Round 1 - Club Panelists
Brandon Ng
Lowell Eco Club
Natasha Yen
Harker Green Team
Gary Ding
Harker Green Team
Christy Vong
Lowell Eco Club
Aylin Salahifar
DIY Earthcycle Club
Addy Kopp
LAYCAT
Naia Sasano
Branham SPARE Club
I've been apart of my school's Eco Club since my freshman year. I think Climate Change is the greatest threat to our planet and society and every action we take, big or small, has to contribute towards helping our planet. My interests are ecological conservation and restoration, renewable energy, waste management, and urban planning. In my free time, I enjoy going outside, reading, watching sports, playing the piano, photography, and writing. If I were an animal, I would be a wolf because, like them, I'm diligent and perseverant. However, pandas are my favorite animals. If you can't tell, I like nature a lot. :)
I'm a current high school senior, and I've been involved with Eco Club for 3 years. As I enjoyed wearing many hats of our different projects I grew more and more fired up about my dedication to working towards a thriving, livable, sustainable future. Along my journey I've been learning about different areas of the field, and have had my eyes opened to environmental racism that solidified my passion for environmental justice even more. My interests include sustainable food systems, regenerative agriculture, a circular economy, urban planning, diverting waste streams, and sustainable fashion. Sustainability is also part of my lifestyle, practicing eco-minimalism, and forever on my journey of divesting from institutions that have been around us for so long that cause harm to communities and our planet. In real life you could probably find me browsing the web sniffing out greenwashing brands or gushing about a cool organization who values our people and planet at their core mission. I plan to major in environmental studies as a first generation, low-income college student, where I hope to trail blaze change around me while I explore where that interdisciplinary path takes me!
Addy is the type of person to work really hard on a project or issue that means a lot to them. She also loves to play soccer, volleyball and run track.
I am a junior at Carlmont High School, and I love sharing my passion for environmental action by teaching my friends and family members how to look at something not as trash, but as a potential upcycling project :) I have a cat named Luna and I really enjoy going for walks in the evening.
Hello! My name is Naia and I am a junior at Branham High School :) I have always been obsessed with nature and animals and wildlife from a young age, and that obsession slowly developed into activism as I began learning more about the severity of our changing climate. "Oil and Honey" by Bill McKibben is my favorite book on environmentalism, and I have recently started reading "On Fire" by Naomi Klein as well. I believe mass cultural understanding and community involvement is a crucial first step in communities everywhere, and I am excited & honored to be working with everyone through this event in advancing the fight for our future :)
Natasha is the co-president of the Harker Green Team. She is passionate about building more sustainable, eco-conscious, and equitable communities, and as part of the Harker Green Team, she has led projects to reduce plastic pollution, minimize food waste, promote environmental legislation, and more.
Gary Ding is a sophomore at The Harker School in San Jose. He is a co-lead of the State Advocacy team and a member of the San Jose City Action team. Outside of SVYCA, he is the public relations officer in the Harker Green Team as well as a trained Climate Reality Leader. He hopes that through youth engagement and leadership, progress can be made in combating climate change.