Samantha is from San Mateo and is currently a senior at St. Ignatius College Preparatory. In her free time, she works at the San Mateo County Library as a library aide for the Bookmobile, a mobile library which services underserved areas without access to libraries. She spends her winters playing soccer at her high school, and enjoys collaging and photography. She has logged over 200 hours of community service at various organizations such as the Veteran’s Affairs Hospital, Rustic Pathways, First Presbyterian Church, and helping coach her sister’s basketball team. Samantha loves to travel and experience new and unique cultures.

Samantha’s interest in climate education was first developed during her school’s Stewardship Week which is a week-long event focused on performing eco-friendly community service, such as beach cleanups. During Stewardship Week, students are able to attend workshops by people who work in fields related to sustainability and creating a greener, safer planet. That’s where she learned about ACE and the Action Fellowship.

Over the summer, Samantha immersed herself in Costa Rican culture while helping to conserve endangered turtles. She learned a lot about human impact on the environment and the harmful effect it can have on wildlife and ecosystems as a whole. Samantha believes that climate change is an important issue because she wants to ensure that future generations have the chance to experience the same Earth she knows and loves. Through the Action Fellowship, she is most looking forward to meeting new people with similar interests, getting more involved in the community, and making a positive impact  on the world!