Sarah Boctor is a senior at Galileo High School in San Francisco. She is a first-generation student planning to pursue a pre-medical track at university. She has always been drawn to learning about science and anatomy since childhood. Her goal is to work hard, keep improving, and eventually make a positive impact on her community and other underserved communities as a surgeon.

JCYC has given her access to opportunities she otherwise would not have been able to reach. Their programs really care deeply about every kind of student.

Mariam Castillo is a senior in the 2026 class at Jefferson High School. Mariam moved to Daly City from Cuba 3 years ago with exceptional dreams, big aspirations, and unbreakable resilience. Mariam has always been attracted to arts and music, but science, health science specifically, has always been something she is curious about.

She plans to attend UC Davis for a four-year degree in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and to continue her education in medical school upon receiving her bachelor's degree. Her dream is to work in a branch of healthcare that makes people happy through empathy, connection, and genuine care. She looks forward to exploring the opportunities UC Davis offers as she prepares for the rest of her academic career.

Alicia Schkoll, school counselor at Galileo High School, was raised in San Francisco by a visually impaired single mother. As a first-generation college student, she studied psychology & criminal justice at the University of San Francisco.

Her passion for supporting youth emerged during an internship at San Francisco County Jail, leading her to pursue a Master’s in Counseling Psychology & PPS credential also at the University of San Francisco. In 2017, she joined Galileo, coordinating college access initiatives like the AVID program to ensure equal educational opportunities. Alicia resides in the Excelsior with her partner and cat, Cherry, and enjoys comic books and science fiction.

Mariana Chavez-Picazo is the Supervisor for Counseling and Post-Secondary with 19 years of experience at San Francisco Unified School District. Mariana is a S.F. native and alumna of the SFUSD. She received a BA at SF State University and a Master's in Counseling at the University of San Francisco. Most recently, she returned to SF State to complete her second master's and an Administration and Leadership credential. Mariana provides consultation, coaching, and professional development to school counselors and supports post-secondary initiatives with City College of San Francisco, San Francisco State University, and college access work and partnerships with CBO’s. As a school counselor by trade and heart, she shares a unique perspective to help lead with empathy and relationship building. Her journey as an educator has been one of leading what is important to her with an action-oriented approach and equity-focused lens. She believes that it is critical to partner with teachers, students, families, and the community to create a holistic support system.

Nancy Pelosi has represented San Francisco in Congress for 38 years and now serves as Speaker Emerita and Representative for California’s 11th District. She is the former 52nd Speaker of the House and the first woman to hold the role, first elected in 2007 and again in 2019, becoming the first in over 60 years to regain the speakership. A longtime leader of House Democrats, she served two decades in leadership, including as Democratic Whip.

She was the chief architect of major legislation, including the Affordable Care Act and the American Rescue Plan. Her leadership also advanced laws on infrastructure, climate action, prescription drug costs, and economic recovery. Pelosi has championed health care access, environmental protection, and democratic reform. In 2024, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She continues to advocate for economic opportunity, lower costs, and job creation for American families.