Outstanding Teen Citizenship Award
Application open April 1 - August 22. Apply here now!
Are you a high school student who has positively impacted the San Ramon Community? If so, then please apply for the City of San Ramon’s “Outstanding Teen Citizenship Award.”
Each year, the City of San Ramon Teen Council selects a high school student who has made a significant contribution toward enhancing the quality of life for residents of San Ramon during the last year.
2024-2025 Outstanding Teen Citizenship Award Winner
The Outstanding Teen Citizenship Award for 2024-2025 is awarded to Kenneth Sarip, a senior at Dougherty Valley High School. Kenneth made a significant impact through his work with Books for the Barrios, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving education in disadvantaged communities. In the past year, Kenneth played a significant role in the organization’s efforts in Bangsamoro, a region in the Philippines facing severe educational challenges. His dedication directly impacted 2,000 eager children in the Philippines and helped with the opening of eight new schools. He partnered with 25+ elementary schools across four local school districts, including 10 schools from the San Ramon Valley Unified School District, to donate over 15,000 books and thousands of dollars in school supplies.
Kenneth’s work not only benefited communities abroad but also positively impacted San Ramon. By working closely with local schools, he freed up valuable storage space in libraries, enabling the introduction of new educational resources tailored to students’ needs. His efforts promoted sustainability by repurposing unused books and reducing waste, minimizing landfill use, and supporting San Ramon’s commitment to a greener community. Additionally, this initiative provided financial relief to local schools by lowering storage costs and enabling them to redirect funds toward other educational needs.
Kenneth’s dedication to Books for the Barrios fostered community engagement and made San Ramon a better place to live, learn, and grow, earning him the Outstanding Teen Citizenship Award.
Please contact Jessica Reaber, Recreation Supervisor at (925) 973-3272
or jreaber@sanramon.ca.gov for further information.
Teens in Action
Siri Bode
Senior at Dougherty Valley High School
After a traumatic experience involving organ trafficking, Siri founded The Organology, a global platform educating vulnerable communities. Her efforts extended to San Ramon, where she led awareness workshops and co-founded a free health advisory clinic, which now rotates 40+ specialists each weekend and provides insurance-free care to local residents.
Rahini Chandra
Sophomore at Dougherty Valley High School
Passionate about equity in STEM, Rahini advanced Computer Science education across San Ramon. She launched Girls Who Code programs in local middle schools, co-organized a district-wide hackathon sponsored by 30+ companies, and mentored students through nonprofits including IntelliHer and Science Alliance.
Yash Gooty
Senior at Dougherty Valley High School
Driven by a deep connection to San Ramon, Yash built four redwood fences at Forest Home Farms to protect trees and enhance the park experience for families. These fences prevent livestock damage, promote tree growth, and support the park’s educational and recreational programs for visiting students and residents.
Emma Kapur
Senior at Dougherty Valley High School
Emma founded The Catalyst Journal, an online platform simplifying recent scientific research for students in San Ramon. The journal features short, accessible articles on topics like nanoscience and pharmacology, has reached over 200 readers, and is promoted through school clubs and local libraries.
Veda Kolkur
Sophomore at Dougherty Valley High School
Veda addressed teen academic stress in San Ramon through a website that maps local psychologists, lists pricing and contact information, and promotes accessible mental health care. She also volunteers in park cleanups, food distribution, and medical awareness campaigns through her work with local nonprofits.
Rittraja Mandal
Senior at Dougherty Valley High School
Rittraja strengthened San Ramon through cultural celebration, gender equity, and environmental action. She emceed charity events with Agomoni, helped organize Title IX advocacy campaigns with Girls4Sports, and co-led national tree-planting and carbon offset efforts through a student initiative launched at MIT Beaverworks.
Arjun Patel
Junior at California High School
Arjun founded AnthroMinds to support teen mental health in San Ramon, hosting workshops with guest clinicians, art therapy sessions, and journaling activities for over 1,000 students. As Tap Initiative chapter lead, he coordinated cultural volunteer efforts at Fa Yun Chan Temple and supported international education nonprofits.
Danya Sri Anantha Prakash
Junior at California High School
Through hospital volunteering, international aid, cultural education, and prescription drug awareness, Danya has made a profound impact on San Ramon. She has supported NICU families, hosted live student panels on fentanyl misuse, co-founded a global tutoring initiative, and assists youth at the International CTA Tamil language school.
Shikhar Sisodia
Senior at Dougherty Valley High School
Through leadership in Interact, Senior Connect, and tech-focused student clubs, Shikhar uplifted both youth and seniors across San Ramon. He organized app development competitions with 50+ participants, led summer activities for over 100 seniors, and coordinated community service projects through his role as Interact District Council member.
Nandini Tiwari
Senior at Dougherty Valley High School
Nandini earned the Girl Scout Gold Award by creating and distributing emergency preparedness plans to over 60 San Ramon households. She partnered with local fire district officials, trained scout troops in disaster readiness, and designed a sustainability plan for continuing preparedness education among youth groups.
Meeting Times
3rd Tuesday of the Month, 6:30pm
San Ramon Community Center
All meetings are open to the public! Members of the public are encouraged to attend and can speak during public comment by filling out the public comment card located on the entry table.
Meeting information, agendas, and complete packets can be found at http://sanramonca.iqm2.com/Citizens/Board/1040-Teen-Council.
Teen Council Ambassador Program
The San Ramon Teen Council Ambassador Program was created to assist the Teen Council in building awareness amongst San Ramon students about city-wide programs. Ambassadors will be expected to provide feedback on issues concerning the teen community and communicate with their peer networks to reach broader demographics. Through participation in this program, students will learn leadership skills, and civic engagement. As a representative of our organization, ambassadors will advocate for the Teen Council, connect with City Officials and other students, and engage with the San Ramon community.
Each school year the San Ramon Teen Council will select a diverse group from the San Ramon area (up to 3 from each school) who are currently in middle school or high school and have a passion for serving the community. Applications are typically available in September each year, with the term beginning in October/November through May. Dates of the term may change based off need of the program.
Applications will be available for the 2025-2026 school year, in August 2025.
Teen Council Applications
Teen Council Applications are closed for the 2025-2026 School Year. Check back here in January 2026 for the application timeline.
The Teen Council is a 17 member committee, with two alternates, appointed by the City Council to make recommendations to the City of San Ramon staff, Parks and Community Services Commission and City Council on the delivery of teen programs, facilities, activities, services and policies. In addition the Teen Council advocates for teen issues, volunteers for numerous City events and advises on special activities for teens.
Students who will be in any high school grade level for the 2025/2026 academic year are welcome to apply.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The San Ramon Teen Council is a group of 17 teens appointed by the City Council to:
• Identify areas of improvement for teen programs and teen recreation policies and provide solutions to City of San Ramon staff and the Parks and Community Services Commission.
• Appoint appropriate sub-committees as necessary to further the work of the teen program and the efforts of the Teen Council.
• Receive input from the teen population in San Ramon, including input from other organizations and individuals on issues relevant to the teen population.
• Act as a liaison for teen issues to governmental and private organizations.
• Provide teen feedback to staff on current and future needs of the San Ramon teen population for teen program planning.
SELECTION PROCESS
Applications for the following school year are typically available late January/early February. The Parks & Community Services Commission will review and score applications, extending interviews to a predetermined number of applicants. The number of interviews is set by the Parks & Community Services Commission prior to the start of the application process. Visit the Boards, Committees and Commissions page to sign up for notifications, which will send emails as open positions become available.
Boards, Committees and Commissions: https://www.sanramon.ca.gov/our_city/boards_committees_commissions