Twelve Sonoma County high school seniors were celebrated at the 37th annual Celebrate Community Youth Service Awards ceremony on April 15, each receiving a $1,000 scholarship for outstanding contributions to their communities across the county.
Key Takeaways
- Twelve winners were selected from more than 100 nominees across 12 service categories at schools throughout Sonoma County.
- Each winner received a $1,000 scholarship at the ceremony held at the Friedman Event Center in Santa Rosa.
- The event was hosted by the Press Democrat and sponsored by Oliver’s Market, now in its 37th year.
- Winners came from Santa Rosa, Petaluma, Healdsburg, Rohnert Park, Sebastopol, and other communities.
- Notable achievements include launching the first North Bay high school Mariachi class, founding a global tutoring nonprofit, and becoming a certified Community Health Worker.
A county-wide class of community leaders
The winners represent high schools from across Sonoma County’s cities and towns, showcasing a generation of young residents who took on community challenges well beyond the classroom. Huy Vu of Elsie Allen High School in Santa Rosa launched the first high school Mariachi class in the entire North Bay, while Riley Piehl of Santa Rosa High grew the school’s FFA chapter and mentors younger livestock farmers. Sabrina Penman of Petaluma High School started an after-school cheerleading program at Cinnabar Elementary, extending her athletic leadership into the broader community.
Kaylin Wen of Maria Carrillo High School was recognized for civic stewardship, having played an active role in school consolidation debates that have dominated conversations in the Santa Rosa City Schools district. Matthew Lee of Maria Carrillo founded a nonprofit that provides global tutoring access to underserved students, and Lisa Zheng, also from Maria Carrillo, taught coding and robotics to youth in the community. Enjal Parajuli of Santa Rosa High tutored more than 100 hours and built online study platforms for fellow students.
Winners addressing health, equity, and immigration
Several honorees focused their service on some of the county’s most pressing community needs. Alondra Herrera Requenes of Rancho Cotate High School — a school community that has been grappling with grief this spring — became a certified Community Health Worker and advocates for mental health awareness among her peers. Eva Nunez Perez of Healdsburg High School serves as a bilingual legal intern supporting immigrant families navigating complex processes. Jimena Santos of Roseland University Prep works as a bilingual youth promoter connecting underserved Latino families with services throughout the region.
Alejandro Jarquin of Santa Rosa High co-founded coding and robotics clubs to expand STEM access, and Keira McNight of Analy High School served as co-editor of the school newspaper, earning recognition in the Journalism & Media category. According to the Press Democrat, which has hosted the awards for nearly four decades, more than 100 students were nominated this year — a figure that reflects the depth of youth civic engagement across the county.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Celebrate Community Youth Service Awards?
The awards are an annual program hosted by the Press Democrat and sponsored by Oliver’s Market that recognizes Sonoma County high school seniors for exceptional community service. Now in its 37th year, the program honors one winner per category chosen from more than 100 nominees across 12 different service areas.
What do the winners receive?
Each of the 12 category winners receives a $1,000 scholarship. The ceremony is held each spring — this year at the Friedman Event Center in Santa Rosa — and brings together students, families, educators, and community supporters from across the county.
Which schools were represented among the 2026 winners?
The 2026 winners came from Santa Rosa High School, Elsie Allen High School, Maria Carrillo High School, Petaluma High School, Rancho Cotate High School, Roseland University Prep, Analy High School, and Healdsburg High School. Together they represent the geographic and cultural breadth of Sonoma County’s student population.
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