Waubonsee student Christian Urrea, of Aurora, received a Ted Brattin Civic Youth Award from the Rotary Club of Aurora. The annual awards recognize Fox Valley youth ages 14 to 19 who have shown qualities of citizenship, service and leadership in their school, church or community. The luncheon and award are sponsored by Aurora Rotary, the Aurora Navy League and Aurora University.
Urrea was nominated by Meg Junk, Waubonsee Student Life Specialist. In her nominating letter, Junk said she met Urrea during his orientation at Waubonsee and was immediately impressed. Describing his “compassionate nature,” Junk said Urrea has seized every opportunity to give back on campus and in the community.
“As the Student Life Specialist, I also work with leadership opportunities and civic engagement events and I see Christian’s name on almost every roster,” she wrote. “He is in search of ways to improve himself and truly passionate about opportunities to make a difference in the community.”
A first-year student at Waubonsee, Urrea has amassed an impressive list of community involvement and leadership positions throughout his life, including volunteer leadership positions within Bridging the Gap of East Aurora Snowball and membership in six high school organizations. At Waubonsee, he wasted no time joining campus groups including the Campus Activities Board, Latinos Unidos and by volunteering in service activities.
Urrea and other honorees received a scholarship and certificate of recognition during a ceremony at the annual Pearl Harbor Day Luncheon on Dec. 7 at Gaslight Manor in Aurora.
“All of the volunteer work I’ve done with my school and community, along with the events that I have been a part of over the past few years of my life, have helped shape me into the leader I am today,” Urrea said.
