Pleasanton Student Is Passionate About Service & Government

PLEASANTON, CA — Star Students are found in classrooms, on concert and theater stages and at debate lecterns, and out in the community doing good things to make life better for all of us.

Star local student’s name

Joshua

What grade is your star local student in?

12, recent grad from Foothill HS

How do you know the star local student?

Internship at Gratitude Network, Pleasanton, CA

Why do you believe the star local student should be recognized?

Josh has had a big impact on community in four different ways. Josh worked with our team at Pleasanton-based Gratitude Network for two different years as an intern and was outstanding. Gratitude is a not-for-profit that promotes education, health, and well-being programs for children and teens domestically and internationally. Josh made outstanding contributions to our organization, across many different projects.

Joshua was also a Foothill High “We the People” constitutional law classmate that won 3rd place in the national competition last April in Washington D.C. Josh creatively fused his three passions of U.S. government education, golf, and a mission for service to found Light the Candle for Kids.org, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that addresses disparities in civics education and athletic programs in underserved communities.

LCK partners with local church youth groups and teaches civics, voting rights, and the basics of the Constitution through “lunch-n-learns” after a fun lesson at a golf range over the past full academic year. Josh plans to expand Light the Candle. And...Josh continues to volunteer since last summer with a social justice organization, The Pilipino Association for Workers and Immigrants (PAWIS) and has been active with Habitat for Humanity.

What's one thing you want everyone to know about the star local student?

Joshua’s academics and his community service led to seven college scholarship awards from local and state organizations. He earned The Pleasanton Community of Character Collaborative Award and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) President’s Award as a varsity golf athlete-scholar. Joshua will be attending UCLA in the Fall with an emphasis in public policy and political science. He aspires for a career in government and public service.

Congratulations on your achievements, and all of our best wishes to you in the future, Joshua!

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