, grew up among engineers and doctors, spending a substantial amount of time in laboratories. As a child, he was always fascinated with the natural sciences and constantly disassembled old appliances to experiment with circuits, much to his parents' chagrin.
It wasn’t until middle school that Fede became so passionate about mathematics that it bordered on an obsession. He taught himself enough math to take calculus during his freshman year and used the knowledge to expand his horizons, such as using physics to solve problems and trigonometry to optimize his team’s first Lego League robot. It was in high school where he finally fell in love with computer science. He started developing Python scripts to automate tasks like translating genetic sequences for biology class or visualizing abstract math concepts.
In 2021, he enrolled in an AP Physics C course that was offered in partnership with the University of Connecticut’s Early College Experience program. He taught himself the mechanics part of the course and was one of two juniors who successfully signed up and completed the class. In addition, in the university’s first semester exam, he earned one of the only two perfect scores.
Fede has since focused his efforts on automating chemistry schoolwork, which for him has been one of his greatest accomplishments in his young life. He recognized that calculations in science can be tedious and strove to develop modular functions to create practical solutions for daily work. Soon, he combined algorithms from number theory and linear algebra and wrote a script that balanced chemical equations to deal with general mathematical structure.
Fede believes that dual language systems are the most effective in education. However, because they are resource intensive and financially taxing, they face many pushbacks. He believes that the Latinx community does not threaten the perceived “American identity” in any way and that some efforts should be made to distinguish different cultures by country of origin and draw attention to political diversity.
In his spare time, Fede enjoys translating Wikipedia pages from English to Spanish to facilitate a greater flow of information and making sure he understands the material at the same time. In addition, he enjoys rewriting hard-to-read passages into more reader-friendly content to make them more accessible to even native speakers. He is a leading mentor at the Community Integration Mentorship Program, a youth-oriented grassroots organization dedicated to building and empowering young communities, and gives particular attention to Hispanic non-native English speakers.
More than prepared for the next step in his journey, this remarkable young Argentine-American is planning to major in Computer Science with a minor in Mathematics at Brown University, the University of Connecticut, or Brandeis University, where he will undoubtedly continue to flourish the same way he has thus far.
SILVER - Leandro Romo
Hometown: Medfield, MA
High School: Medfield Senior High School
Hispanic Heritage: Cuban
Like many other tech wizards, Leandro Romo developed an interest in technology from video games. Not only did he love playing them, but he also knew early in life that he wanted to create them. As he grew older, his passion for video games waned, but his interest in making them did not. Seeking to expand his knowledge of what he loved, he started attending tech summer camps in middle school. Continuing once in high school, he completed a summer camp at North Carolina State University, where he learned Python in his sophomore year. Advancing in his pursuit, he took a Computer Science elective at his school and enrolled in an online course for AP Computer Science A.
In the summer of his junior year, he attended Interaction and Games in Extended Reality, a two-week pre-college program at Northeastern University. During the program, he and his team created a fully-fledged virtual reality game that numerous testers and players found to be incredibly fun and entertaining. This was one of the first and greatest accomplishments in his budding software development career and a sign of many good things to come.
Throughout high school, Leandro realized he loved the creative aspects of computer science and now aspires to be a front-end programmer in an innovative and technologically-advanced company.
Leandro acknowledges and is grateful for the opportunities that his hardworking parents have afforded him by prioritizing his education in terms of financial support. He believes that if more immigrant parents understood how profitable some careers in STEM can be, they would encourage and support their children to pursue more STEM education. This might then lead to more diversity in the STEM fields, which could ultimately contribute to innovative advancements, since more people with new perspectives and distinctive ideas would expand the creative power of the STEM community.
Leandro is keenly aware that the Latinx community often bears the brunt of anger as the ongoing debate continues about jobs going to underrepresented communities. He is concerned that racism, if left unchecked, will cause hate and resentment. Once accepting racial slurs without knowing any better, he is now acutely aware of the overall prejudice that his culture faces on a daily basis. He believes a good way to address these issues is to promote more inclusive organizations to everyone regardless of background or ethnicity instead of only organizing activities within the Hispanic community.
At Medfield Senior High School, this Cuban-American Latino is a member of the Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica and the National Honor Society. His business teacher, Karen A. Shaffer, remarks on his warm and thoughtful sense of humor and praises his “gentle and poised leadership style supported by his relentless desire to produce the highest quality content and projects” in class.
Committed to his success, Leandro plans to pursue his dream of studying Computer Science at Boston University, Northeastern University, or Boston College.
High School: Medfield Senior High School
Hispanic Heritage: Cuban
Like many other tech wizards, Leandro Romo developed an interest in technology from video games. Not only did he love playing them, but he also knew early in life that he wanted to create them. As he grew older, his passion for video games waned, but his interest in making them did not. Seeking to expand his knowledge of what he loved, he started attending tech summer camps in middle school. Continuing once in high school, he completed a summer camp at North Carolina State University, where he learned Python in his sophomore year. Advancing in his pursuit, he took a Computer Science elective at his school and enrolled in an online course for AP Computer Science A.
In the summer of his junior year, he attended Interaction and Games in Extended Reality, a two-week pre-college program at Northeastern University. During the program, he and his team created a fully-fledged virtual reality game that numerous testers and players found to be incredibly fun and entertaining. This was one of the first and greatest accomplishments in his budding software development career and a sign of many good things to come.
Throughout high school, Leandro realized he loved the creative aspects of computer science and now aspires to be a front-end programmer in an innovative and technologically-advanced company.
Leandro acknowledges and is grateful for the opportunities that his hardworking parents have afforded him by prioritizing his education in terms of financial support. He believes that if more immigrant parents understood how profitable some careers in STEM can be, they would encourage and support their children to pursue more STEM education. This might then lead to more diversity in the STEM fields, which could ultimately contribute to innovative advancements, since more people with new perspectives and distinctive ideas would expand the creative power of the STEM community.
Leandro is keenly aware that the Latinx community often bears the brunt of anger as the ongoing debate continues about jobs going to underrepresented communities. He is concerned that racism, if left unchecked, will cause hate and resentment. Once accepting racial slurs without knowing any better, he is now acutely aware of the overall prejudice that his culture faces on a daily basis. He believes a good way to address these issues is to promote more inclusive organizations to everyone regardless of background or ethnicity instead of only organizing activities within the Hispanic community.
At Medfield Senior High School, this Cuban-American Latino is a member of the Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica and the National Honor Society. His business teacher, Karen A. Shaffer, remarks on his warm and thoughtful sense of humor and praises his “gentle and poised leadership style supported by his relentless desire to produce the highest quality content and projects” in class.
Committed to his success, Leandro plans to pursue his dream of studying Computer Science at Boston University, Northeastern University, or Boston College.
BRONZE - Angel Uraga
Hometown: Bronx, NY
High School: New Vision Charter High School for Advanced Math and Science II
Hispanic Heritage: Mexican
Angel Uraga grew up playing video games and, like many other techies, without knowing it at the time, was already honing his multitasking skills. From smartphones and television to electrical engineering and renewable energy, Angel is keenly aware of the impact that technology has on daily life and has always been fascinated by it.
In high school, he enrolled in a summer program where he learned the basics of creating and coding video games using Replit, a powerful platform for creating and sharing software. On the platform, Angel learned how to code and mastered many of the built-in educational features. The result was a small indie video game that he and his team created and pulled together using free and open-source platforms and software like Piskel and Twine.
Angel thoroughly enjoyed developing this game and the camaraderie that came from working with a team to create something fun and entertaining. On the last day of the program, he and his team presented the game design to his class with great success. His short stint at the summer program taught Angel the value of teamwork and showed him that working in a team significantly impacts his growth and development, reduces his stress levels, and increases his satisfaction with every favorable outcome.
After this positive experience, Angel signed up for AP Computer Science during his senior year. He seeks to broaden his knowledge of how programming works in different technological environments using JavaScript, and hopes to continue learning and working with JavaScript coding. An aspiring data analyst, Angel plans to continue his journey and advance toward his objective while pursuing a major in Computer Science and a minor in Chemistry at Vassar College, Cornell University, or the City College of New York.
Born to Mexican parents, Angel hopes to see STEM professionals from more diverse backgrounds and more leaders who welcome diversity, promote inclusion, and make an effort to level the playing field. He enjoys meeting people from different cultures and networking with like-minded people for support, connections, role models, and a sense of belonging.
In his spare time, Angel is actively doing community service at church and enjoys spending time helping younger children, seniors, or anyone who can benefit from his skills. From his time as a study buddy tutor in second grade to some time spent in a retirement community playing games and talking to residents, Angel is an amazing young man who loves giving back.
As a reflection of his hard work throughout his high school career and dedication to his education, Angel maintains a 4.0 GPA and is a member of his school’s chapter of the National Honor Society. Ms. Yamilex Castillo, his AP Spanish teacher, praises Angel as “innovative and creative,” and is certain, like us, that “his potential, leadership and pride make him a worthy representative of our Hispanic culture in America who will contribute to the field of scientific technological innovations that solve real problems in our nation.”
High School: New Vision Charter High School for Advanced Math and Science II
Hispanic Heritage: Mexican
Angel Uraga grew up playing video games and, like many other techies, without knowing it at the time, was already honing his multitasking skills. From smartphones and television to electrical engineering and renewable energy, Angel is keenly aware of the impact that technology has on daily life and has always been fascinated by it.
In high school, he enrolled in a summer program where he learned the basics of creating and coding video games using Replit, a powerful platform for creating and sharing software. On the platform, Angel learned how to code and mastered many of the built-in educational features. The result was a small indie video game that he and his team created and pulled together using free and open-source platforms and software like Piskel and Twine.
Angel thoroughly enjoyed developing this game and the camaraderie that came from working with a team to create something fun and entertaining. On the last day of the program, he and his team presented the game design to his class with great success. His short stint at the summer program taught Angel the value of teamwork and showed him that working in a team significantly impacts his growth and development, reduces his stress levels, and increases his satisfaction with every favorable outcome.
After this positive experience, Angel signed up for AP Computer Science during his senior year. He seeks to broaden his knowledge of how programming works in different technological environments using JavaScript, and hopes to continue learning and working with JavaScript coding. An aspiring data analyst, Angel plans to continue his journey and advance toward his objective while pursuing a major in Computer Science and a minor in Chemistry at Vassar College, Cornell University, or the City College of New York.
Born to Mexican parents, Angel hopes to see STEM professionals from more diverse backgrounds and more leaders who welcome diversity, promote inclusion, and make an effort to level the playing field. He enjoys meeting people from different cultures and networking with like-minded people for support, connections, role models, and a sense of belonging.
In his spare time, Angel is actively doing community service at church and enjoys spending time helping younger children, seniors, or anyone who can benefit from his skills. From his time as a study buddy tutor in second grade to some time spent in a retirement community playing games and talking to residents, Angel is an amazing young man who loves giving back.
As a reflection of his hard work throughout his high school career and dedication to his education, Angel maintains a 4.0 GPA and is a member of his school’s chapter of the National Honor Society. Ms. Yamilex Castillo, his AP Spanish teacher, praises Angel as “innovative and creative,” and is certain, like us, that “his potential, leadership and pride make him a worthy representative of our Hispanic culture in America who will contribute to the field of scientific technological innovations that solve real problems in our nation.”
