On Nov. 19, the San Diego Public Defender’s Office, in collaboration with the San Diego Public Library, honored 25 outstanding San Diego Teens at the annual Most Remarkable Teens awards ceremony. Selected from a pool of 98 nominees, these teens have demonstrated exceptional achievements in categories such as innovation, community empowerment, social justice, and mental health advocacy. Two Chula Vista teens were honored, Izayah Ringfield in the Community Organizing category, and Ella Aldridge in the Excellence In Creative & Performing Arts category.
Ringfield is a senior at Chula Vista High School and is an inspiring young leader and community organizer dedicated to making a difference. As the Associated Student Body President, he transformed his school’s student government into an inclusive platform, ensuring every student voice is heard and feels represented. His commitment to civic engagement surpasses beyond his school’s walls as the founder and president of his school’s Black Student Union, spearheading numerous voter registration drives resulting in helping register over 1,500 people.
Ringfield’s journey in community organization came with challenges. During the pandemic, he and his family experienced losing their home and moving into his grandmother’s living room. Strengthening his family bonds, this motivated him to advocate for others facing adversity. He is inspired by John Lewis, and his mentor Marti Emerald, driven by a vision of equal representation and social justice, which he inspires to pursue as a future attorney.
A passionate advocate, Izayah has learned to connect with people by meeting them where they are, recognizing that building community is about understanding diverse perspectives. Whether he’s organizing events at school, working on civic initiatives, or mentoring peers, he approaches every task with a dedication to creating positive change. Izayah envisions a future where he can extend his advocacy beyond Chula Vista, aiming to impact communities across the nation and the world. His leadership, resilience, and dedication to community organizing make him an inspiring figure and a true agent of change.
Aldridge is a junior at the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts. A dedicated musical theatre major, her journey began as a shy performer to a confident artist and inspired her peers and mentors. Her proudest accomplishment to date is the original song she wrote and performed for the Bonitafest Melodrama. Initially hesitant to put herself out there, this performance marked a turning point for her, allowing her to share a piece of herself with the world. The experience of overcoming her shyness to connect with an audience has fueled her passion for theatre as a tool for self-expression and empowerment.
Aldridge’s dedication to the arts is paired with a commitment to making performance opportunities accessible for all students. She recognizes that she is fortunate to attend a school focused on the arts and wants to ensure other young people have similar opportunities. Aldridge believes that safe spaces for performance are essential for character development and hopes to bring such spaces to underfunded schools in the future.
Aldridge is inspired by her grandmother, a writer and actress who instilled in her a love for literature and music. Aldridge’s perfect day would involve browsing bookstores, playing guitar, and working on new songs. Guided by mentors like Dr. Max Branscomb and role models such as Lin-Manuel Miranda, she envisions a future where she uses her talents to create positive change, making her a rising star in the world of performing arts.
