Your Red Cross Update

By: Aarushi Saha, American Red Cross volunteer

When 15-year-old Aliyah Yang, a rising sophomore from Moraga, Calif., applied to attend the American Red Cross Northern California Coastal Regional Leadership Development Center (LDC), she wasn’t sure what to expect.

“I was excited because I got accepted,” she said. “But I also thought, ‘What if it’s super boring? What if everyone is mean?’”

Those concerns quickly disappeared when she arrived at Redwood Glen Camp and Conference Center in Loma Mar this summer.

Instead of an intimidating environment, she found a welcoming community of humanitarians that encouraged delegates to explore careers in health care and emergency services, build lasting friendships and step outside their comfort zones.

Aliyah first heard of the LDC when she came across the conference online while looking for ways to learn about the medical field.

This annual event provides opportunities for youth ages 13-18 to develop and cultivate core leadership skills, including teamwork, public speaking and diversity awareness, while interacting with like-minded students who want to make a difference. LDC delegates participate in workshops on Red Cross topics such as disaster preparedness, diversity, international services and more.

“I’ve always been interested in medicine, but I never really knew what I wanted to do in the future,” she said. “I knew the Red Cross was involved in so many different things, and I thought this would be a good opportunity to learn more.”

The summer of 2026 marked Aliyah’s first year attending LDC. Coming into the conference, her main goal was to better understand both the Red Cross and the many career paths available in health care. Throughout the week, that goal began to take shape.

LDC participants heard from Red Cross leaders, board members and volunteers who shared their career journeys, introduced students to the Red Cross lines of service and explained how they became involved with the organization.

“There were so many people to look up to,” Aliyah said. “Listening to their experiences really helped me understand what I want to do… LDC helped stabilize the idea that I might become a nurse in the future.”

The four-day long experience gave her a clearer sense of direction and renewed confidence in pursuing a career in nursing.

Throughout the week, participants took part in interactive games, team activities and educational sessions covering a variety of emergency, health and leadership topics. For Aliyah, the camp’s balance of fun and meaningful conversations made the experience especially memorable.

“We had trivia and activities that made learning about medical topics fun,” she said. “It never felt like we were just sitting through lectures.”

One session, however, stood out for a different reason.

A discussion focused on mental health encouraged participants to openly talk about difficult topics while emphasizing the importance of empathy and support.

“They made it feel like mental health really matters,” Aliyah said. “It was a place where people could talk without feeling judged, and I thought that was really important.”

While the educational sessions left a lasting impression, it was the people who made the biggest impact.

“Everyone there was genuinely the sweetest and nicest,” she said. “It’s crazy how close everyone became in just a few days.”

That supportive atmosphere gave her the confidence to try something she never imagined she would do.

During the camp talent show, Aliyah made a last-minute decision to perform.

“I would’ve never signed up before,” she said. “It was an impulse decision.”

Surrounded by encouraging friends and staff, she stepped onto the stage.

“If I didn’t have that community, I don’t think I would’ve done it,” she said. “Everyone was cheering me on.”

Looking back, she says that experience became one of the biggest lessons she took home from LDC.

“Getting over your fears is so important,” she said. “Sometimes you just have to do it.”

By the end of the week, Aliyah had gained so much more than she anticipated. Not only did she gain a deeper understanding of the Red Cross and explored her interest in health care, she also left with greater confidence in herself.

For students considering attending LDC, her advice is simple.

“Just be yourself,” she said. “Everyone is so kind and open, and no one is there to judge you. You’ll make friends, learn so much, and surprise yourself with what you’re capable of.”

For Aliyah, LDC was more than a leadership camp. It became a place where uncertainty turned into confidence, strangers became friends, and an interest in medicine became a clearer vision for the future.