Valeria Ortiz Reyes

Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona

School: Western School of Science and Technology

Valeria Ortiz Reyes is a first-generation Mexican American student at Western School of Science and Technology. At her high school, she manages the boys varsity basketball team and participates in many clubs, such as student council and literary magazine. Throughout the duration of CHCI NextGen, she focused on emphasizing issues of climate and environment, as Phoenix is the nation’s epicenter of severe heat crises. In the future, she envisions herself giving back to the Latino community by becoming an environmental lobbyist or working in diplomacy to speak out on these issues and how they disproportionately affect vulnerable communities, such as her very own Latino low-income public. The privilege of attending CHCI NextGen has allowed her to open up to the many opportunities in government that allow for the mixing of intrapersonal relationships, intellect, creativity, and empathy. She expects many great things for herself, her fellow classmates, and alumni. Vamos Warriors!