Home Discovery Bay & Byron Discovery Bay Teen Serves Contra Costa County One City at a Time

Discovery Bay Teen Serves Contra Costa County One City at a Time

by ECT

On Tuesday, August 25, what were you doing? If you were Discovery Bay resident, Hannah Rose, you were volunteering at the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano County in their Concord Warehouse boxing food with her sister and mom.

At only 16, Hannah has done so much in her community to spread awareness of volunteerism, living a heart healthy life, and giving back in whatever capacity that you can. She is the reigning Miss Contra Costa County’s Outstanding Teen and she truly exemplifies that title.

IMG_5935“I love serving my community and finding opportunities for my friends and family to join in and participate. We as a community need to ban together to make a positive change in our county,” says Rose. “My focus in Contra Costa County has been to visit elementary schools and spread awareness not only to our youth but to their parents and teachers about living a heart healthy lifestyle along with volunteering at our amazing local Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano County, to working with the local Rotary Club of San Ramon.”

What many do not know about Rose when meeting her is that at only 5 years of age, she was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect known as Bicuspid Aortic Valve Disease (BAV).  This means she has a bicuspid aortic valve and also a tricuspid mitral valve, causing her heart to leak a little every time it pumps.  She was diagnosed early because her heart started to leak enough to cause her doctor to hear a murmur in her heartbeat.

Being diagnosed at only 5 years old was a sign her disease was fairly severe. Most people with the same type of congenital defect will not have their heart leak severely enough to hear a murmur until they are between 50 and 80 years old.  She was very lucky to be diagnosed early, now Rose is able to monitor heart function very closely.  In an effort to be proactive, her mom enrolled her in dance classes shortly after her diagnosis.

Rose currently dances 30+ hours every week in addition to being a stellar student and an avid volunteer.

Rose went on to say that she has always enjoyed giving back to her community but when she was crowned Miss Contra Costa County’s Outstanding Teen, a local preliminary to Miss California and Miss America’s Outstanding Teen, she knew that she would be able to reach even more in her community and across the state.

“I ofteIMG_7293n get asked how do you have time between school, dance, and family to volunteer? said Rose. “I always respond with it’s a balancing act and sometimes it isn’t easy and sometimes it’s stressful but the overwhelming sense of joy and happiness you can bring to the lives of others through volunteerism is worth it. My plan is to be able to make a difference in each and every city in Contra Costa County.”

Last October, Hannah was crowned the first Miss Contra Costa County’s Outstanding Teen during the return of the Miss Contra Costa Scholarship Organizations after a 10 year hiatus. She has truly utilized her new status as an ambassador to our beautiful county to make a difference.

Her drive and love to change the lives of our youth by eating healthy, exercising regularly has expanded into speaking to parents and teachers. Rose has also partnered with the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano County to help get the proper nutritional items into the hands of those who need it.

hannah_bookdriveThis coming year, Hannah plans on continuing to educate, inspire, and spread awareness of living a heart healthy lifestyle while encouraging others to give back in Contra Costa County. She will continue her crusade of going to elementary schools and promoting the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Jump Rope for Heart.

This is a great program for elementary and middle school students that encourages activity through a fun day of jump rope filled games and raises money for the AHA. Through this program alone Rose has raised thousands of dollars in support of the AHA.

Roses hope is to take her passion and volunteerism spirit state wide.

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