Nathan Oalican was born on the morning of March 22, 1999 at Brigham and Woman’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. At the age of two, Nathan moved down the Orange Line, from the South End to Roslindale, his current neighborhood.
When asked, as a child, what Nathan wanted to be when he grew up, Nathan would reply “the President.” Although no one in his immediate family has held a political office, Nathan’s political aspirations have remained undeterred.
Nathan entered Boston Latin School in the seventh grade, but his experience with civil engagement blossomed in the eighth grade when he was introduced to the Youth Climate Action Network by his US History teacher, Ms. Kate Arnold. As a member and eventual co-president of YouthCAN, Nathan’s concern for the environment has been complimented by the opportunity to affect positive change in his school and community. Nathan has expanded his environmental activism as an Action Fellow at the Alliance for Climate Education.
Nathan’s experience with public service began with his involvement in of BLS’s Education for Public Inquiry and International Citizenship (or EPIIC) summit at Tufts University and as a mentor in the Boston Public Library’s homework mentorship program. As Photography Editor and Editor-in-Chief of the BLS Argo, Nathan has been exposed to the power of the press in delivering the news and shaping public opinion.
Thus far, in YouthCAN and ACE, Nathan has only viewed civic engagement from the position of a private organizer attempting to alter public policy. By participating in the Ward fellowship, Nathan seeks to understand the internal processes which bring change in governmental policy in order to more efficiently work with government as an activist and gain valuable experience for a future career in government. Nathan also will analyze the organizational system of City Hall and apply this knowledge to assist in management in his other extracurricular endeavors, especially the Argo.
In the BLS community, Nathan especially enjoys history and literature courses, dancing with his fellow Filipino club members, and swimming with his Boys Varsity Swimming and Diving Teammates. In his spare time, Nathan enjoys cycling to school and around Boston, gardening, and taking photographs. This summer, Nathan’s sponsor is Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh. Nathan is excited for the unique opportunity to learn and work under the foremost minds of Boston.