QYLA 2024 Welcome Statement from Tanya Krause, Scotts Valley Unified School District (SVUSD) Superintendent

Tanya Krause, SVUSD Superintendent

Queer Youth Leadership
Awardees
- Eli Romero Ortigosa (he/him/his) | Co-President, Dream Club
- Juniper Brown (he/him/his & they/them/theirs) | Student, Homeschool | Assistant Instructor, Niji Dojo | Member, Queer & Trans Youth Council (QTYC) | Former Intern, California Film & Cultural Center
- Madeline Aliah (she/her/hers) | Student, Cypress High School | Member, Queer & Trans Youth Council (QTYC)
- T Humble (they/them/theirs) | Student, Pacific Collegiate School (PCS) | Co-founder, Trans Non-Binary Student Union (TNBSU) | President, FemCo Club | Member Leader, GSA Network Student
Nominees
- Alex Trask (he/him/his & they/them/theirs) | Student, Scotts Valley High School | President, Sexuality & Gender Alliance Club (SAGA) | Member, Queer & Trans Youth Council (QTYC) of Santa Cruz County
- Bella Umeki-Martinez (she/her/hers & they/them/theirs) | Student, Watsonville High School | Member, Sexuality & Gender Acceptance (SAGA) Club | President, Asian American Pacific Islander Student Union (AAPI) | Co-President, Associated Student Body (ASB), Watsonville High School
- Christiana Herzog (she/her/hers) | Student, Branciforte Middle School | President, “The Muskequeers” GSA Club | President, Anime Club
- Demetri Ausmus (he/him/his & they/them/theirs) | Student, Lakeview Middle School | Member, QSA Club
- Evan Jacques-Maynes (he/him/his) | Student, Aptos High School | Student Senator, Student Senate | Member, Rainbow Alliance Club
- Grey Flores (they/them/theirs) | Student, Cypress High School | President, Leadership
- Izabella Leon (she/her/hers & they/them/theirs) | Student, Pajaro Valley High School | Vice-President, GSA Club | Culture Commissioner, Associated Student Body (ASB)
- Jonathan Escobar (he/him/his) | Class President, Pajaro Valley High School | Secretary, GSA Club
- Mark Mendoza Luengas (he/him/his & they/them/theirs) | Student, Pajaro Valley High
- Milo Anima (he/him/his) | Student, Scotts Valley High School (SVHS) | Volunteer, Cross-Age Tutor program
- Monse Morales-Garcia (he/him/his) | Student, Sequoia High School
- Mordy Brody (they/them/theirs) | Student, Cypress High School | Member, GSA Club | Team Member, Ethics Bowl | Volunteer, Temple Beth El, Homeless Garden Project & Contra Costa Midrasha
- Nico Olmstead (he/him/his & they/them/theirs) | Student, Delta Charter High School | Member, QSA Club | Member, Queer & Trans Youth Council (QTYC) | Community/Cultural Worker, Parks & Rec, Santa Cruz County Parks
- Ollie Boynton (she/her/hers & they/them/theirs) | Student, Vine Hill Elementary School | Member, “Rainbow Bears” GSA Club | Member, “Rainbow Kids Circle” Diversity Center Young Trans Kids Club
- Ruby Romero-Maya (she/her/hers & they/them/theirs) | Student, Pajaro Valley High School | President, Pajaro Valley High School GSA Club | Lead, Culture Commission | Student Trustee, PVUSD School Board
- Sadie Maher (they/them/theirs) | Student, Aptos High School | Assistant Scoutmaster & Eagle Scout, Scouts BSA Band | Member, Watsonville Band
- Sion Erkiletion (they/them/theirs) | Student, Delta Charter High School | Leader, QSA Club | Member, Queer & Trans Youth Council (QTYC)
Ally to Queer Youth Award
Awardee
- Pam Sexton (she/her/hers) | Co-founder, Rainbow Defense Coalition of Santa Cruz County and the Pajaro Valley | PVUSD Adult Education Instructor | Community Advocate
Nominees
- Brian Hanaway (he/him/his) | Co-Coordinator, Queer, Trans, & Allied Student Summit of the Central Coast- Fall 2023 | Co-Coordinator, Celebration of LGBTQIA+ Graduates- Spring 2023 | Facilitator, Rainbow Conference | Intern, Safe Schools Project of Santa Cruz County
- Cassie Blume (she/her/hers) | Parent | Co-organizer, Rainbow Glitter Kids at the Rainbow Conference | Co-Advisor, Gault School’s Rainbow Club
- Cybele Lolley, LMFT (she/her/hers & they/them/theirs) | Clinical Program Director, The Diversity Center
- Devon Lincoln (she/her/hers) | Advisor, Trans Non-Binary Student Union (TNBSU) of Pacific Collegiate School (PCS)
- Katie Kriscunas (she/her/hers) | Principal, Lakeview Middle School (LMS) and Pajaro Middle School (PMS)
- Lisa Gutiérrez Wang, PhD (she/her/hers) | Director, Children’s Behavioral Health, Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency
- Meggie Pina (she/her/hers) | Senior Manager of Well-Being Programs, The Diversity Center
- Melissa Walpole (she/her/ hers) | Librarian, Scotts Valley High School
- Rhiannon Soto (she/her/hers) | Social-Emotional Counselor, Branciforte Middle School Muskequeer Club Advisor
- Sara Homan (she/her/hers) | Co-Founder, Rainbow Kids Circle
- Savannah Wohlstattar (she/her/hers) | English Teacher, Scotts Valley High School | Advisor, Sexuality and Gender Alliance Club (SAGA)
- Zak Keith (they/them/theirs) | PhD Candidate, Queer Youth Culture, University of California at Santa Cruz | Peer Group Facilitator, The Diversity Center
Organizational Ally to Queer Youth Award
Awardee
- Niji Dojo
Nominees
- Raíces y Cariño Family Center
- Rainbow Defense Coalition of Santa Cruz County and the Pajaro Valley
- San Lorenzo Valley Middle School Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA)
- Scotts Valley City Council
- Trans Non-Binary Student Union (TNBSU) of Pacific Collegiate School
Congratulations to the 2024 Nominees & Awardees!