State Superintendent Thurmond Announces California High School Student Representatives for the 2026 U.S. Senate Youth Program

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond today announced two extraordinary high school students to represent California in the 64th annual United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP). Cindy Chen of Walnut (Los Angeles County), a senior at Walnut High School in the Walnut Valley High School District, and Gabrielle Listana of San Francisco (San Francisco County), a senior at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory, were selected for their outstanding leadership skills, extraordinary commitments to their schools and communities, and academic and extracurricular achievements as California’s delegates in this highly competitive program.

“These truly remarkable students embody the power of civic engagement and the promise of public service,” Superintendent Thurmond said. “Their dedication to scholarship, leadership, and service is inspiring. I am incredibly proud of their achievements and look forward to all they will continue to do for their communities and for California.”

Superintendent Thurmond also named two alternates in the event one or both delegates are unable to attend the program. The first alternate is Leanne Fan of San Diego (San Diego County), a senior at Westview High School in the Poway Unified High School District. The second alternate is Jerry Yang of Valley Village (Los Angeles County), a senior at North Hollywood Senior High School in the Los Angeles Unified School District.

“These students have demonstrated strong leadership and a passion for making positive changes through advocacy work on issues such as gender equity, environmental justice, STEM, mental health, and social justice,” said Superintendent Thurmond. “I am very impressed with leaders such as Cindy, Gabrielle, Leanne, and Jerry who have already done so much in their young lives to make a difference in their schools and communities and to serve others. I am encouraged by their desire to empower youth and ensure that students have a voice at the table. They are excellent role models for their peers and adults, which reassures me that our future is in good hands with them leading the charge.”

The delegates and alternates are scheduled to be recognized by the State Board of Education during its January 14–15, 2026, meeting in Sacramento.

Sponsored by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation, the USSYP provides a yearly opportunity for selected students to gain an in-depth view of the U.S. Senate and the federal government overall, as well as a deeper understanding of the interrelationship of the legislative, judicial, and executive branches, according to the national USSYP website, and is a true partnership among government leaders, state and national education leaders, and America’s future leaders. The program provides a foundation of knowledge and encouragement for those considering a future in public service on the local, state, or national level.

Two student leaders from each state, the District of Columbia, and the Department of Defense Education Activity each receive a $10,000 undergraduate scholarship and an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, DC, for Washington Week, March 7–14, 2026, to meet and learn from high-level appointed and elected government officials.

Students must be nominated by their high school principals to participate in the program. To qualify for the program, students must be a high school junior or senior actively serving in an elected or appointed leadership position representing a constituency in an organization related to student government, education, public affairs, or community service and express an interest in pursuing a career in public service.

A selection committee from the California Department of Education (CDE) reviews eligible nominees, and students are selected based on the quality of their application, demonstrated leadership abilities, academic achievement, involvement in school and community activities, extracurricular activities, and commitment to public service.

For more information, please visit the CDE USSYP web page. The following are synopses compiled from the students’ applications:

Cindy Chen—Delegate
Walnut High School, Walnut
Walnut Valley High School District
Los Angeles County

Cindy was appointed as the only student representative from her school to the Los Angeles County Office of Education Student Advisory Council, representing over 14,000 students in her district and helping to shape policy decisions that impact more than 1.3 million students across the county. She leads “Know Your Rights” campaigns and student-led community projects that have connected with and empowered hundreds of young people throughout Los Angeles County. She is the Founder/CEO of IgniteHER, the first organization and nonprofit for rhetorical feminism, transforming youth advocacy into global policy action. A United Nations-recognized and partnered organization, there are over 100 chapters across 66 countries reaching 1 million people and training 50,000 girls. She was selected as the sole U.S. United Nations Ambassador for Gender Equality, representing the U.S. and UN Foundation in peace dialogues, youth diplomacy forums, and global policy discussions. As Chief of Staff for Coalition PAC, a youth-led political action committee that advocates for working families, she has led statewide operations and organized rallies with state leaders to mobilize youth for elections. She is named Academic All-American by the National Speech and Debate Association to the top 1 percent of U.S. debaters for excellence in civic discourse and academia, a two-time national qualifier and top-50 nationally in World Schools Debate. She hopes to study Public Policy and Gender and Sexuality Studies, focusing on feminist governance, legislative design, and policy. In the future, she desires to serve as a California legislator and one of the youngest U.S. senators, ultimately becoming a Supreme Court justice, transforming justice with ideals born in grassroots movements and enacted into law.

Gabrielle Listana—Delegate
Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory, San Francisco
San Francisco County

Gabrielle is currently the Chair and District 6 Commissioner of the San Francisco Youth Commission, where she represents over 175,000 youth in the city and county to the mayor and board of supervisors, advising on youth policies, coordinating community engagement efforts, and tabling at events. A District6 Commissioner since she was twelve years old, Gabrielle has published policy recommendations and numerous resolutions, leading to free public transportation for youth, $4.2 million toward immigrant legal aid, and extended library hours. She is Co-Founder of Young Leaders in Climate Action, which seeks to close climate education gaps through workshops and events reaching 5,000 youths, and has developed middle-school curricula and secured funding through writing grant proposals. As Co-Captain of Speech and Debate, she competed locally and nationally with original speeches on identity and politics and was a semifinalist at the Cal Invitational Tournament. She has been a High School Fellow for the University of California, Berkeley, Sustainable Internet Lab where she researched the socioeconomic and environmental impacts of illegal e-waste trade and collaborated with the UC Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy to develop environmental justice and policy curriculum for Building a Sustainable Internet, the first undergraduate course on sustainable digital infrastructure. An AP Scholar with Distinction, Gabrielle received the Questbridge College Prep Scholar Humanities Award based on her writing, academic excellence, motivation, and desire to succeed. She desires to major in public policy and science, technology, and society to learn to develop equitable climate solutions for Californians through science and legislation, and eventually pursue a career in environmental policy and education at the local or state level.

Leanne Fan—First Alternate
Westview High School, San Diego
Poway Unified School District
San Diego County

Leanne was elected to the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council for Poway Unified School District where she has initiated several new programs from input: organized a districtwide “What I Wish My Parents Knew” panel and expanded unified physical education programs for inclusivity. She is the co-editor-in-chief of her high school newspaper, leading an award-winning newsroom and setting standards for sourcing, verification, and editorial civility. She holds idea circles for staff to encourage critical thinking and mentors new students on writing articles and page design. As the founder of SEMI Sustainability Youth Network (SSYN), she has built K–12 climate literacy programs connecting students with industry experts to develop projects and hold local sustainability research/policy competitions. She has co-founded Clearwater Innovation, a student-led nonprofit where she teaches garagelab innovation and engages students in environmental policy, publishing a yearly magazine with student-made art and articles. Named America’s Top Young Scientist by 3M and Discovery Education, she invented a pair of headphones to detect and treat ear infections to prevent hearing loss in kids. She received the 2nd Grand Award and 1st NASA award among 1,600 finalists at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair for her wound-healing research. She plans to major in molecular and cellular biology as well as global health and health policy. In the future, she would like to become U.S. Surgeon General or lead the Centers for Disease Control. Her goal is to share the knowledge and skills needed to protect our most vulnerable citizens and advocate for the disenfranchised by listening to communities and building solutions with them.

Jerry Yang—Second Alternate
North Hollywood High School, North Hollywood
Los Angeles Unified School District
Los Angeles County

Jerry was elected as a student board member by 86 high schools to represent 500,000 students in Los Angeles Unified, the second-largest school district in the U.S. He has planned and emceed a Young Men’s Leadership Conference for 500+ BBIPOC youth and a Mental Health and Wellness Symposium. He launched “Dream It, Achieve It” to expand career paths, internships, and dual enrollment, and expanded busing, buffers, and support groups to address immigration fears. He enjoys performing arts and led the reboot of the theater program, integrated scriptwriting into the curriculum, and played multiple lead roles in productions. As President of the Los Angeles Youth Council, he represents 1.2 million youth in Los Angeles and planned the LA City Youth Summit and LA Youth Expo for thousands of youths. As an intern with Legacy LA, he facilitated a conference between Los Angeles Police Department officers and youth of color and hosted a mental health and substance use disorder youth fair. Awards include a top-5 ranking in the nation with the National Speech & Debate Association and Coca-Cola Scholars Semifinalist (top 1.15 percent of 107,000) as a high-achieving student and his capacity to lead and serve. He plans to study public policy and environmental science to understand how to build institutions that redress historic environmental justice issues and erase socioeconomic barriers. He has seen the effectiveness of education as an equalizer and hopes to become the California State Superintendent of Public Instruction someday, intersecting education and social justice to ensure holistic coverage of student needs.

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Tony Thurmond — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5602, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100