Point Loma teenager Avery Wulf brings wide-ranging skills to San Diego Youth Commission
Whether it be playing tennis, playing French horn, helping a Girl Scout troop or helping run a mayoral campaign, Avery Wulf of Point Loma has proved she can master many different skill sets.
The 16-year-old Point Loma High School junior recently was recognized for her efforts by San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, who appointed her to the newly revamped 17-member San Diego Youth Commission.
The Youth Commission was put together with the goal of providing recommendations to the city to ensure young people in the area are appropriately supported and served.
City Council President Jennifer Campbell, whose District 2 includes Point Loma and Ocean Beach, selected Avery for the commission.
“Avery’s involvement in student government, Girl Scouts and volunteering show her dedication and care for our community. I am confident that she will be a great representative for District 2 on the Youth Commission,” Campbell said.
Gloria said in a statement that “I am excited to appoint this group of smart, talented and community-oriented young people to the city’s Youth Commission.”
“This appointment means a lot to me,” Avery said. “I am excited and grateful. I can represent youth on issues that affect all of us.”
“In District 2, we have access to beaches and parks, and I feel like we need to feel safe going to them. We also need clean beaches, parks and water.”
— Avery Wulf
She’s already well-acquainted with the inner workings of both student and political government.
“I’ve been involved in our student council, Associated Student Body, since middle school,” she said. Vice president this year, she plans to run for president in her senior year.
Two years ago, she interned for Gloria on his election campaign, serving as intern coordinator. She said she became adept at working with people older than herself and familiar with the political aspects of “getting things done.”
Avery also has high personal goals. She’s a member of the National Honor Society and has been on the varsity tennis team the past two years. For three years, she was first chair French horn in the San Diego Youth Symphony.
She feels her experiences will give her an edge in improving her community.
“In District 2, we have access to beaches and parks, and I feel like we need to feel safe going to them. We also need clean beaches, parks and water,” she said.
Avery said she also wants to see improvement in homelessness issues, public safety and arts and culture.
“I’m interested in getting involved in all these areas and I think we can do better in all of them,” she said. “As one of the youngest members of the commission, it’s helping me get started.”
Avery has a history of leadership and organizing, beginning with volunteering to assist her younger sister Devon’s Girl Scout Troop 4920. Devon is a seventh-grader at Warren-Walker Middle School in Mission Valley.
Avery’s mother, Theresa Wulf, is director of community engagement for the Balboa Park Cultural Partnership. Her father, Jeff Wulf, is a senior vice president for Cambridge Investment Research.
“And I have a Lab/husky mixed dog named Duke,” Avery said. “He’s 5 years old and I love him. He makes the whole family.”
She said her parents “think it’s super cool that I applied to be on the commission all on my own.”
“We are so proud and supportive of Avery and her efforts to get involved in the community and be a voice for the youth of our city,” Theresa said.
Avery already plans to use the skills she’s gained in government, politics and working with people in the future.
“I definitely want to go to a good college. My standards are high and I’m working super hard to achieve that and excited to start the process,” she said. “After high school, I’m very interested in going to law school ... or take the opposite approach and go into engineering.”
“I love debates,” she added. “I’m very opinionated and I think court cases are super interesting. And I like finding clean solutions to problems.”
The first meeting of the Youth Commission is set for December. However, the appointees already are exchanging ideas via email and LinkedIn.
Meanwhile, life isn’t all work for Avery.
“I play tennis a lot and lately I’ve been going on runs a lot,” she said. “And I surf all the time ... as much as possible every weekend.”