RWC’s Student of the Month December 2024

Alexandra (AKA Ally) Hatakeyama, Los Alamitos High School Student of the Month for December 2024 and was honored at the Rossmoor Woman’s Club’s monthly luncheon in December at The Grande Events Center in Long Beach. Ally was presented a scholarship check for $1000 at the luncheon by Michelle Wittenberg.

Ally is a passionate advocate for mental wellness and leadership. She’s dedicated to improving the well-being of youth through holistic wellness programs and reducing mental health disparities. Ally serves on the Board of Directors for The Youth Center and founded the Leadership Council in 2021, where she leads as president. The council, composed of 14 students across the district, harnesses its collective voice to design programs that tackle real issues created by the student, promote mental health, and cultivate a community of student leaders. Building on this foundation, Ally created and established the Making Mindfulness Matter Wellness Center that provides mental health support and resources for youth and their families, highlighting the critical need for mental health awareness from a young age.

At the high school, Ally is the founder and president of the Emerging Leaders Club, which provides a platform for developing leadership skills, a safe space for sharing, and an environment that encourages students to step out of their comfort zones. She is the President of the California Scholarship Federation and on the board of Model United Nations.

Her enthusiasm for psychology drives her passion to pursue a career in the field, aiming to create transformative and empowering environments that are grounded in cultural awareness, personal growth, empathy, focus on mental wellness, and make a real difference in people’s lives.