Santiago High School Student Recognized as Youth of the Year

• Friday, March 18, 2022

During a virtual ceremony on March 4, Santiago High School student Hazel Coronado was named the Orange County Boys and Girls Club Youth of the Year, a recognition that awarded her a $5,000 college scholarship.   Coronado is the school’s Senior Class President and has been a member of Boys and Girls Club for 11 years.

The Boys and Girls Club Youth of the Year program recognizes teens who demonstrate outstanding leadership, service, academic excellence and a dedication to living a healthy lifestyle.  Coronado is Orange County’s representative for the state competition which takes place in April.   

In the regional, state and national levels of the Youth of the Year Program, students are evaluated on the quality of their application and essay submission as well as an interview process.   

Coronado has been accepted to University of California, Berkeley and plans to major in political science.  She hopes to serve her community by pursuing a career as an immigration or constitutional lawyer.

Coronado is a leader on Santiago’s campus, serving as Latinos Unidos President, ASB Commission member, Young Senators Secretary, Keystone Boys and Girls Club President, and is a member of the California Scholarship Federation, National Honor Society and Rho Kappa.  In her community, she was recognized as a Young Congressional Leader by the Office of Congressman Lou Correa and she interned for The Coalition for Human Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA).

“I have known Hazel personally since she began as a student at Santiago High School and have seen firsthand her devotion to the Santiago community, said Board of Education Trustee Walter Muneton.  “Hazel is truly inspiring and a bright star among the next generation of community leaders. She will surely go on to make an impactful difference by serving her community.”

Since 1947, Youth of the Year has been Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s premier recognition program, celebrating club members’ extraordinary achievements. Each year, one exceptional Club member is selected to be the National Youth of the Year. This person serves as an exemplary ambassador for Boys & Girls Club youth and as a strong voice for all of our nation’s young people.

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