ESCONDIDO — An Escondido High School student was recently named as one of two Southern California ambassadors for Young Women In Bio.
Nathalie Cedillo is one of only 24 high school student ambassadors nationally who were chosen.
Cedillo, a junior at Escondido High School, will work alongside the other student ambassadors and with Young Women In Bio (YWIB) to share her enthusiasm for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields and to inspire and encourage other young women.
Morgan Kavanaugh, Cedillo’s AP Environmental Science & Biology Teacher, shared her excitement about Cedillo’s accomplishment.
“Nathalie has shown great perseverance and her passion for science is so clear,” Kavanaugh said. “Involvement with this program has provided the opportunity for her to share her unique perspective and experience with science education.”
“I am hopeful that this will only help support diversifying the STEM field in the future and help schools better support our students and their passions. Nathalie is a joy to have as a student and we are so proud,” Kavanaugh continued.
Ambassadors will attend nationally-led virtual events and when possible, in-person events and programs hosted by their local YWIB chapters. They will also receive a scholarship.
“We are excited to announce this diverse group of young women joining us for the 2021-2022 school year,” said Sarah Odeh, Young Women In Bio National Chair. “As we continue to expand and grow the YWIB Ambassador Program, we want to ensure we engage with young women from a broad range of backgrounds, giving them the tools and support to grow their leadership skills and empower them to bring STEM initiatives to their communities and beyond.”
The nonprofit has 14 chapters across the U.S. and partners with leading companies, universities, hospitals and other organizations to host educational and motivational programs for young girls interested in STEM.
As a student ambassador, Cedillo will work with YWIB to raise awareness in STEM and encourage other young women in the field.
The organization launched this initiative in 2020. In its first year, the organization welcomed 22 ambassadors who had the opportunity to interview experts in STEM, organize and lead YWIB events at their local chapters, launch YWIB clubs at their schools, establish a YWIB Ambassador Instagram page and support YWIB diversity and inclusion efforts.
