10/07/2026
Congratulations, Carissa Barrera! Our 2026 Young Adult Services Award recipient.
Carissa has served as Teen Services Coordinator at the Upland Public Library for the past six years, building one of the area’s most active and respected teen programs.
Her signature initiative, Summer Squad, transforms a typical volunteer experience into meaningful career preparation. Participants engage in interviews, workplace readiness training, CPR and First Aid certification, and mental health workshops - all while developing real leadership skills. She also founded the Teen Prom Dress Pop-Up Shop and organizes a free prom event of her own, giving teens both the attire and the occasion regardless of financial circumstances. From establishing a teen community garden to reimagining an underused room into one of the library's most vibrant spaces, Carissa has created environments where teens can learn, create, and simply be.
Yet what distinguishes her most cannot be attributed to any of this alone. It lies in her relationships. Carissa listens. She remembers. She shows up - especially for the teens who need it most. Both families and community organizations have come to rely on her. And teens who once walked into the library without direction leave as confident, capable leaders; many returning as volunteers, eager to offer others the same support they once received. This kind of impact reflects the sustained, personal investment of an individual who believes deeply in young people, demonstrating that belief through her work in the community.
