VOiCEup Berks has announced that local resident and 2022 Oley Valley High School graduate, EliAnna Bermudez, has been named the Youth Volunteer Corps (YVC) 2025 Distinguished Alumni of the Year, an alumni honor awarded across YVC’s international network. Youth Volunteer Corps includes more than 30 affiliates throughout the United States, Canada, and Uganda.
The award was presented during YVC’s annual Awards Ceremony on November 8, 2025, in Kansas City, MO. The Distinguished Alumni Award was presented by Danette Seffens, Affiliate Programs Manager for YVC Headquarters in Kansas City, who praised EliAnna’s extraordinary commitment to service, justice, and global citizenship.
“Tonight, we have the honor of recognizing one of our own — someone whose journey beautifully reflects the heart of Youth Volunteer Corps,” Seffens said as she introduced the award. “EliAnna embodies everything Youth Volunteer Corps hopes to inspire — a lifelong spirit of service, a courageous commitment to justice, and the belief that one person’s compassion can ripple across the world. Please join me in celebrating EliAnna Bermudez, our 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient.”
EliAnna began her YVC journey as a teen with YVC of Reading, quickly emerging as a thoughtful leader and advocate. She co-founded Stand Together Against Racism (STAR), a youth-led effort to create brave spaces for conversations on race, equity, and inclusion. Even after graduating, she continued this work in college, helping other young adults engage in meaningful dialogue and action.
Now a nursing student at Messiah University, EliAnna has served in communities across the globe — including hospitals and mission sites in Zambia, Spain, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Turkey, Greece, and Thailand. Her work has supported individuals facing homelessness, human trafficking, substance abuse, and health disparities, all while deepening her commitment to culturally responsive, ethical service.
In her acceptance speech, EliAnna reflected on how YVC of Reading shaped her path:
“I joined YVC of Reading at the pinnacle of COVID-19, not knowing my involvement was going to transform the trajectory of my life. This commitment was life-altering in revealing the power of my voice… My involvement cultivated my heart for service and expanded my skills to lead others. I want to be the change for my community. I want to create a voice for others to see that service empowers us in unity… It begins with YOU… Be a voice, not an echo.”
VOiCEup Berks Executive Director Christi Terefenko celebrated the announcement, noting how deeply EliAnna has influenced the organization and her community.
“EliAnna represents the very best of what youth leadership can be,” said Terefenko. “She leads with humility, courage, and empathy and she never stops lifting others up. Her impact has reached across continents, but she always returns to Berks County to mentor the next generation. We are incredibly proud of her and grateful that her story will inspire countless young people to lead with heart.”
When visiting Berks County on breaks, and not on medical missions abroad, EliAnna continues to volunteer locally through VOiCEup Berks’ Generation Impact initiative for young adults, a natural extension of the service-learning mindset first cultivated through YVC Reading. Her continued commitment reflects her belief that meaningful change begins at home and grows outward from there.
