Jolene Uribe
Central Region
Chapter 1227 – Sunnyside High School
Adviser Lydia Gonzalez

Jolene Angelique Uribe is a student at Sunnyside High School in Fresno and is the Vice-President of her CSF chapter. Activities include the HOPE Coalition Christmas Event; Gift Wrapping Event; Christmas Card Making Event; Christmas Supply Donation; Snack Bar Fundraiser; and UC Davis Education Field Trip. She has participated in the United Student Body, Academic Decathlon, Link Crew, AP Ambassador: Mentoring Program.

Jolene has also been a part of kNOw MORE as a domestic violence awareness leader and Don’t Laugh At Me: Bullying Prevention Program as a playwright and mentor. Her work with the UCSF Doctors Academy in the Labor and Delivery, the Mother’s Resource Center, and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) has provided her with opportunities to work with individuals from different cultures and backgrounds.

Paula Peterson, Academic Program Coordinator for UCSF-Fresno, writes “She is a strong and confident young lady that leads by example for her classmates and is a student that stands in a positive light among the teachers and staff.” During her experience, she realized there were inequities in treatment and a lack of understanding amongst some patients. She states “This is when my passion for the medical field and advocacy grew and I knew that I wanted to be a part of the solution.” As a result, she researched and wrote a paper about the high rates of poor birth outcomes among African-American women.

She will continue her education and work for her community while studying at Fresno State University while studying biology hopes to eventually become an OBGYN.

Charlotte Chin
Central Coast Region
Chapter 484 – Bishop O’Dowd High School
Adviser Darling Vinavong

Charlotte is a student at Bishop O’Dowd High School in Oakland, where she is the founder and president of the school’s Girls Who Code chapter.  Charlotte is a percussionist in the symphonic band, and a pianist in the string orchestra, and has performed at numerous live and virtual musical events.  She has received the Music in the Parks High School String Orchestra First Place Award, and the California Music Educators Association Excellence Award.  Charlotte plays on both the varsity golf team and the varsity lacrosse team, where she has earned awards for her distinguishing herself as a successful scholar-athlete.  Charlotte has been a summer intern at the California State Treasurer’s Office, and at the Office of Alameda County Board of Supervisors.  As recognition for her service to her community, she received the President’s Volunteer Service Young Adults Gold Award in both 2019 and 2020.  Charlotte volunteers as an art apprentice at the Oakland Museum of Children’s Art, and was a founding student organizer of It Takes a Village COVID PPE Project in Alameda.  

Darling Vinavong, Charlotte’s CSF adviser, states “Charlotte is an exemplification of our Catholic mission and what it means to live your life in service to others.  She doesn’t just volunteer to fluff her resume, she does it because that’s who she is.  Charlotte is a prime example of what the youth of today can achieve.” 

California State Treasurer, Fiona Ma, wrote a letter of recommendation for Charlotte in which she explains how Charlotte initiated a proposal to reinstate a defunct treasury program which would address food insecurity in her community and in the State of California.  Ms. Ma states, “Charlotte’s intellectual curiosity, kindness, and work made her a valuable member of the internship.” 

In her personal statement, Charlotte explains how she has gravitated towards choosing extracurricular and volunteer opportunities geared toward tackling social inequality.   To this end her internship at the Alameda County Board of Supervisors focused on finding solutions for food insecurity, childhood poverty, and access to affordable healthcare.  As a founding youth student organizer of the Oakland chapter of It Takes a Village COVID PPE Project, Charlotte expresses, “I think it really does take a village to make the world a better place, and I’m so glad I could contribute to such a worthy cause.” 

Charlotte intends to pursue a degree in Sociology, at either UCLA, USC, or UC San Diego.

Nathan Miranda
South Central Region
Chapter 1182 – Santa Susana High School
Adviser Karen Hazlewood

Nathan Tran Miranda attends Santa Susana High School in Simi Valley California where he currently serves as Co-President of his CSF Chapter.  This Eagle Scout spends a lot of his time on the stage, performing in Show Choirs, A Capella Groups, Musical Theater, and Thespian groups.  But he also finds time to do multiple community service activities including Greeting Videos for Senior Centers, Teacher appreciation days, and more.

“Nathan has created many service projects for CSF members to help out with during this time of isolation. He knows the importance of staying connected and supporting his fellow students.” says Karen Hazlewood, his CSF Adviser.  She goes on to quote Shakespeare in her thoughts about Nathan, “[s]he doth teach the torches to burn bright…” This, too, is Nathan Miranda. By his attitude, actions and words he teaches the rest of us “torches” how to burn brighter and more often.

In the fall Nathan plans to continue his education at an Ivy League college such as Harvard or Princeton and study Biology and Pre-Med.