2024 KIDS FIRST: David L. Kirp Prize – Winner: Saanvi Arora
Saanvi Arora is a computer science and public policy major at UC Berkeley who will be graduating in May 2026. She co-founded the Youth Power Project, a youth-led organization that demystifies and empowers young people under 25 to inform local, state, and federal policymaking based on their own experiences. YPP has been recognized for its contributions to key policies improving access to reproductive, sexual, and mental healthcare for marginalized youth, and YPP has written and/or advised numerous state and federal policies/initiatives on the subject matters. Saanvi has worked extensively on the development of statewide civic education & engagement criteria on the West Coast and has driven bipartisan conversations regarding nationwide civics reforms in the context of the digital age. Overall, she is invested in bridging gaps between successful policymaking and younger generations by advocating for cultural, educational, and institutional improvements that encourage youth civic literacy, engagement, and representation.
2024 KIDS FIRST: David L. Kirp Prize – Winner: Wesley Veiga
Wesley Veiga is a First-Generation, Low-Income, Black Mixed-Identifying Student of Color who will graduate from UC Berkeley in May 2024 with a major in Sociology and a minor in Education. Wesley works as a mentor in a program he helped create called BOLD (Building Our Leaders and Dreamers). BOLD is a program for youth, by youth that empowers the uplifting of youth voices and allows high school students across California to make a change in their respective communities. Wesley enrolled in two semesters of EDUC W144: Practicum in Education at Cal where he used BOLD as a site for exploration into the research of discovering the best practices and models of mentorship. As an advisor in the fourth cohort of BOLD students, he has supported 40+ students to collect data from community members to conduct their community projects, present their findings at statewide convenings, and advocate for educational funding during the pandemic. After graduation, Wesley will be joining Teach for America Los Angeles Corps ‘24 where he will teach elementary students at an underserved school in hopes of inspiring the next generation of leaders. Wesley will be donating his award funds to Brazilidade, a social impact organization that he engaged with during his time studying abroad in Rio de Janeiro.
2023 KIDS FIRST: David L. Kirp Prize – Winner: Luis Orozco Sanchez
Luis is honored to receive this award and recognition for their work with youth in outdoor education programs (OEPs). Being raised among the chaparral shrubs and oak trees in rural Lake County, CA, Luis has had a deep connection to nature since they could crawl out the front door of a warm but creaky trailer home. However, it wasn’t until working as an outdoor educator with low socioeconomic status (SES) inner city youth that Luis realized that connection to nature is often a privilege in this country. Luis transferred to Berkeley with the goal of researching equity within OEPs after experiencing first-hand how they can be an incredible tool for restorative justice, environmental literacy, and healing. With the support of the Haas Scholars Program, Luis has been busy doing research on how OEPs benefit low SES youth, a topic surprisingly understudied yet critical for dismantling inequity in OEPs. Luis is majoring in Conservation & Resource Studies and will be graduating in May 2023; they plan to continue inspiring a loving connection between our youth and our world; healing towards a better world with every step they take.
2023 KIDS FIRST: David L. Kirp Prize – Winner: Suaad Nour
With a strong commitment to accessibility and a passion for empowering young people, Suaad has made the most of her undergraduate years by dedicating herself to making a difference. As the Assistant Program Manager at Experience Berkeley High School, she mentors and guides low-income students of color through the college application process, providing one-on-one mentorship and delivering informative presentations. Suaad maintains a retention rate of over 80% and contributes to a program-wide 60% acceptance rate into UC Berkeley. In addition, her work at Senator Nancy Skinner's office has included research on the gap between high school graduation requirements and UC/CSU eligibility, as well as a study on the impact of incarceration on access to education. After graduating in May 2023 with a double major in Legal Studies and Business Administration, Suaad plans on pursuing law school & is now working at the UC Berkeley Death Penalty Clinic.