LAKESIDE TEEN BIANCA VILLALOBOS: AN INSPIRING PERSON TO WATCH IN 2023

By Shiloh Ireland

March 8, 2023 (Lakeside) — Bianca Villalobos is a 13-year-old Lakeside teen who is making a positive difference in her community.  This inspiring  young activist has won at least three dozen honors including  awards for diabetes advocacy, environmentalism, and bravery, as well as numerous pageant titles at the local, state and national levels.

Bianca is in the seventh grade and home schooled.  Her father is serving in the US. Navy in San Diego and her mother also served  four years in the Navy, then decided to stay home and raise her young son, Bianca’s older brother. At age 2, Bianca was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes that changed her life and later launched her to advocate for other teens with diabetes.

ECM began to notice this rising star as her name appeared often on social media, at  frequent event appearances and her many organizations and causes that she advocates for. ECM arranged an interview with Villalobos and her mother, Tina Villalobos. The interview was held on Feb. 26 at the Lakeside VFW , a place where you will find Villalobos and her mother serving meals and advocating for veterans regularly.

Villalobos is an articulate and bright girl who is years ahead of her chronological age in maturity and poised demeanor. The many organizations and causes she participates in are impressive, as well as the numerous awards and recognition she has received.

Villalobos, at age 5, met Miss Idaho 2014 ( Sierra Sandison); Sandison was visibly wearing an insulin pump. That was the the flash point of this teens entry into pageants and  community service.

“I like to do community service and it makes me happy,” commented Villalobos. Asked how she balances her many commitments with school, friends and family, she replied, “We do a schedule for community events and our family nights.”

How does she manage her Type 1 diabetes? “ I have an insulin pump and it gives me more insulin when needed or less,” she responded.  She considers the greatest challenge of having diabetes to be, instead, an opportunity. “I go out and spread the word about diabetes as a lot of people don’t know about it and it makes me happy to spread the word,” Villalobos explained.

Asked to name her goal after high school, Villalobos replied, “I would like to be more successful and become an actress or a firefighter.”

She continued “I have one last thing to add that is very important to me. Every Thursday morning, I read to kids at the Montessori Preschool in Lakeside.”

Her mother, Tina Villalobos mentioned, “It is hard to find other people who want to help their community and my daughter has such a big heart.” “ Bianca was out in the recent pouring rain bringing books to the little libraries she helps with.”

Villalobos can be reached through Facebook -(Bianca Villalobos), where stories can be seen about this teen and  the ways the public can support her  important organizations.