County leaders honor 25 ‘Most Remarkable Teens’

calico 11/10/2023

SAN DIEGO —

At 16, Stephanie Morden — a junior at Guajome Park Academy in Vista — has experienced hardship foreign to many people twice her age.

Despite losing her father and dealing with her mother’s mental health struggles that resulted in her losing her home not once, but twice, Stephanie worked to earn a seat in her school’s orchestra as a violinist, become president of her campus’ competitive academic team and achieve a 4.0 GPA.

On Thursday night before a crowd that included county and city leaders, Stephanie, and her sister, Samantha, were two of the teens recognized at San Diego County’s annual “25 Most Remarkable Teens” ceremony.

Katherine Braner speaks at San Diego County's "25 Most Remarkable Teens" event.

The event, hosted on the top floor of the San Diego Central Library downtown, spotlights youths between the ages of 13 and 19 who excel in a variety of areas, including leadership, community service, art, innovation and overcoming adversity.

County Interim Public Defender Katherine Braner said a panel from her office interviewed and selected the teens from a group of 77 students.

“In a world that’s constantly evolving, a group of remarkable teenagers is illuminating the path toward an inspiring future,” Braner said. “These young individuals are not just the leaders of tomorrow; they are the leaders of today. With grit, resilience, courage, creativity, compassion, and determination, these young people have something to teach us all.”

Rep. Scott Peters, D-San Diego, was joined by county Supervisor Joel Anderson, San Diego City Council President Sean Elo-Rivera and Councilmembers Marni von Wilpert and Joe LaCava in celebrating the teens’ accomplishments.

This year’s 25 Most Remarkable Teens applaud during the ceremony at the San Diego Central Library

The following describes just two other stories as told to the Public Defender’s office judges panel:

Eddie Garcia, a student from Morse High School, earned his recognition for resilience. Eddie was born in Simi Valley before moving to a relatively small town in Jalisco, Mexico. He returned to the U.S. in 2022.

Between his shifts working at Denny’s as a cook and dishwasher, he supported his two brothers and achieved in the classroom, developing his English-speaking skills while also helping his peers do the same. He now hopes to either become a professional boxer or FBI agent.

Blessyn Lavender Williams, a senior at Lincoln High School, has committed hundreds of hours to “empowering young women of color,” event organizers said.

This year’s 25 Most Remarkable Teens mingle before the ceremony at the San Diego Central Library

In addition to maintaining a 4.1 GPA and being elected to serve as a student board member for the 2023-24 term with the San Diego Unified School District, Blessyn has accumulated over 500 hours of service through the Young and Prosperous Foundation. The foundation’s goal, according to its website, is to provide resources and promote social justice in underserved communities.

Blessyn is also a member of Lincoln’s varsity cheer, lacrosse and tennis teams. She hopes to attend a Historically Black College and University next year and ultimately become a doctor.

Here’s the full list of San Diego’s “25 Most Remarkable Teens” and their award categories:

Vidhi Kulkarni, Del Norte High School, Entrepreneur
Zinia Khattar, Del Norte High School, STEM Innovation
Aiden Gruby, Stanley E. Foster School of Engineering, Innovation and Design, Food Justice Advocate
Joanay Benton, Mountain Empire High School, Overcoming Barriers
Ava Grosley, Carlsbad High School, Courage to Overcome Adversity
Arnav Dagar, Canyon Crest Academy, Inventor
Sarah Gao, Canyon Crest Academy, Environmental Activism
Daphne Mayer, La Jolla High School, Cultural Representation
Jazbe Solomon, University City High School, Youth Activism
Arden Pala, Francis Parker, Community Service
Aviya Afra, The Grauer School, Humanitarian
Chris Moya, Chula Vista High School, LGBTQ+ Activism
Jessie Way, San Marcos High School, Mental Health Advocacy
Stephanie Morden, Guajome Park Academy, Perseverance
Samantha Morden, Guajome Park Academy, Perseverance
Hillari Hampton, San Diego State University, Non-Traditional Sports
Hashima Delawarzai, City Heights Prep, Public Speaking
Aneli Garcia, Health Sciences High and Middle College, Public Health
Theresa Aguilar, Academy of Our Lady of Peace, Community Empowerment
Shania Mancol, e3 Civic High, Innovation
Jacqueline De Anda, East Village Middle College High School, Civic Engagement
Adelina Ramirez, San Diego High School, Social Justice
Eddie Garcia, Morse High School, Resilience
Blessyn Williams, Lincoln High School, Leadership
Devin Bacon, The O’Farrell Charter School, Most Promising Teen