Contributed by Christiana Garcia and Damian Martinez, Civic Education Center
In late April, Central Valley youth celebrated civic leadership and innovation at the annual Civic Education Center’s Youth Showcase. This event was designed to answer the question, “How can youth experience and share the positive impacts of their civic projects?” This showcase plays an important role in cultivating further civic curiosity, as many students spend the entire school year identifying a community need, creating a project to address it, and finding community partners to help bring their ideas to fruition, all in hopes of earning their State Seal of Civic Engagement. It is an award given by the California State Board of Education that recognizes high school students who identify a problem, create an action plan, and help fill gaps in their communities.
The showcase highlights youth leadership and gives them the opportunity to present the impact of their projects for a chance to win a cash prize. This year, the event successfully brought together multiple schools, with over 50 students ranging from fifth grade to graduating seniors, along with many community members, donors, and sponsors such as Shinnyo-en Foundation.
One of the projects featured at this showcase was the Pesticide Awareness Project. This initiative started back in August 2025, when eleventh-grader Damian Martinez from Fowler High School wanted to find a way to help his community. Coming from a small town surrounded by agriculture, Martinez stated, “I knew I wanted my project to focus on raising awareness of the harms of pesticides.” Through his efforts, he was selected by the Environmental Collaborative of Central California to speak at Fresno City College Earth Day on April 18, 2026. His message reached community members, farmers, businesses, and even a state senator.
The Pesticide Awareness Project won third place in the showcase, securing his team a cash prize for Martinez and his team. “We are so thankful for Shinnyo-en Foundation grant that allowed us to conduct our community outreach and speak at the Earth Day event,” said Martinez.
Another initiative supported by the foundation was Ambassadors of Tomorrow, founded by twelfth-grader Christiana Garcia. Created to train students in public speaking and civic leadership for community outreach events, the program has empowered students to amplify their voices through strong communication skills. Garcia stated, “With the support of Shinnyo-en Foundation, we’ve been able to host civic dialogues across California and speak at college campuses and Rotary Clubs about the importance of civics.”
Garcia embodied this mission herself when she was honored with the opportunity to emcee the entire Youth Showcase event, including introducing student projects.
Overall, the showcase was a hit. Representing Shinnyo-en Foundation, Dr. Ineko Tsuchida traveled from the Bay Area to witness this inspiring display of student dedication. Through the ongoing support of Shinnyo-en Foundation, students from across the Central Valley have been able to help their communities and amplify their voices for lasting impact.