Our April 2026 Youth Citizens of the Month from the Forest Grove School District. From left to right, Corra Dawkins, Neil Armstrong Middle School; Samantha Mata Barragan, Forest Grove High School; and Linda Valezuela-Alvarado, Tuality Plains High School. Photo by Blake Timm.

By John Schrag
FOREST GROVE, Ore. (May 2, 2026) — Samantha Mata Barragan, Linda Valenzuela-Alvarado and Corra Dawkins attend different schools, but the three Forest Grove students share a commitment to supporting their peers, earning the trio selection as the April 2026 Rotary Club of Forest Grove Youth Citizens of the Month.

“Samantha leaves a positive impact on everyone she encounters,” said Brian Burke, principal of Forest Grove High School, which selected the senior as one of the three youth honored at the club’s April 29 meeting.

High school counselor Amaralis Perez describes Barragan as a resilient, determined student who gives her best at school and in the community. Barragan volunteers at a local food pantry and does community outreach through MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanista de Aztlán), a school club focused on promoting Chicano culture.

And she’ll be able to continue making a positive impact on the community next year, when she will attend Pacific University.

Alvarado, a senior at Tuality Plains High School, shows kindness to everyone she meets, according to Christy Crisman, one of the school’s counselors.

“Linda defines what it means to be a stellar citizen,” Crisman said. “She balances the intense responsibilities of being a young mother, working hard in school, and supporting her peers with a genuine, honest, optimistic spirit.

Crisman noted that Alvarado was one of three students chosen to represent Tuality Plains High School on a panel before the Oregon Alternative Education Association.

Through everything, she reminds us that dedication and a positive mindset can overcome any obstacle,” Crisman said.

Dawkins, an eighth grader at Neil Armstrong Middle School, was singled out by counselor Kelsey Kaul for her support of others and kindness to all she encounters.

“She maintains a positive energy for herself, her peers, and with her teachers,” Kaul said. “She is thoughtful, self-advocates when needed, expresses enthusiasm and support for others, and leads with kindness, patience and respect.”

Dawkins is active with competitive soccer programs in Forest Grove and competed with a team that traveled to Italy last summer.

A long-standing service outreach of the Rotary Club of Forest Grove, the Youth Citizen of the Month program recognizes local eighth-graders and high school seniors who possess high standards of personal behavior and good citizenship, follow school rules, have excellent behavioral records and exemplify the ideals of Rotary. The award is rotated between the area’s three local school districts: Forest Grove, Banks and Gaston. All honorees received a certificate of achievement and a $50 gift card from Frye’s Action Athletics.

ABOUT THE ROTARY CLUB OF FOREST GROVE: Established in 1924, the Rotary Club of Forest Grove is one of the oldest and largest Rotary clubs in the Portland metropolitan area.  Serving the communities of Forest Grove, Banks, Cornelius and Gaston, the Rotary Club of Forest Grove is a dynamic group of civic-minded business and community leaders, linked by Rotary’s motto of “Service Above Self.” The Rotary Club of Forest Grove is dedicated to helping make our local communities a better place to live through the funding of local organizations, especially those focusing on youth, and through service in local projects. Membership in the Rotary Club of Forest Grove is open to anyone who wishes to make a difference in their community, and the world, through service. To learn more, visit FGRotary.org.