Kylee Labaco was named the first place winner and Natalia Campos the second-place finisher in the Ceres Rotary Club’s annual student speech contest.
Three Ceres students delivered their speeches – themed on the topic of “How does the magic of Rotary Impact the World?” – at Friday’s lunch meeting at the Ceres Community Center.
Third place winner status went to Ceres High School senior Vincent Castrjon.
Labaco, a Whitmore Charter High School senior who was last year’s essay contest winner who went onto regional competition, won $125 as a prize. Central Valley High School sophomore Natalia Campos won $100 and Castrejon won $75 in third place.
Vincent Castrejon
In his speech, Castrejon likened the world to a canvas and Rotary to the “paintbrush that colors it with hope, change, and opportunity.”
“This magic is not the kind that requires fairy tales; instead it lies in the power of connection, service, and vision. With every project completed, every dollar donated, and every new member welcomed, Rotary’s impact multiplies exponentially, creating ripples of transformation across the globe.”
Castrejon said the Rotarian theme of bridging the gap between challenges and solutions inspires him to “think beyond myself and strive for a greater purpose: to contribute meaningfully to my community while fostering growth and understanding among those I serve.”
He noted how on a recent community cleanup, he witnessed how small actions could create a ripple effect of change.
“Strangers came together, shared conversations, and left with a sense of collective achievement. This experience reminded me of Rotary’s power to connect people and amplify impact, turning ordinary moments into extraordinary opportunities for transformation.”
“Rotary teaches us that change does not come from grand gestures alone but from consistent, meaningful efforts that uplift individuals and communities alike,” he said.
From Rotarians building schools in underserved parts of the world to delivering clean water solutions, he said the club believes that every person has the potential to make a difference.
“It is this inclusivity that inspires me to leverage my abilities and resources to serve others. By fostering partnerships and creating opportunities, Rotary enables us to go further together than we ever could alone. Their emphasis on collaboration teaches us an invaluable lesson: when people unite for a cause, the impossible becomes achievable.”
Natalia Campos
In her speech garnering a second-place award, Campos started out discussing how the world is far from the magical place that Disneyland might represent.
“The real world is overcome with hardship. The real world is filled with famine, war, and disease,” Campos said. “In the real world, it is the work of organizations like Rotary that uplift communities and bring long-lasting magic to people around the world. With their exemplary work, Rotary tries to extend their magic every day to individuals in need, without any expectation or promise of anything in return.
“Ultimately, Rotary’s work allows individuals to rise above their current situation, creating magic and prompting impactful change in many different areas.”
Campos related how her single mother constantly impresses upon her that with effort, she can accomplish anything she puts her mind to but that “this is not the reality for many children who lack access to adequate resources.”
From a young age visiting family in Mexico, she witnessed firsthand the hardships many people have to overcome in their everyday life to acquire basic necessities.
“At most street intersections, in most markets, I would see struggling mothers and young children approaching foreigners for spare change, from early in the morning to late at night. Economic insecurity is not a problem affecting only Mexico. Worldwide, it is estimated that around 6 million children die annually due to poor living conditions. For many of these families, their priority lies in acquiring food for the next meal, which means educational goals are often an unachievable dream.”
Campos noted that Rotary members provide prenatal clinics to pregnant women, decreasing the risks associated with childbirth while increasing the life expectancy of children. They also provide cancer check-ups and maternal guides free of charge.
“Drawing from their example, I also participated in community programs that provide resources and educate individuals in my community. As a PHAST J member, I participated in various workshops geared towards elementary students explaining the dangers of drug and tobacco use. Through these efforts, my goal is to help other students understand the value of their health and make the most of their education.”
Campos cited how Rotary has opened an all-girls school in Afghanistan and created new teaching methods in South Africa and Puerto Rico, “where students are taught to read by recognizing the letter of sounds, instead of the actual names of the letters.”
“Rotary’s magic applies to me. For many immigrant first-generation students, attending college is an opportunity that is difficult to afford. However, thanks to Rotary’s ‘Student of the Month Award,’ as well as the Rotary senior scholarships, I have increased opportunities to pursue my education.”
She concluded saying that “In the future, I wish to extend this magic by continuing to give back to others, using my experiences and knowledge to help others achieve their goals. Whether it is by participating in school clubs, volunteering in the community, or pursuing a career where I can help others, my goal is to use my resources to help others and create magic whenever possible… Ultimately, Rotary’s efforts teach me that we are all in charge of creating magic in our world, however small or big, because it is the small efforts that add up to help the world become a better place.”
Kylee Labaco
Reflecting on her earlier-in-life belief in fantasies and the realization that magic is not real, Labaco said she still has a desire for greatness.
“Realistically, there is nothing I could do, alone, to spark that type of influence over others,” said Labaco. “Yet, I have come to learn that greatness can be found in community. After all, a great hero always has a sidekick or team. A great mage always belongs to a party. And the community I have come to recognize is Rotary. A community of over 1.2 million people who seek improvement for everyone and anyone they can.”
She cited Rotary’s mission statement: “Together, we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change — across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.”
“The key word here being together,” said Labaco. “As in together, they raised $100 million in grants to get clean water for Lebanese schools. As in together, they brought HIV rates in infants down by 95 percent in two years. As in together, Rotary raised $17.4 million to provide Ukrainian refugees with essential supplies and support.”
She shared that one of her fondest memories as an Interact member (a junior
leadership branch of Rotary) was collecting money for the Purple Pinkie Project. It involved standing outside in the hot summer sun to collect for the eradication of polio.
“See, I knew it was to help treat a disease called polio, which I had
known at the time to be a disease that could paralyze the body and render internal functions unworkable. But I couldn’t help thinking what could a
single dollar do? A single dollar from a couple kids in a small school in the middle of the most heavily populated state in the United States. How could our petty cash do anything?”
Since 1985, Rotary has helped reduce the incidence of polio to a mere 0.01% globally.
“That is what made that memory fond to me. The knowledge that those very few weeks I spent gathering donations from my classmates were a fraction of that change. That together, we brought about such a drastic improvement, and saved so many lives by raising $2.1 billion as a community to help stop polio.
“So, sure, Rotary can’t create worlds with the swish of a hand. They can’t use the force, or fight off all the villains who plague this world. But the one thing I know for sure: Rotary cannot be and is not is solitary. They have proven to me, and given me hope that although magic is not real, there is still the power to influence great change with the help of others, which is magic enough to me.”
The three students were asked to share about themselves. Castrejon said he hopes to enter a medical program to become a doctor. Campos explained that she wants to go into engineering but unsure of what type, possibly a software engineer. Labaco wants to become a computer engineer and focus on artificial intelligence (AI) or robotics.
