Oscar Peña: Growing into Leadership
How one opportunity set off a domino effect of leadership, growth, and service
When Oscar Peña first joined RAZE Leaders, he wasn’t sure what to expect. At 18, newly arrived in the United States from Mexico, Peña was starting a new chapter and figuring out what he wanted his future to look like. He was a high school student and STUCO member at PPEP Tech Learning Center in San Luis, Arizona, when a teacher encouraged him to apply to a program designed to help young people develop leadership skills. That experience would later change how he saw his community and his own potential.
As part of Rural Arizona Engagement's (RAZE) youth program, Peña and his peers learned how to identify issues affecting young people in San Luis and develop campaigns to raise awareness and create change in their community. RAZE Leaders explored topics including substance use, sex education, water, pollution and the importance of civic participation.
“I really liked looking at a problem and creating a campaign around it to educate other people,” Peña recalls.
The program pushed Peña outside of his comfort zone. He learned how to advocate for important issues, participate in conversations with decision-makers, and understand the importance of being informed and voting. Before joining RAZE Leaders, he hadn’t paid much attention to elections or politics. The program gave him a new perspective on how getting involved can make a direct impact in his own community.
Although Peña graduated from high school and completed the program soon after, his time with RAZE Leaders was not over yet.
After he graduated from the program, RAZE Yuma Education Manager Jorge Flores, who had seen Peña’s growth firsthand, encouraged him to apply for a newly opened position: Yuma Education Coordinator. Peña applied, interviewed and soon returned to RAZE in a new role, working alongside Flores to support new generations of RAZE Leaders in Yuma County.
“Now, for example, I help students not just choose something randomly, but think about something that actually affects them,” he explains. “They can learn about it themselves so they can educate others.”
Over the years, Peña began to see the same transformation in other students that he had experienced himself. Some students entered the program nervous or afraid of public speaking. By the end, many had developed greater confidence and the ability to speak up for what they believed in.
Witnessing that growth became one of his favorite parts of the job.
“I like seeing how some of them come in really nervous or afraid, and by the end, you can see that they have more confidence in themselves,” he shared.
Peña also grew professionally during his time with RAZE. When he first joined the organization, he was still figuring out what career path he wanted to pursue. He originally considered becoming an English teacher, but after completing a Medical Assistant program, he discovered an interest in the healthcare field.
While studying to become a Medical Assistant, Peña began working with RAZE. Now, after several years of supporting youth in Yuma County, he is starting a new journey. He will continue his education in nursing at Grand Canyon University, with the goal of eventually becoming a nurse practitioner.
Although Peña is transitioning out of his position at RAZE, he is taking the lessons and experiences he gained along the way with him.
“I’m really grateful that I got to work here because I learned so many things and met so many people,” he says.
For Peña, one of the most important things he carries with him from RAZE is a desire to help others. That same motivation connects his two paths: supporting his community and caring for future patients.
He also credits the support he received throughout his time at RAZE, especially from Flores and the rest of the team, for helping him grow both personally and professionally.
Looking back at the 18-year-old who joined RAZE Leaders without knowing what to expect, Peña has one simple piece of advice for his younger self:
“Just do it.”
Today, Peña is leaving RAZE with new goals, more leadership experience, and a clearer vision for his future. As he embarks on the next chapter, his story shows the impact one opportunity can have. He joined RAZE Leaders as a high school student with no idea what to expect and grew into a leader, mentor, and role model for other young people in Yuma County. Now, he is carrying those experiences forward as he builds his future in nursing.
For the next RAZE Leaders who will come after him, Peña has one last message,
“If you have a dream, never give up. Do whatever you have to do to reach your goals, and learn as much as you can.”
Comments