Sophia Le and Rylee Robles speak on a student panel at the 2025 OC Pathways Showcase. 
Rylee Robles attends an OC Pathways event with fellow Los Alamitos High School students Kyan Whiten and Sam Bean. 
Sophia Le presents with a group of OC Pathways student ambassadors at the annual OC Maker Challenge in May. 
Student ambassador alumni Rylee Robles attends an educational conference alongside OC Pathways project managers Nadia Khodadadi and Pilar Comparan. 
Student ambassador Sophia Le leads a STEM presentation to a group of elementary school students alongside her fellow Chief Science Officers.
Quick look: As the OC Pathways Student Ambassador Network welcomes its 2026-27 class, former ambassadors Rylee Robles and Sophia Le are returning to share how the program helped shape their leadership, college and career journeys.
When nearly 200 Orange County students gather this week to begin their journey as OC Pathways student ambassadors, they’ll hear from students who once sat where they are.
Among them will be Rylee Robles and Sophia Le, two former ambassadors whose experiences with the program led to opportunities ranging from planning countywide events and speaking before hundreds of students to pursuing engineering and biomedical research in college.
As the Student Ambassador Network facilitated by OCDE’s Educational Services division welcomes its newest class, both alumni say the opportunities they found through the program began with a simple decision to say yes and learn more.
Throughout the school year, student ambassadors in grades seven through 12 will represent their schools and districts while helping elevate student voice in career technical education pathways. Students will collaborate with peers from across Orange County, connect with industry professionals, help organize countywide events and complete yearlong impact projects designed to address needs in their schools and communities.
From participants to presenters
When Robles attended her first OC Pathways Showcase as a student ambassador, she deliberately signed up to be a greeter at the front door due to her nervousness around public speaking.
“Today, I am much more comfortable and confident in my ability to present professionally, network and engage in large groups,” Robles recalled. “I truly went from avoidance to embracing public speaking and engaging in leadership opportunities.”
A few years later, she stood on stage alongside fellow student ambassador Sophia Le to help lead Orange County’s AI Student Convening in 2024, presenting to hundreds of students from across the county with insights on how to use machine technology to shape their future.
Le’s introduction to OC Pathways came through a chance meeting with OCDE leadership while representing California at the national Chief Science Officers STEM Learning Ecosystems Convening as a Westminster High School freshman. That connection led to opportunities to organize events, present at countywide conferences and advocate for student involvement in science and technology.
“I wanted to learn all that I could,” Le said. “Stepping up allowed me to give back to my community and empower others to do the same which sparked a lasting drive in me to pursue leadership roles where I can continue to advocate for others.”
Finding purpose through opportunity
Robles’ connection to OCDE began years before she became a Student Ambassador.
While in the seventh grade, she competed in the OcMaker Challenge, where her team designed the “Key Train,” a prototype smart keychain that alerted homeowners if they opened their front door without their keys. The project sparked her interest in engineering, and years later, after graduating from Los Alamitos High School and beginning her studies in industrial and systems engineering, she returned to the competition as a judge.
As one of the inaugural Student Ambassadors, Robles also helped shape the program as it expanded from a handful of students to a countywide network. During the AI Student Convening, a young student approached her afterward and shared that she hoped to become an engineer one day.
“It made me realize the power of representation as a female Hispanic engineer and how significant the opportunities are for younger students in the OC Pathways program,” Robles said. “This single conversation was one that I will remember for the rest of my life.”
Le recalled a similar moment after the AI Student Convening.
“It was my first time stepping up to help organize and plan such a large event,” she said. “Standing in front of that many attendees was nerve-wracking.”
Afterward, a younger student told Le they wanted to become a student leader because of her presentation.
“That simple conversation struck a deep chord with me,” she said. “It was a powerful reminder of why I chose to step up in the first place.”
Today, Robles is entering her second year at the University of San Diego studying industrial and systems engineering, while Le is set to attend Pomona College this fall to study molecular biology and data science before pursuing biomedical research.
Carrying their career-ready skills forward
Although their career paths differ, both said the Student Ambassador Network connected them with mentors, fostered collaboration between students across pathways and provided opportunities to manage wide-scale projects while developing leadership skills they continue to use today.
This year’s student ambassador kickoff also carries added meaning for Robles. Her younger sister will join the 2026-27 ambassador class, pursuing business and fashion while Robles continues studying engineering.
“The student ambassador program really did change my life, and so allowing her to have even just the smallest opportunity in it,” Robles said, “I’m just so grateful that she gets to experience it now.”
For students beginning their own ambassador journey, Westminster High School graduate Le offered one simple piece of advice.
“Take the leap, say yes and learn how to be comfortable with the uncomfortable,” Le said. “You never know where it will take you.”
Orange County students and families interested in learning more about the OC Pathways Student Ambassador Program can learn more at the OC Pathways webpage.