Natalie Cerna felt isolated and lonely as the only Czech-American student in her school, but after she got on the bus to go to the Girls Inc. Smart Choices Summer Camp at the University of California Santa Cruz, she discovered that she loves sharing ideas, being with other people and following her passions in every aspect of her life. “This organization has prepared me to change the world, and that is exactly what I plan to do. Girls Inc. encountered a timid girl, and because of the women I’ve met and the lessons I’ve learned, the world gets to see a resilient and passionate woman, the most authentic, true me.”

Natalie joined the ECHO Leadership Mentoring program and loves teaching other girls. Even as a little kid, Natalie would create lesson plans in her bedroom, and then she lined up her stuffed animals and taught them. Her goal now is to become an English teacher.

“I live for the gentle buzz of my mind when I am learning something particularly challenging, and I want to help others find the same.”

Natalie will be attending the Anglo-American University (Malá Strana, Czechia) in Fall of 2023.