This $1,000 scholarship was for high school juniors or seniors who demonstrated the principles of Catholic stewardship through their dedicated involvement in either a parish ministry or a self-directed community service project. Additionally, the ministry work or service project had to be carried out within 15 months of submitting the scholarship application.
Galang graduated from Santiago High School in Corona in June 2015 and has been accepted at the University of California, Irvine, where she will be majoring in Education Sciences.
While she was not able to physically go to the Philippines to assist people displaced by the numerous destructive typhoons there over the last few years, she nevertheless gave of her time and talents to start the “Acts of Kindness” (Alagang Kapatid) ministry to provide food and clothes to those in need.
As if one ministry wasn’t enough, Galang responded to the needs of underprivileged children in the Philippines by collecting new or gently used children’s books and reference books via her “Filipino Children’s Library” (Aklatan ng Batang Pilipino) ministry. On top of that, she has been a part of the “Filipino 101” team to help teach first-generation Filipino Americans more about their Filipino culture, language and customs. Additionally, she is a Confirmation I catechist and a lector at St. Mary Magdalene.
As a part of her application, Galang stated that “all Catholics are stewards” and “we are called to take care of each other.” She went on to compare Christian stewards to airline stewards and stewardesses who “help guide you to where you are supposed to go, assist you if you have a heavy load, and comfort you in times of turbulence.”
Individually, she believes that she is “His ambassador here on earth” by showing others in need God’s love. As a part of the vast Catholic community, “being a steward is not something that a privileged few do,” but is the “responsibility that each and every Catholic should do.”