Advocating for others

Her English teacher, Greg Lance, challenged her. At the time, he had been working with a group of students to create a club that would fundraise to provide microloans to mostly women in Guatemala.

It’s all about intellectual curiosity, said Lance.

"She’s that kind of student. If you challenge her, she’ll pursue it,” he said.

Caputo researched the option to find it was not only viable, but most were often repaid. It was an eye-opening revelation for the now 18-year-old who hopes to make a career influencing such change. She plans to study political economy with a minor in global poverty and practice at the University of California at Berkeley in the fall. Caputo is not yet sure what she hopes to do with the degree, but has an interest in making a change.

Growing up, Caputo was just trying to find something that fit. She participated in karate for eight years at the recreation center, and gave track and field a try in middle school.

It was service that stuck. Caputo noted Abbott Middle School offered a block A — similar to lettering in high school — to students who achieved 100 hours of service. She earned three times that in part by helping serve lunch at school through a program called Lunchbox.

Her activities always made time for volunteering.

At Hillsdale, Caputo participated in the Leo Club, a volunteer organization partnered with the Foster City Lions Club, all four years and joined the Hillsdale Effect this year. The latter fundraises money to give micro-loans to women in Guatemala. Caputo is among the students who will travel to Guatemala this summer to visit successful businesses funded by those loans.

For the last three years of high school, Caputo served in various capacities in student government. She hoped for the commissioned spot overseeing community projects like the canned food drive, an honor she was granted her senior year.

Caputo serves on the California Association of Student Councils, a statewide group of students for which she works on government affairs. The council works to provide student-driven leadership lessons through conferences and summer programs. Caputo was a camper then a counselor at the camp held annually at Stanford University. She helped plan this year’s convention for the Bay Area but couldn’t attend.

Caputo had a trial. She found a home in mock trial, which allows students to work on a fictional case. Caputo has been involved for three years, all three as a prosecuting attorney. This year, the team won state and competed in nationals in May, where the team placed 19th out of 44 teams.  

For a little over a year, Caputo has served on the Youth Leadership Council working with the San Mateo Police Department Police Activities League. She also interns for state Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco/San Mateo, in his local office.

Caputo is humble about her work, and nonchalant when describing her numerous activities helping various groups. That did not mean her work went unnoticed.

Caputo was awarded the Cockroft Renewable four-year scholarship, which offers a renewable annual $1,000 scholarship to total $4,000, by the Soroptimist International of Burlingame-San Mateo-MidPeninsula. It was one of many given to Caputo for her work thus far. She was also awarded a $30,000 scholarship, paid over four years, from the Northern California Scholarship Foundation.

"What also makes Katharine special is she’s not one of those kids who had everything handed to her on a platter. She’s worked hard for her success,” said Lance.

The Hillsdale High graduation is 5:30 p.m. Thursday, May 27.

Great Grads is in its fifth year profiling one graduating senior from each of our local schools. Schools have the option to participate. Those that choose to participate are asked to nominate one student who deserves recognition.

Heather Murtagh can be reached by e-mail: heather@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 105.