Christina San Diego is a wise and resilient junior at Eagle Valley High School. Energy evokes her destiny to make a difference in a world of adversity. As Christi describes, “I want to inspire people and reach their hearts. I want others to look up to me and hear what I have to say.” It is Christi’s mission to advocate for young people to be assertive, celebrate diversity and develop personal passions and creative expression.
Christi moved to Eagle County from Tennessee when she was in fourth grade with her dad and four siblings, ranging in age from fourteen to twenty-one. It hasn’t been easy growing up with a single dad, working many jobs to care for five children and her family has suffered from adversity. “I want to motivate others to work hard and overcome their obstacles,” she says. Christi’s two older sisters- both away at college- are her biggest inspiration. They have worked hard to get where they are and through hard work and tenacity, her dad and sisters have influenced Christi to keep moving to persevere through hardships. In the future, Christi aspires to travel the world and explore her roots as a Filipino woman. She desires to have new experiences and to explore beyond her roots; she years for better understanding of different cultures and individuals.
School and learning are very important to Christi, and she stays incredibly engaged. As a junior at Eagle Valley High School (EVHS), she is in the National Honors Society, Link Crew, Youth Equity Stewardship, serves as the Equity Youth Lead and plays year-round club volleyball. Being outdoors and trying new sports keeps this busy young lady quite active. Christi recently also accepted the role of the Behavioral Education Partners Youth Advisor. She is working with five organizations and schools to better understand and adjust education programs so that they are reaching all youth from diverse backgrounds and experiences, and supporting their social emotional development. “Christi is truly an inspiration in this role. She is excited to dive into programs, explore new opportunities, and to make sure the student voice in driving updates and changes that will improve their learning experience,” shares her BE Partners supervisor, “she is a gift to the community and the programs, and we feel very fortunate to work with her.”
This year has been a year of personal growth for Christi. She is most proud of her commitment to understand herself, present herself exceptionally to the world and to hone in on her personal passions. In the past, Christi has neglected her own mental health and is committed to taking better care of her personal needs and slowing down. She has taken many demanding college level classes and recently realized that she needs to enjoy the present moment, sleep more and enjoy healthier nourishment. The stresses of schoolwork can be overwhelming and impede a healthy lifestyle.
Equity work lies at the forefront of Christi’s drive to make a difference. Christi wants to inspire her peers to explore their personal passions and interests, know that it’s okay to be different and stop trying to fit into others’ expectations. She is in the process of developing and launching a club for youth, titled Youth Equity Alliance. It will be a space for students to feel safe talking about issues they see at school and utilizing resources in the community. The alliance will be a supportive environment where students feel strong enough to stand up for themselves and their beliefs and passions. Christi already has an impressive outlook on life and desires to help people. She is a hardworking and resilient young lady who is making a significant difference in a world of adversity.
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