The Downtown Santa Barbara Improvement Association (DSBIA), in collaboration with Santa Barbara’s Youth Council has named Rocio Vejar Montor, a senior at Santa Barbara High School (SBHS), as the 2025-26 recipient of the Harriet Miller Youth Leadership Award Scholarship.

The award is presented annually to a high school senior who exemplifies an extraordinary spirit of leadership and civic duty. It honors the enduring legacy of the late former Mayor Harriet Miller, whose lifelong dedication to fostering youth engagement helped shape the fabric of the Santa Barbara community.

Mayor Randy Rowse will present the award to Montor at 3 p.m. Monday, April 27 on the front steps of City Hall in De la Guerra Plaza.

Montor was selected for her rare combination of academic rigor and selfless community investment, DSBIA officials said.

During her tenure at SBHS, she maintained a 4.4 GPA while enrolled in a challenging curriculum, and contributed 685 hours of volunteer service to local organizations.
 
Beyond the classroom, Montor’s leadership has been felt across a diverse spectrum of extracurricular and civic organizations. Her involvement includes serving with the SBHS Associated Student Body, the Ethnic Studies Club, Mission Scholars, and breaking barriers as a member of the SBHS Football Team.

Her commitment to the broader Santa Barbara community is further evidenced by her significant contributions to the Santa Barbara Food Connection and her active participation in the Future Leaders of America Youth Leadership Conference.

“Rocio embodies the heart, drive, and vision of our city’s next generation of leaders,” the selection committee noted. “Her ability to balance high-level academics with such a profound dedication to service is exactly the spirit this scholarship was designed to honor.”