2024 Mayor's Youth Leadership Award

Mayor Greg Wheeler Selects Claire Cortez for the 2024 Mayor’s Youth Leadership Award

Mayor Greg Wheeler is proud to announce the selection of Claire Cortez as the recipient of the 2024 Mayor’s Youth Leadership Award and a $500 scholarship.

Cortez attends Bremerton High School (BHS) and is passionate about helping others. After moving to Bremerton and encountering the diverse and supportive environment of BHS and the community, Cortez was inspired to lead and took on various leadership roles at her high school. She has served in numerous positions, including as ASB president, Choir co-president, president of the Key Club and vice president of the Sports Medicine club, among other student leadership roles. As a senior, she co-founded the Filipino-American Student Association to foster community for students, celebrate diversity and promote awareness of Filipino-American heritage and language. In addition to her leadership activities, she is actively involved in the high school’s drill team and school choir and is a member of the National Honor Society.

She has also been committed to serving her community as a volunteer for local community-wide events, neighborhood clean-up efforts, fundraising for homeless services, and supporting events for foster care and Special Olympics. In addition, Cortez has attended several youth leadership camps, which focused on building communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills. She has been recognized for her contributions by the BHS Choir Department and earned an AP Scholar Award and Rotary Youth Leadership Award. 

Cortez’s goal is to pursue a degree path towards Pre-Medicine and Pre-Dental with a career aspiration of becoming an oral surgeon. She also has plans to pursue entrepreneurship in the future that will highlight Filipino culture and cuisine. 

The Mayor’s Youth Leadership Award is an annual program started by Mayor Greg Wheeler that recognizes exceptional youth in the City of Bremerton. For information on the scholarship program, visit the Mayor’s Youth Leadership Award page.