SAN DIEGO (CNS) - Sarah Gao, a San Diego high school senior, was named Wednesday to represent California in the 63rd annual United States Senate Youth Program by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.
Gao, a senior at Canyon Crest Academy in the San Dieguito Union High School District, was one of just two California students chosen for the competitive program.
"I am incredibly proud of and impressed by these extraordinary students, who are doing so much in their schools and communities to make a difference in the lives of others," Thurmond said. "Their significant accomplishments speak to their impressive character and dedication. They will make excellent representatives for California."
Bode Gower, a senior at Ukiah High School in the Ukiah Unified School District, was the other senator selected. The first alternate is James Miller of Oxnard, a senior at Westlake High School in the Conejo Valley Union High School District. The second alternate is Sriya Srinivasan of Fairfield, a senior at Early College High School (Angelo Rodriguez High) in the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District.
The program provides a select number of students from around the nation a chance to learn about the U.S. Senate from the inside-out. Two student leaders from each state, the District of Columbia, and the Department of Defense Education Activity each receive a $10,000 undergraduate scholarship and an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. to meet and learn from high-level government officials in March.
Gao is president of the School Site Council at Canyon Crest Academy, vice chair of the city of San Diego's Youth Commission, editor-in-chief of the school's magazine and is founder and executive director of Coast2Canyon, which focuses on biodiversity, environmental education and water quality.
"Sarah wants to major in environmental engineering and public policy to forge a cleaner future for California and the nation," a synopsis from Thurmond's office read. "She has a passion and curiosity for science and how the world works. Eventually, she would like to run for public office."
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