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Sophia Catalan, 17-years-old, and Leyla Navarro, 18-years-old, first became friends when Sophia enrolled in our kindergarten program and Leyla enrolled in our state-licensed preschool. Sophia (left) & Leyla (middle) have… Continue Reading
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Sophia Catalan, 17-years-old, and Leyla Navarro, 18-years-old, first became friends when Sophia enrolled in our kindergarten program and Leyla enrolled in our state-licensed preschool.
Today, the two are so close they could be considered sisters.
Both are graduating high school this spring, Sophia from Godinez Fundamental High School and Leyla from Mater Dei High School.
They share something else in common that’s so inspiring: Sophia and Leyla are both young leaders, molded by their years at KidWorks and their deep desire to serve others in the Santa Ana community.
KidWorks is honored to share each of their stories.
Before we do that, both young women asked for the opportunity to thank two of KidWorks leaders for the strong positive influences they’ve had on their lives going back to their younger years.
“Jacky and I can talk about literally anything–school, life, whatever is on my mind,” Sophia says. “She was my KidWorks’ teacher in first, second, third and eighth grade when I was in elementary and middle school.
“Jacky is the person who inspired me to become a leader and join the youth programs. We laugh together all the time.”
“I met Maria a few years ago at KidWorks’ summer camp in Yosemite and we’ve grown really close,” Leyla says. “She was the one who introduced me to the organization’s Youth Community Leaders (YCL) service group (formerly known as the Youth Leadership Team).
“She’s given me rides from home to KidWorks and back again. I’m so busy between school and KidWorks and she always tells me, ‘Leyla, keep going; it will all be worth it in the end.’”
When she was ready for kindergarten, Sophia saw how much her two older twin sisters loved KidWorks and asked her parents to enroll her.
(Both sisters are now 27 years old. Kaely is currently attending university and pursuing a degree in communications. Leslie is an after-school programs teacher at a Santa Ana high school.)
“Sophia is a natural-born leader,” Maria says. “She is friendly and kind, with a bubbly personality and gentle heart.”
Adds Maria, “Sophia demonstrates leadership by proactively seeking ways to help wherever it’s needed. She never has to be asked twice when there is a task to be done and usually takes the initiative before I or the KidWorks staff even ask.”
Sophia will attend Chapman University this spring, majoring in business administration with an emphasis on accounting.
“My goal is to earn my master’s degree and work as an accountant at a big firm,” she says.
Since we first opened our doors in 1993, KidWorks has focused on developing tomorrow’s leaders who will be ready to enter the work world with the full range of skills needed by employers.
Part of that process is providing students like Sophia and Leyla with opportunities to hone their abilities as leaders.
Sophia and Leyla have pursued those opportunities with enthusiasm.
For Sophia that has included a wide variety of volunteering at Godinez: Key Club, Girls League, Vietnamese Student Association, Associated Student Body secretary and more.
Since sixth grade she has been very active in our Youth Community Leaders (YCL) group.
“We’ve done beach and park clean-ups, helped at food pantries, and visited nursing homes, plus many other community projects,” Sophia says.
She says she was particularly moved by the visits to the nursing home and the chance to interact with the residents there.
“We played bingo with them, talked about their lifetime memories and shared smiles and laughs,” Sophia says. “One older woman said to me, ‘You are all so amazing; not everyone comes to visit us.’”
She says serving in leadership positions has been key to her growth.
“I’ve become more confident as a public speaker, learning to manage multiple projects at the same time and how to develop plans and agendas,” Sophia says.
I was the only teen selected to be on a City of Santa Ana community panel last year where I shared what youth like me felt would help improve the city and better invest in young people. I would have been too shy to do that before KidWorks helped me to learn how to be a leader.”
sophia catalan
As a child, Leyla and her family lived for several years in a small, white house on Daisy Avenue right across the street from our Dan Donahue Center.
“My parents, Miguel and Victoria, signed me up for preschool and I’ve been going to KidWorks ever since,” Leyla says.
“Preschool is one of my favorite memories,” she says. “Alma Magaña (our Early Learning/Family Specialist) got me excited about doing homework, enjoying a snack with the other students and brushing my teeth. It still brings me peace today remembering how patient and kind Alma is.”
“Leyla is beautiful inside and out,” Maria says. “She is kind-hearted, gentle and a natural-born leader, just like her friend, Sophia.”
Maria says that Leyla exhibits all the attributes found in a true leader.
“She always says yes to any opportunity to serve that comes her way and is not intimidated in the least by the challenges she faces. She makes it a priority to care for others.”
That’s why it’s not surprising that Leyla has her sights set on becoming a Physician Assistant or an OB/GYN specializing in women’s health. To reach that goal, she’ll attend California Baptist University in the fall, majoring in medical science.
Leyla is a person of deep faith in Jesus and attends church with Ms. Jacky.
“Christ is the center of my life,” she says.
Leyla is very active in leadership activities and in serving, both at KidWorks and at Mater Dei.
With a deep love of music (she plays the alto saxophone), she is a member of the school’s symphonic, jazz, pep and marching bands.
At KidWorks, Leyla is active in these KidWorks’ programs:
Leyla is also an entrepreneur. Her love of baking banana bread prompted her recent launch of Leyla’s Bakery, where the offerings include traditional banana bread, along with pecan, chocolate and cholate-pecan options.
“KidWorks’ programs have helped me grow as a leader. I have developed communications skills, learned to lead groups and learned to appreciate what is required of me to be successful in my career.”
Leyla navarro
We are so proud of Sophia and Leyla, along with dozens of other KidWorks’ youths whose servants hearts are uplifting their community each day.
By Glenn Leibowitz, volunteer writer
When you support KidWorks with a financial donation, as a volunteer and in other ways, you are directly helping to provide a path forward for tomorrow’s leaders. Learn more: https://kidworksoc.org/donate