Valencia High School Senior named 2025 National Youth Science Camp Delegate by State Superintendent Tony Thurmond

Valencia High School student was named one of two outstanding students as California’s delegates to the 62nd annual National Youth Science Camp (NYSCamp) by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.

Irene L. Pan, an incoming senior was selected for her high achievement and proficiency in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM).When a member of Irene’s family passed away from an undiagnosed disease due to a lack of resources and information in the Hmong community, she became determined to make neurodegenerative disease treatment more accessible. Driven by an insatiable curiosity across diverse academic disciplines, Irene has been an active member of the U.S. Academic Decathlon since ninth grade.

As her passion for STEAM flourished, Irene joined the Bioengineering Lab at the University of California, Riverside. There for the summer, she gained hands-on learning about cutting-edge bioengineering technologies essential to frontier research. Irene has received several STEAM awards, including a silver medal at the U.S. Medical and Disease Olympiad, and she was named the 2024 Outstanding Chemistry Student by the American Chemical Society, Orange County Section.

“These two exemplary students are spearheading the future of our state in technology and industry by pursuing their interests in STEAM and are representing California as young researchers and as community leaders. I am confident they will continue to contribute meaningfully to the scientific community, to our state, and to our future,” said Thurmond. “I am immensely proud of them for their academic achievements and selection as California’s delegates to the National Youth Science Camp.”

The NYSCamp is an annual event hosted by the National Youth Science AcademyExternal link opens in new window or tab. (formerly known as the National Youth Science Foundation) to bring together top students from nine Western Hemisphere countries to attend lectures and participate in outdoor activities centered on STEAM disciplines. The three weeks of camp take place in the mountains of West Virginia from July 10 through August 2, 2025.