Downey High senior recognized as top student humanitarian in U.S.

Diana Mae Baliscao

DOWNEY - Students from Downey High School’s Thirst Project Club attended the 10th Annual Thirst Gala in Beverly Hills on Saturday, Sept. 28, where one of Downey Unified’s very own was recognized for her incomparable humanitarian efforts.

Surrounded by celebrities and her fellow club members, Downey High senior Diana Mae Baliscao, received the Power of Youth Award for being the top student humanitarian/leader in the United States.

Adam Sandler and Bryce Dallas Howard presented the award to Baliscao, who was selected as the top student humanitarian in the United States out of hundreds of students who were nominated.

She and her committee lead the Walk for Water and educated hundreds of students on the global water crisis.

“I was honored to recieve the Power of Youth Award but it was not just for me, it was for my committee, my teachers, and all the people in the city of Downey who helped us in achieving our goal to build a well in a developing country to help those in desperate need of water,” Baliscao said.

The Thirst Project is a nonprofit organization that works with the support of young people to end the global water crisis by building freshwater wells in developing communities that need safe, clean drinking water.

Downey High’s Thirst Project Club was established to support this nonprofit and further its mission to end the global water crisis.

Downey High School will be hosting another “Walk for Water” fundraiser in March in attempts to raise $24,000 to support the building of wells in developing countries.

The Thirst Gala is an annual fundraising event and photograph/multimedia exhibition held in Los Angeles each year set to educate and engage guests, by connecting them first hand to the people and communities that are helped through the Thirst Project.

“Going to the Thirst Gala was an experience I’ll never forget,” Downey High senior Wendy Galvan.

“Not only were the speeches great, but the overall energy and vibe that the crowd and guests gave off was electric. I mean, meeting and taking pictures with celebrities was fun but the night was all about celebrating the lives we changed by building fresh water wells in developing countries.”

The gala was hosted by Angela Kinsey with the help of her “The Office” alums Kate Flannery and Jenna Fischer. The awards ceremony lasted approximately two hours.

During the ceremony, students were able to listen to and experience a musical performance by Gavin DeGraw performing his songs “Soldier” and “I Don’t Wanna Be.” Celebrity appearances to present awards included Wyatt Oleff, Laura Marano, Drake Bell, Monique Coleman and many more.

At the awards ceremony, CEO and founder Seth Maxwell gave a touching speech in remembering Disney star Cameron Boyce, who passed away this year, and discussed the influence Boyce had on the organization.

Maxwell said, “It has to be said that Cameron did more with 20 years than almost anyone does with much more time… a person who knew no bounds in giving of his time and energy.”

To continue his legacy, the Thirst Project renamed the Pioneering Spirit Award, the award given to Cameron Boyce at the gala last year, to the Cameron Boyce Pioneering Spirit Award.

This year’s Cameron Boyce Pioneering Spirit Award was presented by Boyce’s best friends, Karan Brar and Sophie Reynolds, to Craig Thompson. In addition, Disney donated funds to build eight wells to bring water to those in need and continue the inspiring work Boyce did with the organization.

The dedication that students had for the Thirst Project was showcased not only in their overall work, but also at the live auction that took place during the awards ceremony and raised an astounding $366,000 in less than an hour.

Thirst Project started when a then 19-year-old Seth Maxwell organized a small activation on Hollywood Boulevard to spread information about the global water crisis.

Today, Thirst Project is the largest youth-led water activism organization in the world, which travels extensively throughout the United States to educate and empower students to end water scarcity.

One hundred percent of all student and public donations raised by Thirst Project go directly to funding freshwater wells in developing nations and impoverished communities to provide people with safe, clean water.

Downey’s Walk for Water event is scheduled for March 7 from 9 a.m. to 1 pm. The public is invited.