Leadership Council Applications Open February/March

Allison Han is the co-president of the Leadership Council, serving as the youth representative and board member of the Youth Center nonprofit, and is a senior (class of 2027) at Los Alamitos High School. She strives to empower youth by promoting equal and accessible opportunities for personal growth and intellectual exploration, aiming to support individuals in developing strong character and values through engaging programs and activism. Within the community, she serves as president of the Los Al Debate, Emerging Leaders, and LAHS California Scholarship Federation clubs at Los Alamitos High School, dedicated to fostering purposeful civic engagement and effective leadership. She possesses a strong interest in promoting equity, encouraging advocacy, and fostering personal development, and looks forward to accomplishing a lasting impact through compassion and initiative in the Leadership Council!

Mylan Mauge is in the class of 2027 at Los Alamitos High School. She is the co-president of the Leadership Council, acting as a representative and board member on the Youth Center nonprofit. She looks forward to her time in the Leadership Council and to be able to have the ability to give back to her community and peers. In her free time, she enjoys learning new languages, playing the piano, and volunteering. She avidly supports young minds paving the way and can’t wait for her upcoming years in high school. Her goal is to make every kid feel heard and that their opinions matter just as much as the adults surrounding them. She has accomplished a lot working with the Leadership Council and can not wait to do more.

Adrian is a part of the class of 2027 at Los Alamitos High School. Adrian Lopez is the Vice President of the Leadership Council: a youth organization through the Youth Center. Adrian strives to motivate future youth in pursuing their goals, and he aims to provide youth across the community with access to different Youth Center opportunities. Adrian has been interested in working with and empowering youth, and he values dedication to his community. Adrian serves as the founder of Anatomy Adventure, a program created through the Youth Center, that promotes and teaches about public health, anatomy, and biology to youth in the community. Furthermore, Adrian is the ASB Vice President in LAHS’ ASB and he is President of Heart Club, Kindness Club, and California Scholarship Federation. Adrian is also a volunteer at PIH Health Hospital. Adrian believes that giving back to your community and demonstrating kindness to all individuals allows change to occur. Positive change creates a positive impact on the community, and Adrian ultimately aims to have a positive impact to inspire youth all over.

Kayla Teng is in the class of 2028 at Oxford Academy and serves as the VP of Creative Engagement. She looks forward to being able to give back to her community and amplify the voices of the youth through her time in the Leadership Council. She enjoys playing guitar, dancing, and painting. At school she is part of the Future Business Leaders of America and TSA club and outside of school she serves her community as a volunteer, Girl Scout, and literacy advocate. In the future Kayla hopes to pursue a career in cybersecurity as a penetration tester or forensics analyst. She hopes to help create a safe, unprejudiced environment of empowerment and fun where the youth and their voices can thrive.

Katelin Tang, the VP of Creative Engagement, is in the class of 2028 at Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA), part of the Culinary and Hospitality Arts Conservatory. In pursuit of her interest in Culinary Arts & Hospitality, Katelin is interning at Farmhouse at Roger’s Garden, a restaurant in Newport Beach gaining a hands-on overview of the Hospitality industry. Apart from culinary, she is part of the Dreamscape Yearbook Editorial Board along with clubs such as Dreamscape Jr., Key Club, and Korean Culture Club. In addition, she also serves as a Student Leader for the OCSA Academy Program. Through the Leadership Council, Katelin hopes to expand as a leader herself while simultaneously contributing to positive growth within youth voices in the community. One of her goals is to make a lasting impact that will help improve the environment the next generations grow up in as well as inspire future leaders to also take initiative.

Abby Bednar is the Director of Learning Development and a current junior at Los Alamitos High School, class of 2028. Her hopes for the future are to help impact the lives of the younger generations and to guide them to become the best version of themselves. Abby is working towards her gold award for girl scouts and is a member of the choir program at the high school. In the future she would like to pursue a career in psychology as she has a passion for mental health and the study of mind and behavior. She is looking forward to contributing to the youth centers council to help inspire and lead the community.

Nam Vu is a 9th grader at Los Alamitos High and currently serves as the Junior Community Outreach Associate for the Youth Center’s Leadership Council. At Los Alamitos, he is the President of Asian Culture Club and also the President and one of the Founders of the BRAIN Program. Outside of leadership, Nam enjoys playing soccer, has a strong passion for cars, and is in The Boy Scouts of America. His experience working with kids through the BRAIN Program inspired him to join the Youth Center Leadership Council, where he hopes to continue making a positive impact. Nam looks forward to helping youth embrace their individuality while finding meaningful ways to give back to the community.

Ella Mendoza is Vice President of Outreach and a current junior at Los Alamitos High School. She strives to not only continue to become more connected to her community but to make a meaningful impact through service, support, and involvement. Ella is especially interested in advocating for youth mental health. She practices leadership and spreads positivity through her role as Director of Community Engagement in her school’s Kindness Club. Ella is passionate about empowering youth to use their voices, which she puts into action through her involvement with her Girl Scout troop and as a member of the National Girl Scout Advisory Board.

Gatsby Lemus is a sophmore at Los Alamitos High School (Class of 2029) and is a current Director of Outreach in the Leadership Council. He aspires to foster a community where everyone has the opportunity to pursue their own aspirations and become their best selves. Gatsby highly enjoys music, playing as a concert and jazz percussionist at LAHS. At McAuliffe Middle school, he was an active member in CJSF and the Spelling Bee Club and currently plays an active role in the Kindness Collective and 3D Printing for a Cause clubs at LAHS. However, above all else, he is passionate about the pursuit of knowledge. Through his time in the Leadership Council, Gatsby intends to create a strong, unified community, and looks forward to what his future with its members shall hold.

Nathaniel Priyakumar is a junior at Oxford Academy and serves as a Director of Outreach for the Youth Center Leadership Council. He is part of ASB Senate and Instrumental Music Leadership Council at school. Nathaniel also plays in Oxford Academy’s Chamber Strings Orchestra. He enjoys playing the piano and violin in his free time and volunteering at Ivy Terrace Memory Care and MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center. Nathaniel hopes to become a cardiologist one day and is very excited to be part of the Leadership Council and help make a positive impact in his community.

Thai Vu, a current eleventh grader at Los Alamitos High School, is excited to enhance his leadership abilities through participation in the Leadership Council as VP of Administration. His goal is to foster an efficient and inclusive space that encourages youth to communicate with fellow community members and apply critical thinking skills to find the best solution. Thai is also on the board of the Los Alamitos High School’s Debate and MUN Team, where he sharpens his persuasion, public speaking, and communication skills. He cannot wait to share another year with our future leaders!

Juliana Leung is the Director of Administration for the Youth Center Leadership Council. She is currently a sophomore at Los Alamitos High School, class of 2029. Juliana is a part of Model UN and the girls tennis team. Community, belonging, and being true to oneself are core values for her. Using these values, she wants to bring people together to form lasting friendships through common interests. Her goal is to build a secure environment for kids to grow and thrive. Through the Youth Leadership Council, Juliana aims to become a better leader and more effective teammate. She wants to grow the positive impact that the Youth Leadership Council has on the community.

Drew Hatakeyama is a freshman at Los Alamitos High School and serves as Director of Administrations on the Council. He is also the Vice President of Community Outreach for Building Respect for Autism Inclusiveness Now (BRAIN), a nonprofit aiming to grow awareness of autism and connect diverse youth. Drew is passionate about serving his community, with a special focus on empowering youth to have a voice in shaping programs that address relevant real issues. Outside of his community work, Drew enjoys participating in Boy Scouts and debating at the Socratic Academy. He also has a passion for music and performs with the Show Choir at Los Alamitos High School. Drew is excited to serve on the Leadership Council and contribute to youth advocacy in the community.

Ellie Oh is a freshman at Oxford Academy in the class of 2030 and currently serves as a Junior Community Outreach Associate on the Youth Center’s Leadership Council. At school, she serves on the boards of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) and Model UN while also serving as the president of the Freshman Class Committee in ASB. She enjoys competing in public forum debate, playing the piano, and playing the violin at yearly benefit concerts. Outside of school, she is passionate about leadership, public speaking, and creating opportunities for students to make a meaningful impact in their communities. Ellie eagerly awaits the opportunity to serve on the council in a way that will allow youth voices to shine and help bridge different members of the community together.

Irene An, a current freshman (class of 2030) at Oxford Academy, serves as a Junior Community Outreach Associate on the Leadership Council. She strongly believes in empowering those of all ages to create change in their communities and works towards strengthening the voices of others. This mission shapes her involvement in Mock Trial, Journalism, FBLA, and Class Committee, where she develops her skills in advocacy, leadership, and public speaking, while representing and uplifting others. Outside of school, Irene enjoys swimming with her friends and playing the flute, which allows her to challenge herself and express her creativity. She is honored to be part of the Youth Leadership Council and looks forward to collaborating with fellow young leaders.

Ellie Mady is a sophomore (class of 2029) at Los Alamitos High School, currently serving as a Junior Community Outreach Associate on the Youth Center’s Leadership Council. As a Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholar, she is driven by a constant goal to create something bigger than herself, channeling her passion for advocacy into helping others realize that we are all more alike than different. Within the community, she serves as Director of Operations for Los Al Debate, Delegate Trainer for Los Al Model United Nations, VP of Outreach for Emerging Leaders, and VP of Logistics for Cambodian Culture Club, roles that reflect her commitment to public speaking, perspective-sharing, and expanding opportunities for her peers. She looks forward to furthering her impact on the Leadership Council by empowering others to find and use their own voice.

Noor is an incoming 8th grader at Oak Middle School, class of 2031, and serves as a Junior Community Outreach Associate on the Youth Centers Leadership Council. Through Girl Scouts, school clubs, and volunteering, she enjoys getting involved in her community and finding ways to help others. At Oak Middle School, Noor participates in Scholarship Club, where she helps teachers and staff after school. She also volunteers with LAVP at community events throughout the year. Additionally, she volunteers with Neta Heritage, a weekly language school, where she helps enhance the learning of Bilingual children. Outside of leadership and volunteering, Noor also does gymnastics and enjoys spending time with her friends and family. Noor hopes to use her time on the Leadership Council to make a positive difference in her community, learn from others, and help make sure students’ ideas and voices are heard. She is looking forward to getting involved and making a difference throughout the year.