Marlen Castaneda

Student at Orange High School

As a kid, Marlen enjoyed talking without a care in the world. However, in middle school, she began to see others' true nature. Before, she had the ability and courage to stand out with no second thoughts, but she soon realized that not everyone made nice comments. This soon led to her first taste of social anxiety. It was overwhelming and Covid-19 made the situation worse. In her sophomore year of high school, Marlen restrained herself from doing everything she wanted. She joined clubs, but she was too nervous to stand out so she did not talk much. Marlen knew that she needed to stand out. She needed to let go of her fear and insecurities. So, she decided to attend a cultural and leadership-oriented summer program. During this program, Marlen felt free. She talked like before and she acted herself. This program gave her the courage and confidence that she needed to become a leader. In her junior year, Marlen became president of her school’s Hispanic culture club, became a link crew leader, and toured her group of 8th graders around her high school. She even had enough courage to try out for her school's soccer team, making varsity in the spring. Although her leadership journey only started 2 years ago, she has achieved more than she could have imagined.