![Sarah Silva, 9, left, and Angelina Cueva, 9, work on a vitamin matching worksheet as plates displaying the correct portions in each food group sit in front of them during the Health Squad Summer Camp. Youth Alliance, in partnership with the American Diabe](https://sanbenito.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2013/08/fd885b69751a09e84fb5417243211e8b-696x554.jpg)
State Assemblyman Luis Alejo recently presented the Youth Alliance with a California Peace Award.
On Aug. 2, at National Night Out, Alejo warded the California Peace Award to the Hollister-based nonprofit organization.
According to an announcement from the Youth Alliance:
Youth Alliance was awarded the California Peace Award at National Night Out on August 2, 2016. Asm. Luis Alejo’s representative, Javier Gomez, congratulated Executive Director, Diane Ortiz and the YA team for its contribution to the success and sustainability of programs and outreach that “enhance the community’s quality for the entire population and instill a great sense of pride in those individuals associated with” YA. In addition, YA was honored for “its exemplary record of civic engagement and community service,” all while acknowledging the importance of investing in our youth as prominent leaders of our community. YA is committed to investing and empowering these young leaders as agents of change not only for themselves but for their community as a whole. YA is on the forefront of our communities’ social uplifting–providing a much more socially conscious narrative in which our youth are seen as leaders and role-models for the rest of the community.
“YA is proud to be honored for investing in local youth for over 20 years. Our entire community benefits from our youth leaders when they are living proof that investing in their education and life success truly works,” said Diane Ortiz, executive director, in a statement.