The Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) has announced that Mariana Prieto, a senior at Benjamin N. Cardozo High School, has been selected as the National Youth Award recipient in Journalism & Media. She is one of only six students nationwide recognized this year for leadership, academic excellence, and service to their communities.
As part of her early commitment to civic engagement and media literacy, Prieto began interning at age fourteen for a city councilwoman’s re‑election campaign, where long hours and in‑depth discussions sparked her passion for helping others make informed decisions at the ballot box. She later joined the media relations team for Teens for Press Freedom, reporting on modern‑day challenges to free speech, from content censorship by Meta to the suspension of student protestors. Through this work, she solidified her dedication to ensuring journalism remains a reliable tool for public understanding.