Youth Spotlight: Rodrigo Estrada
Rodrigo Estrada’s inspiring story about his grandparents’ immigration to America from Mexico is a great reminder to Red Cross youth to be thankful for the community that has given so much to them. He is a dedicated youth volunteer who began his involvement with the Red Cross because he was inspired to give back to the community. Rodrigo is a senior in high school in El Paso, Texas and serves as a true inspiration for Red Cross youth across the nation.
Rodrigo has been involved with the Red Cross for about a year now and has already taken the opportunity to get extremely involved in his local chapter. He currently serves on committees for the Veteran’s History project, the Home Fire Safety campaign, volunteer services, and the Intake processing center. His most memorable activity was volunteering for the Home Fire Safety campaign during the national day of service in January. He went door to door to elderly citizens around the community to provide safety inspections and education. Rodrigo said, “It was shocking to see how many people were susceptible to fires and carbon monoxide poisoning.” He thoroughly enjoys volunteering at Red Cross events like this that open his eyes to people like himself that enjoy making a difference in the community. He is one of the youngest volunteers in his community, so the other Red Cross volunteers feel like family.
The Red Cross is definitely in Rodrigo’s future as he is even considering the opportunities it presents while applying to different colleges. He wants to become a human right’s attorney and through his involvement with the Red Cross, he has participated in public speaking by rallying people for a cause. The Red Cross has provided him opportunities to speak up and further develop his legal analysis and public speaking skills.
Rodrigo believes that service is an award within itself. He wants to draw attention and encourage other youth volunteers in his area and show that there are many ways to get involved with the Red Cross. He feels that bringing attention to this award will inspire other Red Cross youth and he is excited to have been nominated.
