Congratulations to Desert Town Hall’s 2026 Youth Ambassador Scholarship Recipients

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. -- June 22, 2026 -- The Board of Directors of Desert Forum, Inc. is pleased to announce Desert Town Hall’s 2026 Youth Ambassador Scholarship recipients.

Desert Town Hall is committed to creating unforgettable experiences by delivering engaging, inspiring, and thought-provoking ideas through the voices of world-class speakers. The speaker series consists of four events each year, from January to April. Youth Town Hall is the student part of these events, providing opportunities for up to 600 students from high schools across the Coachella Valley.

 

"Each year, our Youth Town Hall participants inspire us with their enthusiasm,

leadership, and dedication to learning," said Board President Tim Pyne.

"These scholarship recipients have embraced every opportunity to grow

through the program, and we are honored to support them as they pursue

their goals and prepare to become the next generation of leaders."

 

Individual scholarships were awarded in the amounts of $500 to $1,000.

Desert Town Hall and Youth Town Hall are produced by Desert Forum, Inc., a

nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation. The presenting sponsor is the H.N. and

Frances C. Berger Foundation. Sponsors include the City of Indian Wells;

Foster-Gardner, Inc.; Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa; Roemer & Harnik,

LLP, Attorneys and Counselors at Law; Sunrise Company/Toscana Country

Club/Andalusia; 111 Wealth Management Group at Morgan

Stanley/Valentine-Dougherty-Clark; and West Coast Turf.

 

Meet the 12 outstanding recipients of the 2026 Youth Ambassador

Scholarships:

 

Alani Diaz is a 2026 graduate of La Quinta High School and plans to follow a career

in business administration or politics. Alani says, “One of the main lessons I learned

at Youth Town Hall was from the speakers Ben Shapiro and Van Jones. They came

together from opposite sides of the political field and had a good conversation.

Even though they didn’t agree on most topics, they could still sit down and talk.”

 

Bella Preciado is a senior at La Quinta High School. Bella hopes to become a

pediatric surgeon. She shared “The most important lesson I learned from Youth

Town Hall was that not everyone will see the world the same way I do, and that’s

okay. Growing up, it’s easy to think that differences in opinions create distance

between people, but Youth Town Hall showed me that meaningful conversations

can happen even when we disagree.”

 

Caleb Hancock, a senior at Palm Desert High School, plans to follow a career in

medicine. Caleb would encourage his peers to become Youth Ambassadors because

“You get to share ideas, listen to others, and help shape conversations that matter.

It also helps you build confidence, communication, and leadership skills.”

 

Emily Gasswint is a senior at Shadow Hills High School. She shared “Through my

time at Youth Town Hall this year, I discovered that my voice is a legitimate tool for

change rather than just a whisper in the crowd. I learned that leadership isn't about

having all the answers, but about having the courage to ask the right questions in

front of people who can take action.” Emily plans to be a JAG Officer (military

lawyer).

 

Jackson Kulevich is a 2026 graduate of Xavier College Preparatory High School.

Jackson plans to pursue a career in urban planning and public policy, focused on

building stronger, more equitable communities. “I want to work at the intersection

of government and private development to create smart, sustainable growth. My

goal is to help design communities that offer access to affordable housing, efficient

transportation, and economic opportunity. I am especially interested in returning to

the Coachella Valley to support thoughtful development, strengthen local

businesses, and ensure that growth benefits all residents,” he says.

 

Jemma DeJardin, a senior at Xavier College Preparatory, plans to complete dental

school and specialize in orthodontics. Jemma encourages her peers to “always pay

attention to what is said, even if it’s something you disagree on. It will open your

mind to new information and perspectives that you may have previously missed.”

 

Kevin Ortega is a 2026 graduate of Palm Desert High School. He will attend UC San

Diego this fall and plans to be a physician. Kevin says “The most important life

lesson that I learned through my experience at Youth Town Hall is to always be open

and receptive to other perspectives and to never feel discouraged to express my

opinion.”

 

Shaan Moorjani, a senior at Palm Desert High School, hopes to become an airline

pilot. Shaan encourages other students to follow in his footsteps as a Youth

Ambassador. “If you are open to new opportunities, it's a great environment to

connect with new people, make new friends, and learn from one another,” he says.

 

Siera Irwin is a 2026 graduate of La Quinta High School. She will attend Cal State

Fullerton in the fall and plans to be a registered nurse specializing in pediatrics or

psychology. Of Youth Town Hall, she says, “I learned that it is important to take

action and be a leader in the areas of your community that you are passionate

about and where you want to see change.”

 

Valeria Magana is a junior at Xavier College Preparatory. She plans to follow a

career path in civil/architectural engineering. “One significant life lesson I gained

from participating in Youth Town Hall this year is that connectivity is an essential

skill for the youth. Engaging with students from diverse backgrounds demonstrated

that sharing personal experiences and ideas not only provides a sense of support

but also strengthens our collective voice as a community,” she says.

 

Vanessa Braginton, a senior at Xavier College Preparatory, hopes to follow a career

as a physician-scientist where she will combine medicine, research, and community

advocacy to improve lives. She says an important life lesson she learned at Youth

Town Hall is that “leadership is not about being the loudest person in the

room, but about listening to others, building connections, and using

your voice to positively impact your community.”

 

Xmelia Pasillas is a 2026 graduate of Coachella Valley High School who is planning a

career path in the medical field. “I would tell students that the environment of

Youth Town Hall is very inviting. You are able to freely express your opinion without

judgment and often learn ideas from other students that make you question things

that you might have believed. The space for genuine conversation is fostered at the

town halls among individuals that are your age but from different communities and

experiences,” she says. 

 

 

For additional information about Desert Town Hall and Youth Town Hall, visit www.deserttownhall.org.

 

 

# # #