Blue Region
GOLD - Keven Amaya Munoz
SILVER - Katherine Andrande
BRONZE - Benjamin Irizarry
Burgundy Region
GOLD - Zeviel Pineda
SILVER - Serena Herrera
BRONZE - Maximiliano Rodriguez
Green Region
GOLD - Jessica Schmilovich
SILVER - April Surac
BRONZE - Jared Castillo
Orange Region
GOLD - Juan Pablo Ortiz Medina
SILVER - Neema Patel
BRONZE - Pietro Moreira
Pink Region
GOLD - Miranda Diaz
SILVER - Nyleah Jones
BRONZE - Solena Ornelas Pagnucci
Purple Region
GOLD - Fatima Acosta
SILVER - Roman Manzo Gudino
BRONZE - Emmanuel Rodriguez Mejia
Red Region
GOLD - Alexandra Sepulveda
SILVER - Yesenia Minarcaja
BRONZE - Carolina Notaro Machado
Tan Region
GOLD - Iroel Gonzalez
SILVER - Dan Delgado-Ayala
BRONZE - Hector Irizarry
Teal Region
GOLD - Ronan Avila
SILVER - Jade Santana Hernandez
BRONZE - John Orta Cabrales
Yellow Region
GOLD - Nathan Zermeno
SILVER - Alessandra Vermeys
BRONZE - Ella Romero
Blue Region
Please select a recipient name to read their bio.
GOLD - Keven Amaya Munoz
Major: Computer Science with a minor in Computer Engineering
High School: Charles Herbert Flowers High School
Hometown: District Heights, MD
Keven Amaya Munoz built his first competition-ready autonomous vehicle out of cardboard, scraps, and sheer determination. When his newly formed team at Charles Herbert Flowers High School lacked the budget for a proper kit, he stayed after school with his teammates, assembling a car from leftover parts and mismatched square beams. They fashioned a battery pack mount from cardboard, 3D-printed custom body parts, and secured the frame with plastic pieces, screws, and nuts when the right connectors were nowhere to be found. Despite these obstacles, Keven and his team built a fully functional car the night before their first competition. Two months earlier, Keven had founded Jag-Net, his school's autonomous vehicle challenge team, assembling a group of aspiring engineers, computer scientists, and artists to compete against teams that had been established for years. His team won first place in their debut year, taking home both the Data-Driven Design Project Award, which focused on tribology (the study of friction and wear), and the title of 2025 Ten80 Autonomous Vehicle Grand Champions.
Keven founded Jag-Net to give students the same opportunities he has been blessed with. His parents survived the worst years of El Salvador's civil war as children and came to the United States determined to give their sons what the war had interrupted for them, a future built on curiosity and education. Their resilience became his foundation. "Their stories taught me to think of everything I do as an opportunity, as privilege, and as a tool to build the life for my children that my parents never had," he reflects.
His commitment to technology took on new urgency in late 2023, when his brother was diagnosed with leukemia. Consistent check-ups, early diagnosis, and chemotherapy saved his brother's life, but Keven knew that many families face medical costs they cannot afford. He channeled that awareness into research. As a machine learning research intern at the University of Maryland, Keven and his group studied explainability in vision models for brain tumor classification. The problem they tackled is that neural networks, the systems powering many AI tools, often function as "black boxes," finding patterns invisible to the human eye without any way for humans to understand why they work. This lack of transparency means small mistakes can lead to large consequences, and no explainability means no trust. Keven's group used heatmaps to visualize what a model is "seeing," bringing what he calls "a first glimpse of light into the unknown." Keven was accepted to present this research at the 2025 MIT Undergraduate Research Technology Conference, an accomplishment he considers his proudest in the field.
That same year, Keven participated in MIT's Introduction to Technology, Engineering, and Science (MITES) program, where he earned the Best of Machine Learning Award. The experience also opened his eyes. He met students who had competed in math and robotics competitions he had never heard of, including the International Mathematical Olympiad. Robotics at his own school had minimal funding and little publicity. The problem, he realized, was not that students like him lacked potential. It was that no one had introduced them to these opportunities. Underrepresented and low-income students in his community did not know what resources existed. To help close that gap, Keven now serves as president of Prince George's County's National Society of Black Engineers Jr. chapter, representing the chapter at regional and national conferences and working with his executive board to start a peer mentorship program that brings underclassmen together every week, giving them access to opportunities they might not otherwise have. His goal is to shift mindsets from believing students must compete for these opportunities to believing they belong in them.
Marilyn Fitzpatrick, the NSBE Jr. advisor, notes that what sets Keven apart is his genuine desire to help others. Whether assisting classmates with information technology concepts or mentoring newer team members in robotics, he demonstrates patience, clarity, and a collaborative mindset. As lead programmer for VEX Robotics, for example, he took it upon himself to create lesson plans and teach his peers how to program the robot's movement, continuing those lessons without being asked. "To our students in STEM, Keven is a role model," Fitzpatrick writes. "He is a source of inspiration whom others turn to for guidance.”
Keven holds an impressive portfolio of industry-recognized certifications, including CompTIA Security+ and Certiport IT Specialist credentials in networking, network security, cybersecurity, device configuration and management, artificial intelligence, and Python. He has applied these skills through an IT repair internship with Prince George's County Public Schools, where he fixes hardware and software issues for students across the district. At school, he also serves as lead programmer for FIRST Robotics and as excellence chair, tutor, and volunteer for the Computer Science Honor Society, while pursuing advanced coursework in computer science, calculus, and dual enrollment courses in AI and machine learning.
Keven plans to study computer science with a minor in computer engineering at Princeton University, Cornell University, or the University of Maryland. His goal is to leverage machine learning to improve the lives of underserved communities. "Our service will not be measured by hours," he writes, "but by the lives we help move forward."
High School: Charles Herbert Flowers High School
Hometown: District Heights, MD
Keven Amaya Munoz built his first competition-ready autonomous vehicle out of cardboard, scraps, and sheer determination. When his newly formed team at Charles Herbert Flowers High School lacked the budget for a proper kit, he stayed after school with his teammates, assembling a car from leftover parts and mismatched square beams. They fashioned a battery pack mount from cardboard, 3D-printed custom body parts, and secured the frame with plastic pieces, screws, and nuts when the right connectors were nowhere to be found. Despite these obstacles, Keven and his team built a fully functional car the night before their first competition. Two months earlier, Keven had founded Jag-Net, his school's autonomous vehicle challenge team, assembling a group of aspiring engineers, computer scientists, and artists to compete against teams that had been established for years. His team won first place in their debut year, taking home both the Data-Driven Design Project Award, which focused on tribology (the study of friction and wear), and the title of 2025 Ten80 Autonomous Vehicle Grand Champions.
Keven founded Jag-Net to give students the same opportunities he has been blessed with. His parents survived the worst years of El Salvador's civil war as children and came to the United States determined to give their sons what the war had interrupted for them, a future built on curiosity and education. Their resilience became his foundation. "Their stories taught me to think of everything I do as an opportunity, as privilege, and as a tool to build the life for my children that my parents never had," he reflects.
His commitment to technology took on new urgency in late 2023, when his brother was diagnosed with leukemia. Consistent check-ups, early diagnosis, and chemotherapy saved his brother's life, but Keven knew that many families face medical costs they cannot afford. He channeled that awareness into research. As a machine learning research intern at the University of Maryland, Keven and his group studied explainability in vision models for brain tumor classification. The problem they tackled is that neural networks, the systems powering many AI tools, often function as "black boxes," finding patterns invisible to the human eye without any way for humans to understand why they work. This lack of transparency means small mistakes can lead to large consequences, and no explainability means no trust. Keven's group used heatmaps to visualize what a model is "seeing," bringing what he calls "a first glimpse of light into the unknown." Keven was accepted to present this research at the 2025 MIT Undergraduate Research Technology Conference, an accomplishment he considers his proudest in the field.
That same year, Keven participated in MIT's Introduction to Technology, Engineering, and Science (MITES) program, where he earned the Best of Machine Learning Award. The experience also opened his eyes. He met students who had competed in math and robotics competitions he had never heard of, including the International Mathematical Olympiad. Robotics at his own school had minimal funding and little publicity. The problem, he realized, was not that students like him lacked potential. It was that no one had introduced them to these opportunities. Underrepresented and low-income students in his community did not know what resources existed. To help close that gap, Keven now serves as president of Prince George's County's National Society of Black Engineers Jr. chapter, representing the chapter at regional and national conferences and working with his executive board to start a peer mentorship program that brings underclassmen together every week, giving them access to opportunities they might not otherwise have. His goal is to shift mindsets from believing students must compete for these opportunities to believing they belong in them.
Marilyn Fitzpatrick, the NSBE Jr. advisor, notes that what sets Keven apart is his genuine desire to help others. Whether assisting classmates with information technology concepts or mentoring newer team members in robotics, he demonstrates patience, clarity, and a collaborative mindset. As lead programmer for VEX Robotics, for example, he took it upon himself to create lesson plans and teach his peers how to program the robot's movement, continuing those lessons without being asked. "To our students in STEM, Keven is a role model," Fitzpatrick writes. "He is a source of inspiration whom others turn to for guidance.”
Keven holds an impressive portfolio of industry-recognized certifications, including CompTIA Security+ and Certiport IT Specialist credentials in networking, network security, cybersecurity, device configuration and management, artificial intelligence, and Python. He has applied these skills through an IT repair internship with Prince George's County Public Schools, where he fixes hardware and software issues for students across the district. At school, he also serves as lead programmer for FIRST Robotics and as excellence chair, tutor, and volunteer for the Computer Science Honor Society, while pursuing advanced coursework in computer science, calculus, and dual enrollment courses in AI and machine learning.
Keven plans to study computer science with a minor in computer engineering at Princeton University, Cornell University, or the University of Maryland. His goal is to leverage machine learning to improve the lives of underserved communities. "Our service will not be measured by hours," he writes, "but by the lives we help move forward."
SILVER - Katherine Andrande
Major: Computer Science with a minor in Applied Mathematics
High School: Quince Orchard High School
Hometown: Gaithersburg, MD
For her birthdays, Katherine Andrade's father skipped the Barbie dolls and gave her snap circuits and monster trucks instead, giving her toys that invited her to build, take apart, and figure out how things worked. Her father, an information systems manager, showed her that Hispanics belong in the tech world and taught her she could defy stereotypes and pursue whatever sparked her curiosity, including technology.
In middle school, Katherine found another way to build and learn how things worked through code, starting with games in Scratch. In eighth grade, an Intro to Computer Science class taught her HTML and CSS, which she used to build her first websites. "Seeing ideas come to life through code sparked my passion for computer science," she shares. Armed with those skills and the foundation her father had instilled, she walked with confidence into AP Computer Science Principles as a freshman, one of the few girls and the only Latina in the room. In the four years since, she has taken and excelled in every advanced computer science course her school offers.
Katherine has interned at the FDA's Office of Digital Transformation, where she trained autonomous race car models using AWS DeepRacer, a machine learning platform that teaches the fundamentals of AI through simulated racing. It was there that her interest in artificial intelligence took shape, along with a realization that technology could be used to solve real problems.
During her internship, Katherine designed RescueRx, a prototype mobile app that uses artificial intelligence and wearable technology to address the overdose crisis. The app monitors pulse and oxygen levels through devices like the Apple Watch and alerts emergency services if an overdose is detected. It also tracks prescription medications to flag harmful interactions and educates users about the dangers of drug misuse. After weeks of redesigning the interface for a diverse range of users, she pitched RescueRx to FDA mentors and judges, winning first place in the program's competition and marking her proudest achievement in tech thus far. "It showed me that technology can be more than code," she reflects. "It can be used to make healthcare more equitable and effective, while improving lives.”
Katherine has pushed her learning in multiple directions. The Harvard AI Bootcamp introduced her to neural networks, transformers, and reinforcement learning, which she used to create an AI-powered study buddy that quizzes users on historical events. The Girls Who Code Fall Pathways program has taken her into data science and cybersecurity, where she analyzes real-world datasets and studies cryptography and ethical hacking. In her current Computer Programming 3 class, she is building advanced algorithms using data structures like LinkedLists and TreeMaps, preparing for the rigor of studying computer science in college.
Year after year, Katherine has been the only Latina in her computer science classes. Looking around and not seeing anyone who looked like her, she decided that if representation was missing, she would help build it. She founded the first Girls Who Code chapter at Quince Orchard High School, where she leads workshops in Python and Java and mentors younger girls as they gain confidence in coding. "I've built a space where students feel safe asking questions, trying new things, and defying expectations," she shares, especially for those from Hispanic and other underrepresented backgrounds. She plans to expand this work through outreach events at local middle schools, hoping to provide early exposure to computer science and help build a more inclusive generation of future technologists.
Katherine serves as vice president of Quince Orchard's LatinX Student Union and as a member and district representative for the Minority Scholars Program. Through the program, she has shared her story of navigating bias as a Latina in technology and helped develop two professional development workshops for over 40 educators in her county, addressing the academic and emotional needs of underrepresented students and advocating for a more equitable school environment. She also facilitated a workshop as a task force member at the 2024 Minority Scholars Program retreat, where thousands of K-12 students gathered. As fundraising leader for Teens with Heartsongs, Katherine helped raise over $10,000 for Children's National Hospital's housing program, supporting families staying near hospitalized loved ones. With her varsity soccer team, she crafted over 200 charm bracelets for the Make Cancer Flinch First campaign, raising funds for colon and pancreatic cancer research. She has also volunteered at a local clothing donation center, sorting garments for families in need. A four-year varsity soccer player, Katherine is also a member of her school's tennis, bocce, and indoor and outdoor track teams.
Katherine's academic record matches her drive. She maintains a 4.0 unweighted GPA and has been inducted into six honor societies, among them the National Technical Honor Society, National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, and the English, Social Studies, and Spanish Honor Societies. She has also been recognized with the AP Scholar with Distinction Award and the Hispanic Recognition Award.
Katherine plans to study computer science with a minor in applied mathematics at the University of Maryland, Johns Hopkins University, or Harvard College, where she hopes to continue building tools that improve healthcare and make medicine safer and more equitable for all.
High School: Quince Orchard High School
Hometown: Gaithersburg, MD
For her birthdays, Katherine Andrade's father skipped the Barbie dolls and gave her snap circuits and monster trucks instead, giving her toys that invited her to build, take apart, and figure out how things worked. Her father, an information systems manager, showed her that Hispanics belong in the tech world and taught her she could defy stereotypes and pursue whatever sparked her curiosity, including technology.
In middle school, Katherine found another way to build and learn how things worked through code, starting with games in Scratch. In eighth grade, an Intro to Computer Science class taught her HTML and CSS, which she used to build her first websites. "Seeing ideas come to life through code sparked my passion for computer science," she shares. Armed with those skills and the foundation her father had instilled, she walked with confidence into AP Computer Science Principles as a freshman, one of the few girls and the only Latina in the room. In the four years since, she has taken and excelled in every advanced computer science course her school offers.
Katherine has interned at the FDA's Office of Digital Transformation, where she trained autonomous race car models using AWS DeepRacer, a machine learning platform that teaches the fundamentals of AI through simulated racing. It was there that her interest in artificial intelligence took shape, along with a realization that technology could be used to solve real problems.
During her internship, Katherine designed RescueRx, a prototype mobile app that uses artificial intelligence and wearable technology to address the overdose crisis. The app monitors pulse and oxygen levels through devices like the Apple Watch and alerts emergency services if an overdose is detected. It also tracks prescription medications to flag harmful interactions and educates users about the dangers of drug misuse. After weeks of redesigning the interface for a diverse range of users, she pitched RescueRx to FDA mentors and judges, winning first place in the program's competition and marking her proudest achievement in tech thus far. "It showed me that technology can be more than code," she reflects. "It can be used to make healthcare more equitable and effective, while improving lives.”
Katherine has pushed her learning in multiple directions. The Harvard AI Bootcamp introduced her to neural networks, transformers, and reinforcement learning, which she used to create an AI-powered study buddy that quizzes users on historical events. The Girls Who Code Fall Pathways program has taken her into data science and cybersecurity, where she analyzes real-world datasets and studies cryptography and ethical hacking. In her current Computer Programming 3 class, she is building advanced algorithms using data structures like LinkedLists and TreeMaps, preparing for the rigor of studying computer science in college.
Year after year, Katherine has been the only Latina in her computer science classes. Looking around and not seeing anyone who looked like her, she decided that if representation was missing, she would help build it. She founded the first Girls Who Code chapter at Quince Orchard High School, where she leads workshops in Python and Java and mentors younger girls as they gain confidence in coding. "I've built a space where students feel safe asking questions, trying new things, and defying expectations," she shares, especially for those from Hispanic and other underrepresented backgrounds. She plans to expand this work through outreach events at local middle schools, hoping to provide early exposure to computer science and help build a more inclusive generation of future technologists.
Katherine serves as vice president of Quince Orchard's LatinX Student Union and as a member and district representative for the Minority Scholars Program. Through the program, she has shared her story of navigating bias as a Latina in technology and helped develop two professional development workshops for over 40 educators in her county, addressing the academic and emotional needs of underrepresented students and advocating for a more equitable school environment. She also facilitated a workshop as a task force member at the 2024 Minority Scholars Program retreat, where thousands of K-12 students gathered. As fundraising leader for Teens with Heartsongs, Katherine helped raise over $10,000 for Children's National Hospital's housing program, supporting families staying near hospitalized loved ones. With her varsity soccer team, she crafted over 200 charm bracelets for the Make Cancer Flinch First campaign, raising funds for colon and pancreatic cancer research. She has also volunteered at a local clothing donation center, sorting garments for families in need. A four-year varsity soccer player, Katherine is also a member of her school's tennis, bocce, and indoor and outdoor track teams.
Katherine's academic record matches her drive. She maintains a 4.0 unweighted GPA and has been inducted into six honor societies, among them the National Technical Honor Society, National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, and the English, Social Studies, and Spanish Honor Societies. She has also been recognized with the AP Scholar with Distinction Award and the Hispanic Recognition Award.
Katherine plans to study computer science with a minor in applied mathematics at the University of Maryland, Johns Hopkins University, or Harvard College, where she hopes to continue building tools that improve healthcare and make medicine safer and more equitable for all.
BRONZE - Benjamin Irizarry
Major: Computer Science with a minor in Finance
High School: PCTI STEM Academy
Hometown: Little Falls, NJ
Benjamin Irizarry's first meaningful encounter with a computer came courtesy of a jellyfish. After getting stung at the beach, his older cousins told him he was out of luck. Google disagreed. A quick search reassured him he would be fine, he would survive. From that moment, Benjamin grew interested in all that computers could offer, especially their potential to help answer people's burning questions, including his own.
The moment technology shifted from an interest into something Benjamin could pursue came at PCTI STEM Academy. His strong performance on the AP Computer Science Principles and AP Computer Science A exams placed him among a select group of students in the computer science department invited to sit for the Oracle Java Certification. He knew the stakes. Many of his peers had years of coding experience across multiple languages; Benjamin had only begun exploring object-oriented programming. He spent late nights studying, building mini-projects, and debugging lines of code that seemed determined to resist him. When he submitted his final answer with seconds left on the clock, the screen confirmed what the work had earned. He was one of only four students to pass, a moment he considers his proudest tech accomplishment. Technology, which he once viewed as intimidating, suddenly felt within reach. He could learn it, teach it, and pursue it with purpose.
Another point of pride for Benjamin is a literary review website he designed to make classic literature more accessible to teens. He wanted to challenge the idea that old books are boring, so he built a site that pairs classic works with modern takes and student reviews. The site has connected with local libraries, turning what started as a small coding experiment into a platform that blends his interests in technology and storytelling.
His skills have found another outlet through Future Business Leaders of America, where he developed a GPA calculator with a Python backend tailored to his school's grading system and a cybersecurity-focused résumé website that earned a near-perfect score from judges. Those projects helped make him a back-to-back state finalist in FBLA competitions. Outside of school, Benjamin continued building his skills through the Stevens Institute of Technology's Advanced Cybersecurity Pre-College Program, where he worked alongside professors and PhD students to build an encrypted messaging platform. The experience led him to further explore cybersecurity. He is now preparing for the CompTIA Security+ certification exam.
Benjamin also applies his technical abilities at Redeemer Montclair Church, where he volunteers as director of the tech team, operates the livestream for Sunday services, and trains new members for the audiovisual team. For him, the role is as much about people as it is about equipment; he makes it a point to ensure every member of his congregation feels included, no matter their comfort with technology.
Service is a family value for Benjamin. His grandfather, drawing on his upbringing in Puerto Rico, always went out of his way to be the neighborhood handyman. Benjamin has found his own version of that instinct in tutoring computer science, helping friends debug code and edit essays, and mentoring younger students. Recognizing the lasting impact these small contributions can have, he wanted to extend that reach. Through his role on the National Honor Society executive board, he launched an initiative that partnered with local libraries and elementary schools to teach coding, robotics, block programming, and digital literacy.
In his community, Benjamin has seen how students from underrepresented backgrounds often do not discover computer science until they feel it is too late to pursue it. His experience through FBLA showed him that technology could be a way of connecting others, a realization that led him to join the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. There, he saw firsthand the value of representation in STEM. He hopes to pass that on by launching coding workshops for middle schoolers in his area, starting with Python-based games.
At PCTI, Benjamin serves as a lead mentor in the school's FRESH Mentoring Program, guiding more than 30 freshmen through their first year of high school, and as assistant secretary for his FBLA chapter. He captains the varsity soccer team and helped lead them to the New Jersey Technical Athletic Council (NJTAC) Statewide Soccer Tournament Championship in 2024. Off the field, he coaches youth soccer at the Little Falls Recreation Center, where his players captured a league title. At American Legion Boys State, Benjamin was elected statewide director of banking and finance from nearly a thousand peers, a role that gave him the opportunity to help draft legislation presented to New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. He has also volunteered with the American Cancer Society, helping raise more than $10,000 during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. His achievements include recognition as a National Merit Semifinalist, the Character Counts Initiative Award, and the STEM League Championship in 2025.
Benjamin plans to study computer science with a minor in finance at Princeton University, Cornell University, or New York University. His goal is to create technology that bridges gaps and makes room for everyone.
High School: PCTI STEM Academy
Hometown: Little Falls, NJ
Benjamin Irizarry's first meaningful encounter with a computer came courtesy of a jellyfish. After getting stung at the beach, his older cousins told him he was out of luck. Google disagreed. A quick search reassured him he would be fine, he would survive. From that moment, Benjamin grew interested in all that computers could offer, especially their potential to help answer people's burning questions, including his own.
The moment technology shifted from an interest into something Benjamin could pursue came at PCTI STEM Academy. His strong performance on the AP Computer Science Principles and AP Computer Science A exams placed him among a select group of students in the computer science department invited to sit for the Oracle Java Certification. He knew the stakes. Many of his peers had years of coding experience across multiple languages; Benjamin had only begun exploring object-oriented programming. He spent late nights studying, building mini-projects, and debugging lines of code that seemed determined to resist him. When he submitted his final answer with seconds left on the clock, the screen confirmed what the work had earned. He was one of only four students to pass, a moment he considers his proudest tech accomplishment. Technology, which he once viewed as intimidating, suddenly felt within reach. He could learn it, teach it, and pursue it with purpose.
Another point of pride for Benjamin is a literary review website he designed to make classic literature more accessible to teens. He wanted to challenge the idea that old books are boring, so he built a site that pairs classic works with modern takes and student reviews. The site has connected with local libraries, turning what started as a small coding experiment into a platform that blends his interests in technology and storytelling.
His skills have found another outlet through Future Business Leaders of America, where he developed a GPA calculator with a Python backend tailored to his school's grading system and a cybersecurity-focused résumé website that earned a near-perfect score from judges. Those projects helped make him a back-to-back state finalist in FBLA competitions. Outside of school, Benjamin continued building his skills through the Stevens Institute of Technology's Advanced Cybersecurity Pre-College Program, where he worked alongside professors and PhD students to build an encrypted messaging platform. The experience led him to further explore cybersecurity. He is now preparing for the CompTIA Security+ certification exam.
Benjamin also applies his technical abilities at Redeemer Montclair Church, where he volunteers as director of the tech team, operates the livestream for Sunday services, and trains new members for the audiovisual team. For him, the role is as much about people as it is about equipment; he makes it a point to ensure every member of his congregation feels included, no matter their comfort with technology.
Service is a family value for Benjamin. His grandfather, drawing on his upbringing in Puerto Rico, always went out of his way to be the neighborhood handyman. Benjamin has found his own version of that instinct in tutoring computer science, helping friends debug code and edit essays, and mentoring younger students. Recognizing the lasting impact these small contributions can have, he wanted to extend that reach. Through his role on the National Honor Society executive board, he launched an initiative that partnered with local libraries and elementary schools to teach coding, robotics, block programming, and digital literacy.
In his community, Benjamin has seen how students from underrepresented backgrounds often do not discover computer science until they feel it is too late to pursue it. His experience through FBLA showed him that technology could be a way of connecting others, a realization that led him to join the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. There, he saw firsthand the value of representation in STEM. He hopes to pass that on by launching coding workshops for middle schoolers in his area, starting with Python-based games.
At PCTI, Benjamin serves as a lead mentor in the school's FRESH Mentoring Program, guiding more than 30 freshmen through their first year of high school, and as assistant secretary for his FBLA chapter. He captains the varsity soccer team and helped lead them to the New Jersey Technical Athletic Council (NJTAC) Statewide Soccer Tournament Championship in 2024. Off the field, he coaches youth soccer at the Little Falls Recreation Center, where his players captured a league title. At American Legion Boys State, Benjamin was elected statewide director of banking and finance from nearly a thousand peers, a role that gave him the opportunity to help draft legislation presented to New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. He has also volunteered with the American Cancer Society, helping raise more than $10,000 during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. His achievements include recognition as a National Merit Semifinalist, the Character Counts Initiative Award, and the STEM League Championship in 2025.
Benjamin plans to study computer science with a minor in finance at Princeton University, Cornell University, or New York University. His goal is to create technology that bridges gaps and makes room for everyone.
Burgundy Region
Please select a recipient name to read their bio.
GOLD - Zeviel Pineda
Major: Neuroscience with a minor in Biochemistry
High School: Veterans Memorial Early College High School
Hometown: Brownsville, TX
Two hours into mapping arsenic violations in Texas drinking water, Zeviel Pineda had plotted just five of over six thousand entries. At that pace, the task would potentially take months of continued work. So he taught himself to code, writing a Python script that could retrieve the location and date of each violation and assign it a coordinate. Within a week, that single script had grown into an entire website mapping arsenic violations across the United States from 2001 to 2024 and displaying the number of people affected. He had transformed a disorganized government spreadsheet into a clean map that anyone could understand. With his arsenic research, Zeviel advanced through campus, district, and Rio Grande Valley regional science fair competitions, placing first at each level to qualify for the International Science and Engineering Fair, where he earned fourth place in 2024.
The coding skills he developed through EPA violation mapping carried him to MIT the following summer. Selected as a Research Science Institute Scholar, Zeviel tackled a bottleneck in neuroscience research. TrailMap, a machine learning model developed by Stanford researchers in 2020, was the fastest method for 3D brain mapping, but it required approximately ten thousand manually labeled training images to function accurately. Manually mapping those images required approximately two years of work for a researcher. Zeviel cut that timeline to ten days. He designed smaller, region-specific models that needed only five images each to train, then used those models to retrain TrailMap to map noradrenergic neurons, a type of brain cell involved in attention and stress response. His work represented the greatest stride yet toward a complete noradrenergic neuron map and accelerated the mapping process by 98.9 percent. He presented his findings to labmates and peers from the MIT Picower Institute for Learning and Memory. At MIT, Zeviel also worked alongside Dr. Lorenzo Ochoa, a brain researcher from El Paso and the first Mexican-American neuroscientist he had met. They bonded over their shared upbringing and, as Zeviel puts it, "the lack of good Mexican food in Massachusetts." Dr. Ochoa taught him the existing technology for brain mapping. Zeviel worked to improve it.
The instinct to build what he could not find started early. In fourth grade, Zeviel tried to make algae biodiesel in his garage after watching a YouTube tutorial. He lacked the sodium hydroxide the reaction required, so he gathered ash from a BBQ restaurant, borrowed his father's coffee filters, and used a water bottle to produce potassium hydroxide instead. Growing up in the Rio Grande Valley taught him to create when resources fell short, and that same resourcefulness guided him at MIT, where no existing technology could produce a brain map in the time he had.
Soon after his ninth birthday, Zeviel tripped, hit his head, and was diagnosed with a concussion. When an MRI revealed an unexpected dark spot on his brain, he had to travel six hours to Houston to see a neurosurgeon. "This experience was my first time understanding the health disparities in the Rio Grande Valley and would inspire future actions to improve public health," Zeviel writes. Six years later, he read a local article about parents in colonias, the informal settlements along the Texas-Mexico border, asking why their water smelled bad and made their children sick. No answer came. "I became angry for them, for the solutions and security that were never delivered," he recalls. "That fury became fuel." He collected water samples by negotiating in Spanglish at tortillerías, tiendas, and schools, then built a lab in his garage between weights and a litter box. There, he discovered numerous unreported EPA violations for arsenic. He presented his findings at Head Start parent meetings with his mother translating into Spanish. Every mother who listened asked him to test her water. Most politicians ignored his message, but families did not. When he found an affordable solution in pre-filtered water services, he was invited to speak at a TED-Ed event on water quality and public health. Through CleanWaterRGV, a social media page he founded, he continues helping families identify safe water sources.
Zeviel saw the same disparity in academic opportunity. His school's only SAT resource was a fee waiver, so he spent two summer months preparing on his own, taking practice tests, reading prep books, and learning tricks on the Desmos graphing calculator. He scored a 1580, just twenty points shy of perfect. Three weeks later, he began teaching prep sessions every Monday and Friday, sometimes for twenty students, sometimes for one. "Lots of kids in Brownsville are just as smart as my friends from science fair and MIT," he says. "But the kids who end up at MIT are surrounded by opportunities." By senior year, he had expanded his initiative to train student-teachers across the Valley and won a grant for a class set of twenty prep books. More than one hundred sixty students have received free mentorship through his program. His first student, his best friend, improved his score by over 250 points and gained admission to the MITES Summer program at MIT. That is what Zeviel wants for students across the Valley, access to the same programs, the same institutions, the same paths forward that distance and circumstance have kept out of reach.
Valedictorian of 610 students. The only high school senior in Brownsville named a National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist. A 4.0 unweighted GPA sustained across years of research, competition, leadership, and service. Zeviel's record is not a list of accomplishments; it is the output of a mind that refuses to do anything halfway. He is a Coca-Cola Scholars Program Semifinalist, a National AP Scholar with Distinction, and a National Hispanic Recognition Award recipient. As chapter president of Health Occupations Students of America, he guided his team to a first-place regional finish, a fourth-place finish at the Texas state competition, and advancement to nationals in 2024. At National History Day, he is a two-time national finalist, earning third place in 2023 and fourth place in 2024, achievements that drew formal recognition from both the City of Brownsville and the Texas State Board of Education. He leads as Math Club president, serves as co-head coach of extemporaneous speaking for the National Hispanic Institute, and serves as a campus ambassador for RGV-LEAD. On the varsity tennis team, he reached the University Interscholastic League (UIL) Area Team Tennis finals in both his sophomore and junior years. With more than five hundred volunteer hours logged, including fifty hours per week as a camp counselor at Big Red's Ranch during his freshman and sophomore years, his commitment to service matches the intensity of his academic pursuits. These are only some of the roles he has taken on and accolades he has garnered; the full scope of what Zeviel does defies easy summary. His teacher Alberto J. Guerrero, Jr. has mentored students for close to two decades and calls Zeviel "the most outstanding young mind" he has ever taught, a student whose "brilliance eclipses all the expectations an educator may have for the young men and women they teach.”
Zeviel will pursue neuroscience with a minor in biochemistry at Harvard College, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or Stanford University. Where he comes from, brilliance is not rare. Opportunity is. He has spent his high school years making sure the two meet more often.
High School: Veterans Memorial Early College High School
Hometown: Brownsville, TX
Two hours into mapping arsenic violations in Texas drinking water, Zeviel Pineda had plotted just five of over six thousand entries. At that pace, the task would potentially take months of continued work. So he taught himself to code, writing a Python script that could retrieve the location and date of each violation and assign it a coordinate. Within a week, that single script had grown into an entire website mapping arsenic violations across the United States from 2001 to 2024 and displaying the number of people affected. He had transformed a disorganized government spreadsheet into a clean map that anyone could understand. With his arsenic research, Zeviel advanced through campus, district, and Rio Grande Valley regional science fair competitions, placing first at each level to qualify for the International Science and Engineering Fair, where he earned fourth place in 2024.
The coding skills he developed through EPA violation mapping carried him to MIT the following summer. Selected as a Research Science Institute Scholar, Zeviel tackled a bottleneck in neuroscience research. TrailMap, a machine learning model developed by Stanford researchers in 2020, was the fastest method for 3D brain mapping, but it required approximately ten thousand manually labeled training images to function accurately. Manually mapping those images required approximately two years of work for a researcher. Zeviel cut that timeline to ten days. He designed smaller, region-specific models that needed only five images each to train, then used those models to retrain TrailMap to map noradrenergic neurons, a type of brain cell involved in attention and stress response. His work represented the greatest stride yet toward a complete noradrenergic neuron map and accelerated the mapping process by 98.9 percent. He presented his findings to labmates and peers from the MIT Picower Institute for Learning and Memory. At MIT, Zeviel also worked alongside Dr. Lorenzo Ochoa, a brain researcher from El Paso and the first Mexican-American neuroscientist he had met. They bonded over their shared upbringing and, as Zeviel puts it, "the lack of good Mexican food in Massachusetts." Dr. Ochoa taught him the existing technology for brain mapping. Zeviel worked to improve it.
The instinct to build what he could not find started early. In fourth grade, Zeviel tried to make algae biodiesel in his garage after watching a YouTube tutorial. He lacked the sodium hydroxide the reaction required, so he gathered ash from a BBQ restaurant, borrowed his father's coffee filters, and used a water bottle to produce potassium hydroxide instead. Growing up in the Rio Grande Valley taught him to create when resources fell short, and that same resourcefulness guided him at MIT, where no existing technology could produce a brain map in the time he had.
Soon after his ninth birthday, Zeviel tripped, hit his head, and was diagnosed with a concussion. When an MRI revealed an unexpected dark spot on his brain, he had to travel six hours to Houston to see a neurosurgeon. "This experience was my first time understanding the health disparities in the Rio Grande Valley and would inspire future actions to improve public health," Zeviel writes. Six years later, he read a local article about parents in colonias, the informal settlements along the Texas-Mexico border, asking why their water smelled bad and made their children sick. No answer came. "I became angry for them, for the solutions and security that were never delivered," he recalls. "That fury became fuel." He collected water samples by negotiating in Spanglish at tortillerías, tiendas, and schools, then built a lab in his garage between weights and a litter box. There, he discovered numerous unreported EPA violations for arsenic. He presented his findings at Head Start parent meetings with his mother translating into Spanish. Every mother who listened asked him to test her water. Most politicians ignored his message, but families did not. When he found an affordable solution in pre-filtered water services, he was invited to speak at a TED-Ed event on water quality and public health. Through CleanWaterRGV, a social media page he founded, he continues helping families identify safe water sources.
Zeviel saw the same disparity in academic opportunity. His school's only SAT resource was a fee waiver, so he spent two summer months preparing on his own, taking practice tests, reading prep books, and learning tricks on the Desmos graphing calculator. He scored a 1580, just twenty points shy of perfect. Three weeks later, he began teaching prep sessions every Monday and Friday, sometimes for twenty students, sometimes for one. "Lots of kids in Brownsville are just as smart as my friends from science fair and MIT," he says. "But the kids who end up at MIT are surrounded by opportunities." By senior year, he had expanded his initiative to train student-teachers across the Valley and won a grant for a class set of twenty prep books. More than one hundred sixty students have received free mentorship through his program. His first student, his best friend, improved his score by over 250 points and gained admission to the MITES Summer program at MIT. That is what Zeviel wants for students across the Valley, access to the same programs, the same institutions, the same paths forward that distance and circumstance have kept out of reach.
Valedictorian of 610 students. The only high school senior in Brownsville named a National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist. A 4.0 unweighted GPA sustained across years of research, competition, leadership, and service. Zeviel's record is not a list of accomplishments; it is the output of a mind that refuses to do anything halfway. He is a Coca-Cola Scholars Program Semifinalist, a National AP Scholar with Distinction, and a National Hispanic Recognition Award recipient. As chapter president of Health Occupations Students of America, he guided his team to a first-place regional finish, a fourth-place finish at the Texas state competition, and advancement to nationals in 2024. At National History Day, he is a two-time national finalist, earning third place in 2023 and fourth place in 2024, achievements that drew formal recognition from both the City of Brownsville and the Texas State Board of Education. He leads as Math Club president, serves as co-head coach of extemporaneous speaking for the National Hispanic Institute, and serves as a campus ambassador for RGV-LEAD. On the varsity tennis team, he reached the University Interscholastic League (UIL) Area Team Tennis finals in both his sophomore and junior years. With more than five hundred volunteer hours logged, including fifty hours per week as a camp counselor at Big Red's Ranch during his freshman and sophomore years, his commitment to service matches the intensity of his academic pursuits. These are only some of the roles he has taken on and accolades he has garnered; the full scope of what Zeviel does defies easy summary. His teacher Alberto J. Guerrero, Jr. has mentored students for close to two decades and calls Zeviel "the most outstanding young mind" he has ever taught, a student whose "brilliance eclipses all the expectations an educator may have for the young men and women they teach.”
Zeviel will pursue neuroscience with a minor in biochemistry at Harvard College, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or Stanford University. Where he comes from, brilliance is not rare. Opportunity is. He has spent his high school years making sure the two meet more often.
SILVER - Serena Herrera
Major: Electrical Engineering with a minor in Political Science
High School: Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet
Hometown: Dallas, TX
For months, Serena Herrera wanted to assemble her own computer. She researched parts, studied terminology, and watched YouTube tutorials, but self-doubt kept her from beginning. Then one day, she saw a video creator screw a plate on the wrong side. Instead of stopping, he fixed it and kept going. "That's when it hit me," she shares. "My process didn't need to be perfect, but I needed to start." Serena gathered the materials she had, laid them out, and began. Components did not fit. Wires tangled. Mistakes piled up. But each error taught her something new about how to put hardware and software together. Nine months later, her computer powered on. Some wires were still loose, and it was rough around the edges. "It had its ugly moments, but it was mine," she recalls.
Serena first discovered her interest in technology during a summer camp at Southern Methodist University's (SMU) Caruth Institute for Engineering Education, where a full-ride scholarship opened her eyes to everything she had been missing. College students introduced a project to build a safe drawer, and what began as an assignment turned into something more. "As I watched the SMU students explain how to create a circuit, I was unable to sit still in pure excitement to create my own for my project," she recalls. That excitement carried her through the design process, and when she finished, she was eager to share her process with the group she had met at camp. Camps like this one also gave her materials she would later use to build that computer from scratch.
Since that camp, Serena has built steadily on what she learned. She taught herself to code and helped establish a new Computer Science Team at Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet. Under her leadership as co-captain, the team earned 3rd place at the University Interscholastic League (UIL) Computer Science Competition in 2025. Her work with VEX Robotics has added another layer to her technical growth. As a builder and alternate coder for her team, Serena has helped them finish as quarterfinalists, semifinalists, and finalists at every competition they have entered. In 2025, the team placed 2nd at the UIL VEX Robotics Competition, advancing to Regionals.
Growing up, Serena did not always have access to the technology or programs that others had. She was taught instead to approach obstacles with determination. "I was taught to be poderosa, to believe that determination, confidence, and perseverance will get me wherever I need to be, even when I didn't have the same resources as others," she explains. The scholarship to SMU's camp showed her what was possible. When she saw a Latina teaching at the camp, she felt a sense of belonging, a quiet confirmation that she too had a place in this field. For Serena, earning her place has always meant making sure others can follow.
That belief shapes how she gives back. Through the STEMsters club, where students create lessons and activities to introduce elementary schoolers to STEM, Serena shares her love for the field with younger students. She also serves as a You Matter Team lead for Link Crew, where her team creates events to help incoming students manage the stress of starting high school, and works as social media coordinator for the Student Voter Empowerment Coalition, where her efforts helped achieve 100% voter registration among eligible students at her school.
Serena's leadership extends into Mock Trial, where she led her team to a 1st place finish at the District Competition in 2025 and earned the Outstanding Witness International Award. As graphic design lead for The Legal Pad, her school's magazine, she combines her technical and creative abilities, having also created the publication's website. She has been recognized as an AP Scholar and received the College Board First-Generation Recognition Award.
Her AP Seminar teacher, Vanessa Lee, describes Serena as someone who "quietly sets the standard for excellence and brings out the best in those around her." Lee notes that Serena's serene demeanor matches her name, and that she exudes "a calm and tranquil confidence rarely seen in her peers." She adds that Serena possesses "a special kind of self-sufficiency" and "an unshakable work ethic and a genuine desire to learn and lead with purpose.”
Serena plans to study electrical engineering with a minor in political science at Boston University, Southern Methodist University, or the University of Virginia. The young woman who once hesitated to start now builds with the belief that every door she opens should stay open for those behind her.
High School: Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet
Hometown: Dallas, TX
For months, Serena Herrera wanted to assemble her own computer. She researched parts, studied terminology, and watched YouTube tutorials, but self-doubt kept her from beginning. Then one day, she saw a video creator screw a plate on the wrong side. Instead of stopping, he fixed it and kept going. "That's when it hit me," she shares. "My process didn't need to be perfect, but I needed to start." Serena gathered the materials she had, laid them out, and began. Components did not fit. Wires tangled. Mistakes piled up. But each error taught her something new about how to put hardware and software together. Nine months later, her computer powered on. Some wires were still loose, and it was rough around the edges. "It had its ugly moments, but it was mine," she recalls.
Serena first discovered her interest in technology during a summer camp at Southern Methodist University's (SMU) Caruth Institute for Engineering Education, where a full-ride scholarship opened her eyes to everything she had been missing. College students introduced a project to build a safe drawer, and what began as an assignment turned into something more. "As I watched the SMU students explain how to create a circuit, I was unable to sit still in pure excitement to create my own for my project," she recalls. That excitement carried her through the design process, and when she finished, she was eager to share her process with the group she had met at camp. Camps like this one also gave her materials she would later use to build that computer from scratch.
Since that camp, Serena has built steadily on what she learned. She taught herself to code and helped establish a new Computer Science Team at Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet. Under her leadership as co-captain, the team earned 3rd place at the University Interscholastic League (UIL) Computer Science Competition in 2025. Her work with VEX Robotics has added another layer to her technical growth. As a builder and alternate coder for her team, Serena has helped them finish as quarterfinalists, semifinalists, and finalists at every competition they have entered. In 2025, the team placed 2nd at the UIL VEX Robotics Competition, advancing to Regionals.
Growing up, Serena did not always have access to the technology or programs that others had. She was taught instead to approach obstacles with determination. "I was taught to be poderosa, to believe that determination, confidence, and perseverance will get me wherever I need to be, even when I didn't have the same resources as others," she explains. The scholarship to SMU's camp showed her what was possible. When she saw a Latina teaching at the camp, she felt a sense of belonging, a quiet confirmation that she too had a place in this field. For Serena, earning her place has always meant making sure others can follow.
That belief shapes how she gives back. Through the STEMsters club, where students create lessons and activities to introduce elementary schoolers to STEM, Serena shares her love for the field with younger students. She also serves as a You Matter Team lead for Link Crew, where her team creates events to help incoming students manage the stress of starting high school, and works as social media coordinator for the Student Voter Empowerment Coalition, where her efforts helped achieve 100% voter registration among eligible students at her school.
Serena's leadership extends into Mock Trial, where she led her team to a 1st place finish at the District Competition in 2025 and earned the Outstanding Witness International Award. As graphic design lead for The Legal Pad, her school's magazine, she combines her technical and creative abilities, having also created the publication's website. She has been recognized as an AP Scholar and received the College Board First-Generation Recognition Award.
Her AP Seminar teacher, Vanessa Lee, describes Serena as someone who "quietly sets the standard for excellence and brings out the best in those around her." Lee notes that Serena's serene demeanor matches her name, and that she exudes "a calm and tranquil confidence rarely seen in her peers." She adds that Serena possesses "a special kind of self-sufficiency" and "an unshakable work ethic and a genuine desire to learn and lead with purpose.”
Serena plans to study electrical engineering with a minor in political science at Boston University, Southern Methodist University, or the University of Virginia. The young woman who once hesitated to start now builds with the belief that every door she opens should stay open for those behind her.
BRONZE - Maximiliano Rodriguez
Major: Computer Science and Cybersecurity with a minor in Business
High School: Vanguard Academy Rembrandt
Hometown: San Juan, TX
Where Maximiliano Rodriguez grew up, having a computer was an extreme privilege. He never thought he would have one, until the day his mother came home carrying a big cardboard box. "¡No la vayas a tocar!" she warned as she placed a laptop on the table. Don't touch it. The laptop was meant to be her work appliance. It became something else entirely. Maximiliano's curiosity got the better of him, and soon the machine turned into what he calls his "little workshop," where he taught himself to connect to the internet, navigate programs, and discover new worlds.
That early fascination found a new outlet in middle school, when a friend asked Maximiliano to build him a computer from scratch. He took charge of everything, from choosing components to managing cables. He researched, planned, and triple-checked his work. When he pressed the power button and the machine came alive, his ecstatic scream echoed through his friend's house. "I felt like I had just performed magic," he recalls.
The magic soon took on a more specific shape. Maximiliano discovered cybersecurity and ethical hacking. The complexity of topics like cryptography, forensics, and network security did not intimidate him. They felt like challenges he was determined to conquer. In high school, he enrolled in a dual-credit program to pursue an Associate of Applied Science in Cybersecurity, a degree he is on track to complete by the time he graduates high school while maintaining President's List honors.
One of his favorite projects from the degree program involved strengthening the network of a corporation that had minimal security, a flat environment, and no segmentation. Restless nights working on network design and countless hours in virtual labs setting up firewalls sharpened his skills and fueled his drive to learn more. He began researching topics on his own, with ethical hacking, penetration testing, and machine learning dominating his YouTube and Google search history. "The more I learned, the more motivated I became to push past what was required and challenge myself with new skills and concepts," he shares.
Maximiliano has tested that knowledge in competition. He leads his school's CyberPatriot team, a national youth cyber defense program, as well as CTF teams, where participants solve cybersecurity challenges in timed scenarios. In 2023, his CyberPatriot team qualified for state competition. He has also earned multiple industry certifications, including Information Technology Specialist credentials in Network Security, Networking, Cybersecurity, and Device Configuration and Management, as well as Microsoft Office Specialist certification in Excel.
His technical abilities found real-world application during an internship with the City of Pharr, where he worked under Pharr Connect, an internet service provider partnered with the Rio Grande Valley Broadband Coalition. As a digital navigator, Maximiliano taught classes on basic computer use, navigating common programs, and staying safe online. His work did not stop there. He rotated through the city's security, network, fiber, and customer service divisions, where he helped install and configure VPNs, distribute cybersecurity training to new employees, deploy antivirus software, set up workstations, and assist citizens with technical issues in their homes.
Maximiliano became his family's unofficial tech doctor, the one they call whenever something stops working. What once felt tedious turned into lessons in patience and communication. He came to see that technology, at its best, is a tool meant to help people. That belief reflects the values he was raised with. In Mexico, where his family is from, giving back was part of daily life. They donated clothes and toys to foster homes, bought meals for the homeless, and fundraised for the sick. When Maximiliano moved to the United States, he found the same principles guiding his new community. He has volunteered at festivals, donated blood, organized events, and cared for children in need.
At Vanguard Academy Rembrandt, Maximiliano is a member of DECA, the Spanish Honor Society, and the National Honor Society, and plays on the school's soccer team. He ranks first in his class of 125 students, a distinction his counselor, Norma Perales, attributes to his discipline, focus, and commitment to academic excellence. Perales describes him as someone with "an endless pursuit of knowledge and constant chase of progression," adding that his "relentless drive to become better and advance forward" sets him apart.
Maximiliano plans to study computer science and cybersecurity with a minor in business at the University of Texas at Austin, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or Carnegie Mellon University. From building a computer for the first time to securing networks and teaching digital skills, he continues to chase new challenges with the same excitement he felt when that first screen turned on.
High School: Vanguard Academy Rembrandt
Hometown: San Juan, TX
Where Maximiliano Rodriguez grew up, having a computer was an extreme privilege. He never thought he would have one, until the day his mother came home carrying a big cardboard box. "¡No la vayas a tocar!" she warned as she placed a laptop on the table. Don't touch it. The laptop was meant to be her work appliance. It became something else entirely. Maximiliano's curiosity got the better of him, and soon the machine turned into what he calls his "little workshop," where he taught himself to connect to the internet, navigate programs, and discover new worlds.
That early fascination found a new outlet in middle school, when a friend asked Maximiliano to build him a computer from scratch. He took charge of everything, from choosing components to managing cables. He researched, planned, and triple-checked his work. When he pressed the power button and the machine came alive, his ecstatic scream echoed through his friend's house. "I felt like I had just performed magic," he recalls.
The magic soon took on a more specific shape. Maximiliano discovered cybersecurity and ethical hacking. The complexity of topics like cryptography, forensics, and network security did not intimidate him. They felt like challenges he was determined to conquer. In high school, he enrolled in a dual-credit program to pursue an Associate of Applied Science in Cybersecurity, a degree he is on track to complete by the time he graduates high school while maintaining President's List honors.
One of his favorite projects from the degree program involved strengthening the network of a corporation that had minimal security, a flat environment, and no segmentation. Restless nights working on network design and countless hours in virtual labs setting up firewalls sharpened his skills and fueled his drive to learn more. He began researching topics on his own, with ethical hacking, penetration testing, and machine learning dominating his YouTube and Google search history. "The more I learned, the more motivated I became to push past what was required and challenge myself with new skills and concepts," he shares.
Maximiliano has tested that knowledge in competition. He leads his school's CyberPatriot team, a national youth cyber defense program, as well as CTF teams, where participants solve cybersecurity challenges in timed scenarios. In 2023, his CyberPatriot team qualified for state competition. He has also earned multiple industry certifications, including Information Technology Specialist credentials in Network Security, Networking, Cybersecurity, and Device Configuration and Management, as well as Microsoft Office Specialist certification in Excel.
His technical abilities found real-world application during an internship with the City of Pharr, where he worked under Pharr Connect, an internet service provider partnered with the Rio Grande Valley Broadband Coalition. As a digital navigator, Maximiliano taught classes on basic computer use, navigating common programs, and staying safe online. His work did not stop there. He rotated through the city's security, network, fiber, and customer service divisions, where he helped install and configure VPNs, distribute cybersecurity training to new employees, deploy antivirus software, set up workstations, and assist citizens with technical issues in their homes.
Maximiliano became his family's unofficial tech doctor, the one they call whenever something stops working. What once felt tedious turned into lessons in patience and communication. He came to see that technology, at its best, is a tool meant to help people. That belief reflects the values he was raised with. In Mexico, where his family is from, giving back was part of daily life. They donated clothes and toys to foster homes, bought meals for the homeless, and fundraised for the sick. When Maximiliano moved to the United States, he found the same principles guiding his new community. He has volunteered at festivals, donated blood, organized events, and cared for children in need.
At Vanguard Academy Rembrandt, Maximiliano is a member of DECA, the Spanish Honor Society, and the National Honor Society, and plays on the school's soccer team. He ranks first in his class of 125 students, a distinction his counselor, Norma Perales, attributes to his discipline, focus, and commitment to academic excellence. Perales describes him as someone with "an endless pursuit of knowledge and constant chase of progression," adding that his "relentless drive to become better and advance forward" sets him apart.
Maximiliano plans to study computer science and cybersecurity with a minor in business at the University of Texas at Austin, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or Carnegie Mellon University. From building a computer for the first time to securing networks and teaching digital skills, he continues to chase new challenges with the same excitement he felt when that first screen turned on.
Green Region
Please select a recipient name to read their bio.
GOLD - Jessica Schmilovich
Major: Computer Science
High School: Pine Crest School
Hometown: Boca Raton, FL
The computer mouse sat on the desk like a trap waiting to spring. At least, that is how Jessica Schmilovich's grandmother seemed to see it. She stared at the device, unwilling to touch it, convinced that one wrong move might break the whole machine. "¿Estás segura?" she whispered, turning to Jessica for reassurance before she dared lay a finger on it. As a first-generation American from an Argentinian immigrant family, Jessica often helped her grandmother, who speaks mostly Spanish, navigate technology. That day, watching her grandma in fear, led Jessica to a realization that informs her work to this day: technology is not truly impactful until everyone feels confident using it. It only achieves its purpose when it is accessible and comfortable for all users. Digital literacy education can change that, equipping people with the knowledge and skills to engage with technology on their own terms, and when such education reaches across languages and generations, it becomes a tool for inclusion. With this understanding and keeping families like hers in mind, Jessica founded Tech 4 Now, a nonprofit that offers free bilingual digital literacy education in English and Spanish.
Through Tech 4 Now, Jessica serves children and seniors in Florida, New York, and across Latin America. The organization runs two programs, Kids Learn Tech and Seniors Learn Tech, which offer workshops in person and virtually. Participants learn coding, online safety, and how to use technology with confidence. Jessica built the organization from the ground up, creating its bilingual website, developing its bilingual curriculum, and leading outreach, volunteer recruitment, and community partnerships. She also recruits other teens to join her mission, expanding the reach of what she started. One moment captures why this work matters to her. A senior participant who spoke only Spanish used what she had learned in class to video chat with her grandchildren, feeling connected to them once again. Moments like this are why Tech 4 Now exists.
Teaching others to use technology is one way Jessica makes an impact. Creating technology to address the challenges her generation faces is another. Her generation confronts questions previous generations never had to ask. "Is this image real or AI-generated?" "Is this comment true or written by a chatbot?" AI misinformation spreads fast, influencing views and opinions, and Jessica wondered what she could create to help people verify content before taking it at face value. Her answer was AuthentiCheck AI, a platform designed to detect AI-generated misinformation. She submitted AuthentiCheck AI to the Technovation Girls Challenge and was named a Global Semifinalist among nearly 11,000 girls from 69 countries. Jessica also created Flip the Switch, a mental wellness app designed to improve emotional well-being. Flip the Switch won the Congressional App Challenge in 2024 and is now featured in Technovation's Sustainable Development Goal 3 Power Solutions tutorial. In her words, both projects "integrated empathy into innovation," and both strengthened her skills in Python, HTML, JavaScript, and React Native.
Jessica's technical abilities extend into academic research at the university level. The summer before her junior year, she attended the Yale Young Global Scholars program, participating in seminars on app development and ethical AI. In 2024, she began working as a research intern at the University of Miami's Data Science and Computational Biology Lab under the mentorship of Dr. Vanessa Aguiar-Pulido. There, her work uses advanced computational methods to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental disorders. Dr. Aguiar-Pulido notes that this is not research she would normally entrust to a high school student, yet Jessica approaches it with the diligence, dedication, and persistence she expects from graduate researchers. Using machine learning, Python, and R, Jessica examines brain development. Her latest research was accepted for presentation at the ACM Conference on Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, and Health Informatics, which Dr. Aguiar-Pulido calls a remarkable accomplishment. Jessica also received the NYU GSTEM Winston Data Scholarship in 2025. Through that program, she modeled human decision-making variability computationally using Python and MATLAB. Beyond her research, Jessica has earned recognition on multiple fronts. She is a 2025 NCWIT Aspirations in Computing National Winner, a 2025 ACSL International Silver Medalist with the highest score in Florida, and a 2026 Coca-Cola Scholars Program Semifinalist. A top student at Pine Crest School, Jessica has paired her academic achievements with a drive to uplift others.
One way Jessica uplifts others is through her role as Florida's only Technovation Student Ambassador. In this position, she has reached over 80 educational institutions statewide, supporting girls in developing apps to solve issues in their communities. Her leadership at Technovation has grown over time. She became a Community Leader and co-hosted Technovation's 2025 Global Celebration, watching young innovators worldwide unite around technology's power for change. Inspiring others to see themselves as changemakers, she found, is just as fulfilling. That drive to empower others carries into her other work. As a Youth Leader for GoodforMEdia, she advocates for healthier social media discussions. At Pine Crest School, she co-founded a Girls Who Code chapter and serves as co-president, where she mentors younger girls in programming and fosters their confidence. She also volunteers through UPchieve, tutoring students in math, science, and computer science.
Jessica will attend Stanford University, where she plans to study computer science. Her experiences have shaped a clear commitment to using technology as a tool for positive change and a bridge to bring people together. For this young Latina, technology is most powerful when it makes room for everyone.
High School: Pine Crest School
Hometown: Boca Raton, FL
The computer mouse sat on the desk like a trap waiting to spring. At least, that is how Jessica Schmilovich's grandmother seemed to see it. She stared at the device, unwilling to touch it, convinced that one wrong move might break the whole machine. "¿Estás segura?" she whispered, turning to Jessica for reassurance before she dared lay a finger on it. As a first-generation American from an Argentinian immigrant family, Jessica often helped her grandmother, who speaks mostly Spanish, navigate technology. That day, watching her grandma in fear, led Jessica to a realization that informs her work to this day: technology is not truly impactful until everyone feels confident using it. It only achieves its purpose when it is accessible and comfortable for all users. Digital literacy education can change that, equipping people with the knowledge and skills to engage with technology on their own terms, and when such education reaches across languages and generations, it becomes a tool for inclusion. With this understanding and keeping families like hers in mind, Jessica founded Tech 4 Now, a nonprofit that offers free bilingual digital literacy education in English and Spanish.
Through Tech 4 Now, Jessica serves children and seniors in Florida, New York, and across Latin America. The organization runs two programs, Kids Learn Tech and Seniors Learn Tech, which offer workshops in person and virtually. Participants learn coding, online safety, and how to use technology with confidence. Jessica built the organization from the ground up, creating its bilingual website, developing its bilingual curriculum, and leading outreach, volunteer recruitment, and community partnerships. She also recruits other teens to join her mission, expanding the reach of what she started. One moment captures why this work matters to her. A senior participant who spoke only Spanish used what she had learned in class to video chat with her grandchildren, feeling connected to them once again. Moments like this are why Tech 4 Now exists.
Teaching others to use technology is one way Jessica makes an impact. Creating technology to address the challenges her generation faces is another. Her generation confronts questions previous generations never had to ask. "Is this image real or AI-generated?" "Is this comment true or written by a chatbot?" AI misinformation spreads fast, influencing views and opinions, and Jessica wondered what she could create to help people verify content before taking it at face value. Her answer was AuthentiCheck AI, a platform designed to detect AI-generated misinformation. She submitted AuthentiCheck AI to the Technovation Girls Challenge and was named a Global Semifinalist among nearly 11,000 girls from 69 countries. Jessica also created Flip the Switch, a mental wellness app designed to improve emotional well-being. Flip the Switch won the Congressional App Challenge in 2024 and is now featured in Technovation's Sustainable Development Goal 3 Power Solutions tutorial. In her words, both projects "integrated empathy into innovation," and both strengthened her skills in Python, HTML, JavaScript, and React Native.
Jessica's technical abilities extend into academic research at the university level. The summer before her junior year, she attended the Yale Young Global Scholars program, participating in seminars on app development and ethical AI. In 2024, she began working as a research intern at the University of Miami's Data Science and Computational Biology Lab under the mentorship of Dr. Vanessa Aguiar-Pulido. There, her work uses advanced computational methods to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental disorders. Dr. Aguiar-Pulido notes that this is not research she would normally entrust to a high school student, yet Jessica approaches it with the diligence, dedication, and persistence she expects from graduate researchers. Using machine learning, Python, and R, Jessica examines brain development. Her latest research was accepted for presentation at the ACM Conference on Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, and Health Informatics, which Dr. Aguiar-Pulido calls a remarkable accomplishment. Jessica also received the NYU GSTEM Winston Data Scholarship in 2025. Through that program, she modeled human decision-making variability computationally using Python and MATLAB. Beyond her research, Jessica has earned recognition on multiple fronts. She is a 2025 NCWIT Aspirations in Computing National Winner, a 2025 ACSL International Silver Medalist with the highest score in Florida, and a 2026 Coca-Cola Scholars Program Semifinalist. A top student at Pine Crest School, Jessica has paired her academic achievements with a drive to uplift others.
One way Jessica uplifts others is through her role as Florida's only Technovation Student Ambassador. In this position, she has reached over 80 educational institutions statewide, supporting girls in developing apps to solve issues in their communities. Her leadership at Technovation has grown over time. She became a Community Leader and co-hosted Technovation's 2025 Global Celebration, watching young innovators worldwide unite around technology's power for change. Inspiring others to see themselves as changemakers, she found, is just as fulfilling. That drive to empower others carries into her other work. As a Youth Leader for GoodforMEdia, she advocates for healthier social media discussions. At Pine Crest School, she co-founded a Girls Who Code chapter and serves as co-president, where she mentors younger girls in programming and fosters their confidence. She also volunteers through UPchieve, tutoring students in math, science, and computer science.
Jessica will attend Stanford University, where she plans to study computer science. Her experiences have shaped a clear commitment to using technology as a tool for positive change and a bridge to bring people together. For this young Latina, technology is most powerful when it makes room for everyone.
SILVER - April Surac
Major: Electrical Engineering with a minor in Neuroscience
High School: Acellus Academy
Hometown: Cocoa, FL
April Surac writes code the way her parents build furniture. In their shop, she watched them measure, sand, and correct every piece until it could be trusted. She carries that same approach into technology, treating her codebase like a workbench where she keeps parts organized, tests each change before moving on, and removes anything that adds friction. The result, in her view, should feel sturdy like a well-built table and make daily life easier rather than harder. If a feature does not help the user, it does not belong.
That standard guided how April built Bookoli, an AI-powered literacy platform and EdTech startup that stands as her proudest accomplishment in technology. The idea came after she saw classmates being left behind by traditional literacy tools. In Florida, 70 percent of eighth graders lack reading proficiency, and in her district, about half of K-12 students perform below grade level. April wanted to understand why the usual fixes kept failing. Her response was to build something that addressed the problem at its roots. Bookoli uses machine and deep learning to screen for reading challenges such as dyslexia, then supports students with targeted practice. To make this work, April built data pipelines, mapped features tied to decoding and comprehension, and created adaptive exercises that adjust based on student performance. She wrote classification scripts for literacy patterns and built dashboards so teachers could track student growth. Throughout, her design choices returned to simple questions. Can a student log in without delay? Can they read without clutter? Can they get feedback that makes sense?
With Bookoli built, April took it into classrooms. She partnered with teachers across 10 local schools to collect feedback and align the tool with their routines. She ran pilots with more than 150 middle and high school students, trained teachers on short cycles of use, and stayed on call to fix bugs and adjust features. She organized small group sessions after school where students could try new modules and tell her, in plain words, what worked and what did not. This iterative process yielded measurable results. In a study with 54 participants, students who used Bookoli showed a 20 percent gain in comprehension, a 22 percent gain in vocabulary recall, and an 18 percent improvement in interpretation skills compared with a control group.
Behind the data, April values a different kind of impact. Her favorite moments were moments of calm when a student finished a passage and felt in control of the text. Her definition of service includes quieter work. She sees service as something that shows up when you answer a teacher's email at 10 p.m. to fix a login issue, when you rewrite a lesson so it takes ten minutes instead of thirty, and when you keep showing up until the tool can stand on its own. Her goal with Bookoli reflects this mindset. It is not another app that adds work. It is a system that helps students move forward and gives teachers information they can use the same day.
April has drawn from university research and STEM programs that sharpened her technical discipline. At Stanford University's Biochemistry Department, she contributed to a computational pipeline that designs molecules to target EZH2, a protein linked to cancer. The work taught her data discipline, version control, and how careful model building can guide real decisions. She approached the research with the same habits she learned in her family's furniture shop, testing conditions, structuring stages, refining datasets, and improving models through multiple cycles. Her research experience also includes a position as research assistant at Harvard-MGH's Mood and Behavior Lab. Through the U.S. State Department's TechGirls program, April completed intensive STEM coursework and spoke with engineers who build software that serves communities. Those conversations pushed her to write cleaner code, document her work, and design with clear user stories.
April carries these skills into team-based technical work and mentorship. She serves as lead programmer and marketing director for FIRST Robotics Team 3209 at West Orange High School, where she participates in extracurriculars while completing her academics online through Acellus Academy. On the team, she mentors younger students in Java, helped secure a $2,500 grant for outreach expansion, and guided a delivery prototype for a local food organization so the team's engineering work could address community needs outside of competition. Her commitment to mentorship takes multiple forms. She runs workshops that introduce younger students to coding through simple projects tied to things they care about. Together, they build tiny scripts that sort words, track reading time, or turn a short story into a quiz a classmate can try. She also helps classmates prepare for tech competitions by sharing templates, version control tips, and ways to test ideas without burning out.
April's technical pursuits include physical design and sensory systems. She founded NeuraSensa, where she serves as creative director, combining textile design, electronics, and principles of neuroscience to create multisensory art that supports neurodiverse populations in public spaces. She engineers textile-based systems that incorporate soft actuators, controlled vibration patterns, and temperature modulation, testing prototypes with educators and learners to refine stability and consistency. Her installations have reached thousands of visitors in community galleries, including an exhibition at CityArts in Orlando where children who usually find crowded environments overwhelming remained calm and comfortable. April teaches workshops at special education centers so students can create their own sensory tools, and she launched a Sponsor-a-Kit effort that delivered more than 100 sensory kits to classrooms, therapy centers, and families who needed affordable options. For this work, she received the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes in 2025, which honors 15 young leaders in the nation whose work strengthens their communities. The award came with $10,000 in funding to expand her efforts. She was also named a National Awardee for NCWIT Aspirations in Computing in 2025 for her work on NeuraSensa.
The scope of April's accomplishments reflects the range of her interests. She founded the Pre-Med Club and HOSA chapter at West Orange High School, where she serves as president. Through her role, she brings in speakers, organizes skill labs, and runs drives that help families in local hospitals. Her long list of achievements includes the George H. W. Bush Daily Point of Light Award for her continued service work, a seventh-place finish at FBLA Nationals in Healthcare Administration, a Scholastic Art and Writing National Silver Medal in Photography, selection as a QuestBridge National College Match Finalist, and recognition from Women in Tech Global.
A first-generation college student, April plans to study electrical engineering with a minor in neuroscience at MIT, the University of Pennsylvania, or Dartmouth College. She intends to continue building tools that improve learning and access, carrying the same habits she practiced in research and community work into larger systems.
High School: Acellus Academy
Hometown: Cocoa, FL
April Surac writes code the way her parents build furniture. In their shop, she watched them measure, sand, and correct every piece until it could be trusted. She carries that same approach into technology, treating her codebase like a workbench where she keeps parts organized, tests each change before moving on, and removes anything that adds friction. The result, in her view, should feel sturdy like a well-built table and make daily life easier rather than harder. If a feature does not help the user, it does not belong.
That standard guided how April built Bookoli, an AI-powered literacy platform and EdTech startup that stands as her proudest accomplishment in technology. The idea came after she saw classmates being left behind by traditional literacy tools. In Florida, 70 percent of eighth graders lack reading proficiency, and in her district, about half of K-12 students perform below grade level. April wanted to understand why the usual fixes kept failing. Her response was to build something that addressed the problem at its roots. Bookoli uses machine and deep learning to screen for reading challenges such as dyslexia, then supports students with targeted practice. To make this work, April built data pipelines, mapped features tied to decoding and comprehension, and created adaptive exercises that adjust based on student performance. She wrote classification scripts for literacy patterns and built dashboards so teachers could track student growth. Throughout, her design choices returned to simple questions. Can a student log in without delay? Can they read without clutter? Can they get feedback that makes sense?
With Bookoli built, April took it into classrooms. She partnered with teachers across 10 local schools to collect feedback and align the tool with their routines. She ran pilots with more than 150 middle and high school students, trained teachers on short cycles of use, and stayed on call to fix bugs and adjust features. She organized small group sessions after school where students could try new modules and tell her, in plain words, what worked and what did not. This iterative process yielded measurable results. In a study with 54 participants, students who used Bookoli showed a 20 percent gain in comprehension, a 22 percent gain in vocabulary recall, and an 18 percent improvement in interpretation skills compared with a control group.
Behind the data, April values a different kind of impact. Her favorite moments were moments of calm when a student finished a passage and felt in control of the text. Her definition of service includes quieter work. She sees service as something that shows up when you answer a teacher's email at 10 p.m. to fix a login issue, when you rewrite a lesson so it takes ten minutes instead of thirty, and when you keep showing up until the tool can stand on its own. Her goal with Bookoli reflects this mindset. It is not another app that adds work. It is a system that helps students move forward and gives teachers information they can use the same day.
April has drawn from university research and STEM programs that sharpened her technical discipline. At Stanford University's Biochemistry Department, she contributed to a computational pipeline that designs molecules to target EZH2, a protein linked to cancer. The work taught her data discipline, version control, and how careful model building can guide real decisions. She approached the research with the same habits she learned in her family's furniture shop, testing conditions, structuring stages, refining datasets, and improving models through multiple cycles. Her research experience also includes a position as research assistant at Harvard-MGH's Mood and Behavior Lab. Through the U.S. State Department's TechGirls program, April completed intensive STEM coursework and spoke with engineers who build software that serves communities. Those conversations pushed her to write cleaner code, document her work, and design with clear user stories.
April carries these skills into team-based technical work and mentorship. She serves as lead programmer and marketing director for FIRST Robotics Team 3209 at West Orange High School, where she participates in extracurriculars while completing her academics online through Acellus Academy. On the team, she mentors younger students in Java, helped secure a $2,500 grant for outreach expansion, and guided a delivery prototype for a local food organization so the team's engineering work could address community needs outside of competition. Her commitment to mentorship takes multiple forms. She runs workshops that introduce younger students to coding through simple projects tied to things they care about. Together, they build tiny scripts that sort words, track reading time, or turn a short story into a quiz a classmate can try. She also helps classmates prepare for tech competitions by sharing templates, version control tips, and ways to test ideas without burning out.
April's technical pursuits include physical design and sensory systems. She founded NeuraSensa, where she serves as creative director, combining textile design, electronics, and principles of neuroscience to create multisensory art that supports neurodiverse populations in public spaces. She engineers textile-based systems that incorporate soft actuators, controlled vibration patterns, and temperature modulation, testing prototypes with educators and learners to refine stability and consistency. Her installations have reached thousands of visitors in community galleries, including an exhibition at CityArts in Orlando where children who usually find crowded environments overwhelming remained calm and comfortable. April teaches workshops at special education centers so students can create their own sensory tools, and she launched a Sponsor-a-Kit effort that delivered more than 100 sensory kits to classrooms, therapy centers, and families who needed affordable options. For this work, she received the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes in 2025, which honors 15 young leaders in the nation whose work strengthens their communities. The award came with $10,000 in funding to expand her efforts. She was also named a National Awardee for NCWIT Aspirations in Computing in 2025 for her work on NeuraSensa.
The scope of April's accomplishments reflects the range of her interests. She founded the Pre-Med Club and HOSA chapter at West Orange High School, where she serves as president. Through her role, she brings in speakers, organizes skill labs, and runs drives that help families in local hospitals. Her long list of achievements includes the George H. W. Bush Daily Point of Light Award for her continued service work, a seventh-place finish at FBLA Nationals in Healthcare Administration, a Scholastic Art and Writing National Silver Medal in Photography, selection as a QuestBridge National College Match Finalist, and recognition from Women in Tech Global.
A first-generation college student, April plans to study electrical engineering with a minor in neuroscience at MIT, the University of Pennsylvania, or Dartmouth College. She intends to continue building tools that improve learning and access, carrying the same habits she practiced in research and community work into larger systems.
BRONZE - Jared Castillo
Major: Computer Engineering with a minor in Electrical Engineering
High School: Thomas County Central High School
Hometown: Thomasville, GA
Curiosity has always been the starting point for Jared Castillo. He could never look at something and simply accept that it worked. How and why it worked were questions that lingered, pulling him past the surface and into what was underneath. That desire to understand how things came together meant he learned technology before he ever stepped into a classroom. When his family bought old computers from Goodwill for a few dollars, he would take them apart on his bedroom floor, not to fix them but to understand how everything connected. His Colombian and Nicaraguan household also gave him plenty of opportunities to explore these questions. When something broke, they figured it out, which meant every malfunctioning device became a hands-on lesson in how things are put together, how they fail, and how to bring them back to life. That drive continued through family projects, where they worked together to optimize home networks, rebuild and sell computers, and design custom sound systems. None of these projects came with manuals or unlimited resources. They worked with what they had, learned what they did not know along the way, and found solutions even when the path was not clear. That is how Jared came to understand technology. It is not about having everything you need from the start. It is about persistence and the courage to figure it out. These experiences set him on his path in technology, toward understanding how computer systems communicate, how they fail, and how they can be improved.
His upbringing taught him more than resourcefulness. It taught him patience. When the family TV stopped working for days at a time, they did not get angry. They opened the board game cabinet and made better memories than any cartoon could have given him. That same patience guides how Jared approaches problems now. When a circuit shorts or a plan falls apart, he does not rush or give up. He slows down, traces it back, and rebuilds from a different perspective. But this way of thinking did not come naturally. For the longest time, he believed that progress meant control. If he studied enough, prepared enough, planned enough, and perfected enough, he could stop things from going wrong. Every moment that forced him to ask why something broke or why he failed chipped away at that belief. He came to understand that growth is not found in the absence of failure. It is found surrounded by it. That realization changed everything. He stopped seeing mistakes as proof he was not good enough and started seeing them as proof he was trying something worth doing. He became more patient with himself and with others, and developed more gratitude for the process than for the trophy. Jared considers this shift his proudest accomplishment. It happened far from any competition or certification. "My greatest accomplishment was learning to fail," shared Jared. "To accept that the most meaningful process was failing, not winning.”
Cybersecurity was a natural fit for someone who had spent years asking how things work and why they fail. Jared explored websites like TryHackMe and networking simulations, practicing how to find weaknesses and secure systems. He also registered for CyberStart America, a national cybersecurity competition that challenges students to solve problems across areas like cryptography, network security, and digital forensics. After months of learning, competing, and working through challenges, he was selected as a National Cyber Scholar in 2024. Out of thousands of students who participate each year, only top scorers earn the title. The distinction placed Jared among a small group of students nationwide who demonstrated exceptional performance in the program, earning him a scholarship for advanced cybersecurity training and the opportunity to pursue an industry-recognized certification.
Jared pursued further technical training through dual enrollment at Southern Regional Technical College, where he studies computer networking and systems administration. He completed the Network+ course by CompTIA and earned his Network Technician certification. Through this training, he learned to trace packets, test vulnerabilities, and secure systems from the inside out. At Thomas County Central High School, he completed both the Computer Science and Internet of Things pathways, which his teacher calls an uncommon and challenging achievement. He was named AP Scholar with Distinction and selected as an alternate for the Governor's Honors Program in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Across dual enrollment, industry certifications, and a demanding course load, Jared has maintained a 4.0 GPA at both institutions, holding himself to the same standard whether he is in a classroom or competing on a national stage.
What Jared learns, he puts into practice. He participates in the Smart Manufacturing Pilot Program with Georgia Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing, an initiative that integrates computer science, embedded systems, and manufacturing. Through this program, he has applied classroom knowledge to solve real-world problems. He brings that same hands-on approach to his school's FIRST Tech Challenge robotics team, where he serves as vice-captain. In robotics, he applied his networking knowledge to design electrical systems for all of his school's teams, building them to survive the chaos of competition. His team, CyberStingers Blue, made the program's first appearance at the World Championship and earned second place as Georgia State Inspire Winner in 2025.
Another experience that has shaped Jared is FBLA. He joined as a student who struggled to speak in front of others, but through competitions, team projects, and business presentations, he developed the ability to present ideas in ways people could understand. He now serves as vice president of competitions and built a preparation system that helped his chapter maintain its 14-year region champion winning streak and its representation at the Georgia state conference. He is a Georgia state finalist in Computer Game Programming. The confidence he built through FBLA has enabled him to stand in front of industry professionals, present sponsorship proposals, and deliver over a dozen speeches at various congregations and conferences. No matter who he speaks to, he approaches every audience as people to connect with, not impress.
This approach to connecting with people carries into how Jared serves his community. At STEMQuest, he taught younger students how to build and experiment without fear of being wrong. Many arrived uncertain, with career goals blurred. By the end of the month, those same students felt confident enough to teach each other how to wire circuits and debug code. It was not because Jared gave them all the answers. It was because he gave them the space to find them on their own. Through technology literacy workshops at his church, he has seen the same kind of change in adults. Many developed a spirit of service in themselves and went on to teach others in their own words what they had learned. For Jared, that is what service means. People do not need someone to lead for them. They need someone to believe in them until they can believe in themselves.
Jared carries this philosophy into his leadership, advocacy, and involvement. As a Georgia Student Advisory Councilmember, he has watched students drop engineering or tech classes because they are told those classes do not fit the college path. He believes schools should not ask students to choose between building futures and taking harder classes, and through his council position, he plans to advocate for expanded access to programs that merge academic and technical education. As co-chair of his church's regional youth council, he has organized service projects that brought together people who might never have crossed paths and helped plan and direct events that served hundreds. Faith has influenced his life. Explaining gospel principles in simple ways reminded him that technology is about helping others understand, not about showing how much you know. He also serves as president of Mu Alpha Theta, the math honor society, and competes on his school's varsity tennis team, where he plays first doubles.
Jared plans to study computer engineering with a minor in electrical engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Georgia, or Princeton University. His journey taught him early that progress does not wait for perfect conditions. It grows from persistence and courage. "I carry that lesson into each system I troubleshoot, each line of code, every network I design, and every challenge that teaches me how to do it better," says Jared, and he means it. That same lesson, and the same curiosity that started it all, will carry him forward.
High School: Thomas County Central High School
Hometown: Thomasville, GA
Curiosity has always been the starting point for Jared Castillo. He could never look at something and simply accept that it worked. How and why it worked were questions that lingered, pulling him past the surface and into what was underneath. That desire to understand how things came together meant he learned technology before he ever stepped into a classroom. When his family bought old computers from Goodwill for a few dollars, he would take them apart on his bedroom floor, not to fix them but to understand how everything connected. His Colombian and Nicaraguan household also gave him plenty of opportunities to explore these questions. When something broke, they figured it out, which meant every malfunctioning device became a hands-on lesson in how things are put together, how they fail, and how to bring them back to life. That drive continued through family projects, where they worked together to optimize home networks, rebuild and sell computers, and design custom sound systems. None of these projects came with manuals or unlimited resources. They worked with what they had, learned what they did not know along the way, and found solutions even when the path was not clear. That is how Jared came to understand technology. It is not about having everything you need from the start. It is about persistence and the courage to figure it out. These experiences set him on his path in technology, toward understanding how computer systems communicate, how they fail, and how they can be improved.
His upbringing taught him more than resourcefulness. It taught him patience. When the family TV stopped working for days at a time, they did not get angry. They opened the board game cabinet and made better memories than any cartoon could have given him. That same patience guides how Jared approaches problems now. When a circuit shorts or a plan falls apart, he does not rush or give up. He slows down, traces it back, and rebuilds from a different perspective. But this way of thinking did not come naturally. For the longest time, he believed that progress meant control. If he studied enough, prepared enough, planned enough, and perfected enough, he could stop things from going wrong. Every moment that forced him to ask why something broke or why he failed chipped away at that belief. He came to understand that growth is not found in the absence of failure. It is found surrounded by it. That realization changed everything. He stopped seeing mistakes as proof he was not good enough and started seeing them as proof he was trying something worth doing. He became more patient with himself and with others, and developed more gratitude for the process than for the trophy. Jared considers this shift his proudest accomplishment. It happened far from any competition or certification. "My greatest accomplishment was learning to fail," shared Jared. "To accept that the most meaningful process was failing, not winning.”
Cybersecurity was a natural fit for someone who had spent years asking how things work and why they fail. Jared explored websites like TryHackMe and networking simulations, practicing how to find weaknesses and secure systems. He also registered for CyberStart America, a national cybersecurity competition that challenges students to solve problems across areas like cryptography, network security, and digital forensics. After months of learning, competing, and working through challenges, he was selected as a National Cyber Scholar in 2024. Out of thousands of students who participate each year, only top scorers earn the title. The distinction placed Jared among a small group of students nationwide who demonstrated exceptional performance in the program, earning him a scholarship for advanced cybersecurity training and the opportunity to pursue an industry-recognized certification.
Jared pursued further technical training through dual enrollment at Southern Regional Technical College, where he studies computer networking and systems administration. He completed the Network+ course by CompTIA and earned his Network Technician certification. Through this training, he learned to trace packets, test vulnerabilities, and secure systems from the inside out. At Thomas County Central High School, he completed both the Computer Science and Internet of Things pathways, which his teacher calls an uncommon and challenging achievement. He was named AP Scholar with Distinction and selected as an alternate for the Governor's Honors Program in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Across dual enrollment, industry certifications, and a demanding course load, Jared has maintained a 4.0 GPA at both institutions, holding himself to the same standard whether he is in a classroom or competing on a national stage.
What Jared learns, he puts into practice. He participates in the Smart Manufacturing Pilot Program with Georgia Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing, an initiative that integrates computer science, embedded systems, and manufacturing. Through this program, he has applied classroom knowledge to solve real-world problems. He brings that same hands-on approach to his school's FIRST Tech Challenge robotics team, where he serves as vice-captain. In robotics, he applied his networking knowledge to design electrical systems for all of his school's teams, building them to survive the chaos of competition. His team, CyberStingers Blue, made the program's first appearance at the World Championship and earned second place as Georgia State Inspire Winner in 2025.
Another experience that has shaped Jared is FBLA. He joined as a student who struggled to speak in front of others, but through competitions, team projects, and business presentations, he developed the ability to present ideas in ways people could understand. He now serves as vice president of competitions and built a preparation system that helped his chapter maintain its 14-year region champion winning streak and its representation at the Georgia state conference. He is a Georgia state finalist in Computer Game Programming. The confidence he built through FBLA has enabled him to stand in front of industry professionals, present sponsorship proposals, and deliver over a dozen speeches at various congregations and conferences. No matter who he speaks to, he approaches every audience as people to connect with, not impress.
This approach to connecting with people carries into how Jared serves his community. At STEMQuest, he taught younger students how to build and experiment without fear of being wrong. Many arrived uncertain, with career goals blurred. By the end of the month, those same students felt confident enough to teach each other how to wire circuits and debug code. It was not because Jared gave them all the answers. It was because he gave them the space to find them on their own. Through technology literacy workshops at his church, he has seen the same kind of change in adults. Many developed a spirit of service in themselves and went on to teach others in their own words what they had learned. For Jared, that is what service means. People do not need someone to lead for them. They need someone to believe in them until they can believe in themselves.
Jared carries this philosophy into his leadership, advocacy, and involvement. As a Georgia Student Advisory Councilmember, he has watched students drop engineering or tech classes because they are told those classes do not fit the college path. He believes schools should not ask students to choose between building futures and taking harder classes, and through his council position, he plans to advocate for expanded access to programs that merge academic and technical education. As co-chair of his church's regional youth council, he has organized service projects that brought together people who might never have crossed paths and helped plan and direct events that served hundreds. Faith has influenced his life. Explaining gospel principles in simple ways reminded him that technology is about helping others understand, not about showing how much you know. He also serves as president of Mu Alpha Theta, the math honor society, and competes on his school's varsity tennis team, where he plays first doubles.
Jared plans to study computer engineering with a minor in electrical engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Georgia, or Princeton University. His journey taught him early that progress does not wait for perfect conditions. It grows from persistence and courage. "I carry that lesson into each system I troubleshoot, each line of code, every network I design, and every challenge that teaches me how to do it better," says Jared, and he means it. That same lesson, and the same curiosity that started it all, will carry him forward.
Orange Region
Please select a recipient name to read their bio.
GOLD - Juan Pablo Ortiz Medina
Major: Finance on a Pre-Law track
High School: Heritage High School
Hometown: Wake Forest, NC
For Juan Pablo Ortiz Medina, the classroom and the kitchen table were never far apart. "While other dads taught their sons to throw a football or talk to girls, mine taught me math," he writes. Growing up in Colombia, his home was a blend of Spanish, English, computers, and home classes. His mother was an English teacher, and she brought the language into the mix. His father brought the computers and the lessons. When his father said "Let us have a shot," Juan Pablo knew what that meant. It was time to study. One evening might bring long division. Another might bring practice on areas and perimeters using BrainPOP videos and exercises. These long nights at the kitchen table brought father and son close. Juan Pablo moved to North Carolina in 2023, but the learning did not stop. Most weeks, he and his father connect via Google Meet to study Python programming. What began at the kitchen table back in Colombia during Juan Pablo's school years has grown into a shared interest in math and technology, one that now bridges the distance between them.
This interest in technology found early expression in a school project that remains his proudest accomplishment in the field. In sixth grade, during the pandemic, his computer teacher assigned students to plan, design, and implement an application of their choice. At the same time, his social studies class was covering how corruption affects society. The overlap sparked an idea. Juan Pablo decided to address the issue through his project, so he created "Transparency," an application for citizens to review politicians' histories and submit investigation requests about concerning actions. To bring it to life, he designed wireframes (sketches illustrating each app page), built a prototype using an online rapid prototyping tool, and implemented the final product using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. This project remains his proudest technology accomplishment because it was his first. He turned an idea into a concrete implementation to help his community use tax resources with greater efficiency. Through this experience, he came to see technology as his way of contributing to a better world. In recent years, Juan Pablo has explored the use of large language models. These tools have sharpened his understanding of how computers and software work and have deepened his curiosity about the technology behind them.
Juan Pablo's academic record reflects a remarkable commitment to STEM. Back in Colombia, he earned recognition as one of the best students at his school, the Montessori School in Medellín. Throughout his education, he has consistently ranked in the top 10% of his class. This excellence has translated into opportunities to represent his schools at state-level math contests and national-level science contests. He has excelled in science courses, with particular strength in physics, biology, and chemistry. His academic achievements have earned him membership in the National Achievers Society, Mu Alpha Theta, the National Technical Honor Society, and the National Science Honor Society. Mr. Anthony Brito, his biology teacher at Heritage High School, describes Juan Pablo as well-rounded, participating in student-led inquiries and challenging himself on self-designed experiments. What makes these accomplishments more remarkable is that Juan Pablo achieved them and established himself at Heritage in just two years since moving from Colombia. For Mr. Brito, Juan Pablo stands apart. "One of the most unique and valuable people I have ever met," he writes.
Model United Nations (MUN) has played a defining role in Juan Pablo's growth. He first joined MUN as a freshman back in Colombia, despite his fear of public speaking at the time. "I signed up, afraid, but hungry to grow," he writes. MUN, he says, changed his life. The experience gave him space to find his voice and grow into someone who could speak up. When he moved to North Carolina and learned that Heritage High School had no MUN chapter, he decided to build one himself. The organization had given him so much, and he wanted to create that same space for others. The process was anything but simple. He had to advertise the organization, recruit members, navigate the school's approval process, and secure a faculty advisor. The one advisor he managed to find had to step away due to health reasons. Mr. Brito, who had initially been unable to commit due to other responsibilities, watched Juan Pablo push forward despite the setbacks. He saw the effort Juan Pablo was putting in and the struggle he had gone through to get that far. He realized all Juan Pablo needed was for someone to give him a chance, so he stepped in. It was, Mr. Brito says, one of the best decisions he could have made for the good of the school. Leading MUN, Juan Pablo says, feels like running a company. It is the first time he has been the leader of something big that has meaningful impact on others who look up to him as a mentor. Mr. Brito has witnessed his growth into a true leader, noting that Juan Pablo leads his club and team "with grace and respect." Under his leadership, the organization has grown from an initial group of 4 to over 50 members with 20 competing delegates. "This project is my baby," he says, "and I am so proud of the opportunities it has provided my delegates." By the end of 2025, they had competed in over 6 competitions. Juan Pablo earned the Outstanding Delegate award at East Chapel Hill MUN in 2025.
Juan Pablo's drive to empower others extends beyond MUN. He joined Heritage Peer Ambassadors to provide new students what he wished he had when he arrived in the US. In his second year in the program, he was promoted to sectional leadership and mentors a group of 5 ambassadors. He also tutors peers and students at a local middle school through his involvement with Mu Alpha Theta. The hours spent tutoring have brought him closer to the people he helps. "Math doesn't just explain the world; it connects people," he says. His involvement in the community takes other forms as well. He works at the YMCA as a lifeguard and soccer coach, and through TOP Soccer with North Carolina FC, he helps athletes with disabilities. That belief in math as a connector has influenced his career exploration. He has interned at a real estate firm, where he assisted with designing marketing strategies and talking to clients while also incorporating AI tools into his work. The experience reinforced his belief that math is about more than numbers on a page. "Every equation has a story," he writes, "and understanding these stories is how finance brings human behavior and logical data together in order to help others plan for the future.”
Juan Pablo is considering the University of Miami, University of California Irvine, and George Washington University. He plans to study finance while on a pre-law track to understand how numbers reflect human behavior and how finances empower communities. "More than mastering balance sheets, I will build bridges between people, data, and opportunity," he writes. He sees this path as a continuation of the lessons his father has shared with him over the years, "continuing my father's mathematical legacy he started at our kitchen table."
High School: Heritage High School
Hometown: Wake Forest, NC
For Juan Pablo Ortiz Medina, the classroom and the kitchen table were never far apart. "While other dads taught their sons to throw a football or talk to girls, mine taught me math," he writes. Growing up in Colombia, his home was a blend of Spanish, English, computers, and home classes. His mother was an English teacher, and she brought the language into the mix. His father brought the computers and the lessons. When his father said "Let us have a shot," Juan Pablo knew what that meant. It was time to study. One evening might bring long division. Another might bring practice on areas and perimeters using BrainPOP videos and exercises. These long nights at the kitchen table brought father and son close. Juan Pablo moved to North Carolina in 2023, but the learning did not stop. Most weeks, he and his father connect via Google Meet to study Python programming. What began at the kitchen table back in Colombia during Juan Pablo's school years has grown into a shared interest in math and technology, one that now bridges the distance between them.
This interest in technology found early expression in a school project that remains his proudest accomplishment in the field. In sixth grade, during the pandemic, his computer teacher assigned students to plan, design, and implement an application of their choice. At the same time, his social studies class was covering how corruption affects society. The overlap sparked an idea. Juan Pablo decided to address the issue through his project, so he created "Transparency," an application for citizens to review politicians' histories and submit investigation requests about concerning actions. To bring it to life, he designed wireframes (sketches illustrating each app page), built a prototype using an online rapid prototyping tool, and implemented the final product using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. This project remains his proudest technology accomplishment because it was his first. He turned an idea into a concrete implementation to help his community use tax resources with greater efficiency. Through this experience, he came to see technology as his way of contributing to a better world. In recent years, Juan Pablo has explored the use of large language models. These tools have sharpened his understanding of how computers and software work and have deepened his curiosity about the technology behind them.
Juan Pablo's academic record reflects a remarkable commitment to STEM. Back in Colombia, he earned recognition as one of the best students at his school, the Montessori School in Medellín. Throughout his education, he has consistently ranked in the top 10% of his class. This excellence has translated into opportunities to represent his schools at state-level math contests and national-level science contests. He has excelled in science courses, with particular strength in physics, biology, and chemistry. His academic achievements have earned him membership in the National Achievers Society, Mu Alpha Theta, the National Technical Honor Society, and the National Science Honor Society. Mr. Anthony Brito, his biology teacher at Heritage High School, describes Juan Pablo as well-rounded, participating in student-led inquiries and challenging himself on self-designed experiments. What makes these accomplishments more remarkable is that Juan Pablo achieved them and established himself at Heritage in just two years since moving from Colombia. For Mr. Brito, Juan Pablo stands apart. "One of the most unique and valuable people I have ever met," he writes.
Model United Nations (MUN) has played a defining role in Juan Pablo's growth. He first joined MUN as a freshman back in Colombia, despite his fear of public speaking at the time. "I signed up, afraid, but hungry to grow," he writes. MUN, he says, changed his life. The experience gave him space to find his voice and grow into someone who could speak up. When he moved to North Carolina and learned that Heritage High School had no MUN chapter, he decided to build one himself. The organization had given him so much, and he wanted to create that same space for others. The process was anything but simple. He had to advertise the organization, recruit members, navigate the school's approval process, and secure a faculty advisor. The one advisor he managed to find had to step away due to health reasons. Mr. Brito, who had initially been unable to commit due to other responsibilities, watched Juan Pablo push forward despite the setbacks. He saw the effort Juan Pablo was putting in and the struggle he had gone through to get that far. He realized all Juan Pablo needed was for someone to give him a chance, so he stepped in. It was, Mr. Brito says, one of the best decisions he could have made for the good of the school. Leading MUN, Juan Pablo says, feels like running a company. It is the first time he has been the leader of something big that has meaningful impact on others who look up to him as a mentor. Mr. Brito has witnessed his growth into a true leader, noting that Juan Pablo leads his club and team "with grace and respect." Under his leadership, the organization has grown from an initial group of 4 to over 50 members with 20 competing delegates. "This project is my baby," he says, "and I am so proud of the opportunities it has provided my delegates." By the end of 2025, they had competed in over 6 competitions. Juan Pablo earned the Outstanding Delegate award at East Chapel Hill MUN in 2025.
Juan Pablo's drive to empower others extends beyond MUN. He joined Heritage Peer Ambassadors to provide new students what he wished he had when he arrived in the US. In his second year in the program, he was promoted to sectional leadership and mentors a group of 5 ambassadors. He also tutors peers and students at a local middle school through his involvement with Mu Alpha Theta. The hours spent tutoring have brought him closer to the people he helps. "Math doesn't just explain the world; it connects people," he says. His involvement in the community takes other forms as well. He works at the YMCA as a lifeguard and soccer coach, and through TOP Soccer with North Carolina FC, he helps athletes with disabilities. That belief in math as a connector has influenced his career exploration. He has interned at a real estate firm, where he assisted with designing marketing strategies and talking to clients while also incorporating AI tools into his work. The experience reinforced his belief that math is about more than numbers on a page. "Every equation has a story," he writes, "and understanding these stories is how finance brings human behavior and logical data together in order to help others plan for the future.”
Juan Pablo is considering the University of Miami, University of California Irvine, and George Washington University. He plans to study finance while on a pre-law track to understand how numbers reflect human behavior and how finances empower communities. "More than mastering balance sheets, I will build bridges between people, data, and opportunity," he writes. He sees this path as a continuation of the lessons his father has shared with him over the years, "continuing my father's mathematical legacy he started at our kitchen table."
SILVER - Neema Patel
Major: Nursing with minors in Biology and Health Science
High School: Lisa Academy North Middle-High School
Hometown: North Little Rock, AR
In first grade, Neema Patel received an award for being the fastest typist in her class with 99% accuracy. For anyone watching, it may have looked like just an award. For Neema, it was part of something bigger. She had already spent years wondering what happened when she clicked a button or typed a command, fascinated by how a few lines of code could make something come alive on a screen. She loved experimenting and finding new ways to use technology creatively, testing what worked and what did not. Each attempt taught her something. She learned to be resourceful when things did not go as planned, persistent when problems seemed stuck, and willing to try again when experiments failed, qualities she would later recognize as essential for innovation. The typing award was an early marker of a curiosity that would shape her path forward.
That curiosity carried Neema into high school, where it took on new dimensions. She enrolled in programming classes where she learned JavaScript and Python, gaining hands-on experience writing code, debugging complex systems, and building projects from scratch. She found herself captivated by the process, testing and troubleshooting and refining each part until it worked. She also used coding applications and micro:bits to expand her experience with programming and hardware. Her interests extended into healthcare when she participated in courses like Human Body Systems and Project Lead The Way's Principles of Biomedical Science, where she discovered how data collection and digital tools connect to patient care. She studied how technologies like medical laboratory systems and biomedical equipment improve patient safety and diagnostic accuracy. She also researched topics like secure system design and ethical computing, deepening her understanding of how technology can protect privacy and promote fairness. Being part of a diverse community helped her value different perspectives and problem-solving approaches and led her to recognize that technology is most powerful when it reflects the experiences and needs of a wide range of people. This perspective influenced her to think critically about accessibility and security in her projects, aiming to create solutions that are inclusive and beneficial to all users. She put this into practice through school-based technology and science initiatives, collaborating with peers to analyze data, design digital systems, and present technical findings. These experiences shaped her identity as someone who sees technology not as an end in itself but as a means to improve lives.
Years of consistent dedication earned Neema recognition in a field where young women remain underrepresented. One of her proudest accomplishments in technology is winning the NCWIT Aspirations in Computing Award, which she received both as the Arkansas Regional Winner and as a National Winner. Receiving this recognition annually throughout high school, she competed among thousands of talented students nationwide and demonstrated her ability to apply programming and system design to real-world challenges such as improving digital security and creating accessible technology solutions. Through NCWIT, she also developed coding projects to mentor students, emphasizing mentorship and problem-solving. The program connected her with inspiring mentors and peers who encouraged her to continue pursuing leadership in technology. The recognition validated her hard work and reminded her that perseverance and curiosity can lead to meaningful change. It also motivated her to pursue ambitious projects, from exploring biomedical technology to developing secure programs. The award drives her to keep using technology not just to create, but to inspire and empower others.
That motivation found an outlet in her work as student ambassador at Lisa Academy North High. In her community, many students lacked reliable Wi-Fi or personal devices at home, which limited their ability to complete assignments, explore interests, and connect with learning opportunities. The divide created academic challenges and reinforced inequality, preventing students from realizing their full potential in a digital world. Neema took action to help bridge this gap. Working with her school and in partnership with Verizon, she helped lead an initiative that provided free touchscreen Chromebooks to students in need. She participated in organizing the distribution process, ensured every student received their device, and guided her peers on how to use the laptops for research, coding, and educational platforms. The experience showed her how powerful technology can be when it is accessible to everyone.
Providing devices addressed one barrier, but Neema understood that access alone was not enough. Students also needed guidance and encouragement to feel capable with technology. This insight led her to share what she had learned. Over time, she began working with classmates and younger students, helping them debug code, explore STEM opportunities, and build skills. She also volunteered to teach coding, robotics, and technology basics to younger students. Through these experiences, she came to understand that leadership does not always mean standing in front of a crowd. It can mean inspiring curiosity, creating opportunities for learning, and guiding others toward positive change. At STEM Fest, Neema led interactive activities teaching younger students about recycling, renewable energy, and engineering concepts. The project mattered to her because it combined everything she cares about. It brought together STEM, leadership, and making a difference in her community.
Her work at STEM Fest was part of a broader commitment to service that has defined her high school years. Volunteering, she says, has become part of who she is. In the last two years alone, Neema contributed over 176 hours to local nonprofits and community organizations, including Baptist Health Hospital, where she assisted patients and supported staff, the Arkansas Food Bank, where she sorted and packed food, and the Central Arkansas Library System, where she assisted with reading programs. She has also volunteered with Leuva Patidar Samaj, an Indian cultural community organization, contributing to cultural programs, and served at her Hindu temple, organizing events and mentoring younger members. Her service has earned her the National Presidential Volunteer Service Award with Gold Medal and the Gold Medallion from AmeriCorps. She also received a certificate from Baptist Health Hospital acknowledging her contributions and earned school recognition for having the highest number of volunteer hours. Neema's teacher, Jennifer Conner, describes her as a young woman whose actions speak louder than words, someone who approaches every role with kindness, humility, and purpose. A look at her accomplishments makes it easy to see why.
Neema's academic record reflects the same consistency she brings to service. She maintains a 4.0 unweighted GPA and has been recognized with the AP Scholar Award, Distinguished Honor Roll, Excellence in Character Award, and the Lisa Academy District Top Achiever Medal. She is a member of the National Honor Society, where she has been recognized for leadership, and is active in school clubs and programs. Her writing has also earned recognition. Her essay on military aid and peace made her an Arkansas Peace Week Finalist, and she presented it at the State Capitol. The essay was later featured in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and Arkansas News Online. She also plays volleyball, adding athletics to her range of pursuits.
All of these experiences have shaped Neema's path forward. She is graduating a full year early with the Class of 2026, a milestone she describes as a gift opened by the grace of God. Technology played a major role in making this possible. Online classes, independent exploration of advanced subjects, and the ability to research and solve problems using her devices kept her ahead in her studies. She was on track to be valedictorian for the class of 2027, but she is grateful for the doors that graduating early has opened. She will attend the University of Arkansas, the University of Central Arkansas, or the University of Pennsylvania, where she plans to study nursing with minors in biology and health science with the goal of becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. She wants to continue encouraging other young women in technology and hopes to use technology to enhance medical systems, increase diagnostic accuracy, and create safer environments for patients and healthcare professionals. The young woman who once wondered what happened when she clicked a button now looks toward a future where that same curiosity meets care for others, and where innovation serves everyone.
High School: Lisa Academy North Middle-High School
Hometown: North Little Rock, AR
In first grade, Neema Patel received an award for being the fastest typist in her class with 99% accuracy. For anyone watching, it may have looked like just an award. For Neema, it was part of something bigger. She had already spent years wondering what happened when she clicked a button or typed a command, fascinated by how a few lines of code could make something come alive on a screen. She loved experimenting and finding new ways to use technology creatively, testing what worked and what did not. Each attempt taught her something. She learned to be resourceful when things did not go as planned, persistent when problems seemed stuck, and willing to try again when experiments failed, qualities she would later recognize as essential for innovation. The typing award was an early marker of a curiosity that would shape her path forward.
That curiosity carried Neema into high school, where it took on new dimensions. She enrolled in programming classes where she learned JavaScript and Python, gaining hands-on experience writing code, debugging complex systems, and building projects from scratch. She found herself captivated by the process, testing and troubleshooting and refining each part until it worked. She also used coding applications and micro:bits to expand her experience with programming and hardware. Her interests extended into healthcare when she participated in courses like Human Body Systems and Project Lead The Way's Principles of Biomedical Science, where she discovered how data collection and digital tools connect to patient care. She studied how technologies like medical laboratory systems and biomedical equipment improve patient safety and diagnostic accuracy. She also researched topics like secure system design and ethical computing, deepening her understanding of how technology can protect privacy and promote fairness. Being part of a diverse community helped her value different perspectives and problem-solving approaches and led her to recognize that technology is most powerful when it reflects the experiences and needs of a wide range of people. This perspective influenced her to think critically about accessibility and security in her projects, aiming to create solutions that are inclusive and beneficial to all users. She put this into practice through school-based technology and science initiatives, collaborating with peers to analyze data, design digital systems, and present technical findings. These experiences shaped her identity as someone who sees technology not as an end in itself but as a means to improve lives.
Years of consistent dedication earned Neema recognition in a field where young women remain underrepresented. One of her proudest accomplishments in technology is winning the NCWIT Aspirations in Computing Award, which she received both as the Arkansas Regional Winner and as a National Winner. Receiving this recognition annually throughout high school, she competed among thousands of talented students nationwide and demonstrated her ability to apply programming and system design to real-world challenges such as improving digital security and creating accessible technology solutions. Through NCWIT, she also developed coding projects to mentor students, emphasizing mentorship and problem-solving. The program connected her with inspiring mentors and peers who encouraged her to continue pursuing leadership in technology. The recognition validated her hard work and reminded her that perseverance and curiosity can lead to meaningful change. It also motivated her to pursue ambitious projects, from exploring biomedical technology to developing secure programs. The award drives her to keep using technology not just to create, but to inspire and empower others.
That motivation found an outlet in her work as student ambassador at Lisa Academy North High. In her community, many students lacked reliable Wi-Fi or personal devices at home, which limited their ability to complete assignments, explore interests, and connect with learning opportunities. The divide created academic challenges and reinforced inequality, preventing students from realizing their full potential in a digital world. Neema took action to help bridge this gap. Working with her school and in partnership with Verizon, she helped lead an initiative that provided free touchscreen Chromebooks to students in need. She participated in organizing the distribution process, ensured every student received their device, and guided her peers on how to use the laptops for research, coding, and educational platforms. The experience showed her how powerful technology can be when it is accessible to everyone.
Providing devices addressed one barrier, but Neema understood that access alone was not enough. Students also needed guidance and encouragement to feel capable with technology. This insight led her to share what she had learned. Over time, she began working with classmates and younger students, helping them debug code, explore STEM opportunities, and build skills. She also volunteered to teach coding, robotics, and technology basics to younger students. Through these experiences, she came to understand that leadership does not always mean standing in front of a crowd. It can mean inspiring curiosity, creating opportunities for learning, and guiding others toward positive change. At STEM Fest, Neema led interactive activities teaching younger students about recycling, renewable energy, and engineering concepts. The project mattered to her because it combined everything she cares about. It brought together STEM, leadership, and making a difference in her community.
Her work at STEM Fest was part of a broader commitment to service that has defined her high school years. Volunteering, she says, has become part of who she is. In the last two years alone, Neema contributed over 176 hours to local nonprofits and community organizations, including Baptist Health Hospital, where she assisted patients and supported staff, the Arkansas Food Bank, where she sorted and packed food, and the Central Arkansas Library System, where she assisted with reading programs. She has also volunteered with Leuva Patidar Samaj, an Indian cultural community organization, contributing to cultural programs, and served at her Hindu temple, organizing events and mentoring younger members. Her service has earned her the National Presidential Volunteer Service Award with Gold Medal and the Gold Medallion from AmeriCorps. She also received a certificate from Baptist Health Hospital acknowledging her contributions and earned school recognition for having the highest number of volunteer hours. Neema's teacher, Jennifer Conner, describes her as a young woman whose actions speak louder than words, someone who approaches every role with kindness, humility, and purpose. A look at her accomplishments makes it easy to see why.
Neema's academic record reflects the same consistency she brings to service. She maintains a 4.0 unweighted GPA and has been recognized with the AP Scholar Award, Distinguished Honor Roll, Excellence in Character Award, and the Lisa Academy District Top Achiever Medal. She is a member of the National Honor Society, where she has been recognized for leadership, and is active in school clubs and programs. Her writing has also earned recognition. Her essay on military aid and peace made her an Arkansas Peace Week Finalist, and she presented it at the State Capitol. The essay was later featured in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and Arkansas News Online. She also plays volleyball, adding athletics to her range of pursuits.
All of these experiences have shaped Neema's path forward. She is graduating a full year early with the Class of 2026, a milestone she describes as a gift opened by the grace of God. Technology played a major role in making this possible. Online classes, independent exploration of advanced subjects, and the ability to research and solve problems using her devices kept her ahead in her studies. She was on track to be valedictorian for the class of 2027, but she is grateful for the doors that graduating early has opened. She will attend the University of Arkansas, the University of Central Arkansas, or the University of Pennsylvania, where she plans to study nursing with minors in biology and health science with the goal of becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. She wants to continue encouraging other young women in technology and hopes to use technology to enhance medical systems, increase diagnostic accuracy, and create safer environments for patients and healthcare professionals. The young woman who once wondered what happened when she clicked a button now looks toward a future where that same curiosity meets care for others, and where innovation serves everyone.
BRONZE - Pietro Moreira
Major: Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering with a minor in History
High School: Lone Star High Scool
Hometown: Hammond, LA
In eighth grade, Pietro Moreira submitted an application to join St. Paul's VEX Robotics team. What began as a simple decision to try something new opened a new door for him. As part of the team, he helped design and program an autonomous robot that competed in regional matches. "The environment was messy yet innovative," he shares, and it marked his first exposure to the principles of engineering. It was there, surrounded by wires and code and teammates troubleshooting alongside him, that Pietro first understood what engineering could feel like. The work was hands-on and unpredictable, and success came only after repeated attempts. "Trial and error was the name of the game," he recalls, "and I would continue this same ideology into my future classes.”
What followed was solitary, frustrating work. Pietro spent countless hours trying to teach himself how to code, running into errors that sometimes took days to fix. But each small success made him love it more. The child of Brazilian and Italian immigrant parents, he was raised on values of perseverance and responsibility. His parents taught him that when you choose to take on a challenge, no matter how difficult it may seem, you must never quit. That belief became the foundation for how he approaches engineering. Whether debugging a program for hours or troubleshooting a failed prototype, he meets each problem with a drive to learn what he does not know and complete what he set out to accomplish. Object-oriented programming did not come easily at first, but through trial, error, and persistence, Pietro began to understand how everything fit together.
That persistence carried him from a rocky start in his introductory computer science course to what he considers one of his proudest engineering accomplishments. In AP Computer Science, Pietro coded the NBodySimulation lab, a program that uses physics to emulate the elliptical shapes of planetary orbits. The project required knowledge of physics and mathematical expressions within Java. He built the visual framework to display the planets, then coded the calculations for the physics behind their movement, determining how gravitational forces and distances affect each object's path through space. Pietro did not choose this project as one of his proudest because of its difficulty. What made it significant was that it marked the first instance in which he was required to integrate knowledge from multiple subjects into a single project. He used equations derived from physics and mathematical operations in Java, combining the two into code that produced the desired results. This process exemplified what it means to work as an engineer, synthesizing information from various sources to reach a defined goal. The project gave him a stronger understanding of the knowledge necessary to succeed in STEM and solidified his determination to become an engineer.
That determination came with a broader awareness of what the field demands. Pietro believes that engineers carry a significant responsibility. They have the power to shape the world, designing infrastructure for major cities, technologies that connect people, and tools that can both help and harm millions. For him, this means that those who enter the field must understand more than the science behind their work. They must also understand the human context of the projects they build. Diversity within the field, he argues, fosters a broader understanding of these consequences and helps establish future generations as good engineers and as moral human beings.
Pietro has continued to expand his technical skills through additional coursework and hands-on projects. At his Career and Technical Education Center, he completed Project Lead the Way courses in Introduction to Engineering Design and Principles of Engineering, where he learned 3D modeling and how to construct mechanical systems held together by complex analytical equations. He is enrolled in digital electronics, designing logic circuits and microcontroller projects, work that sparked his interest in electrical and computer engineering. In his third year of computer science, Pietro studies complex data structures and algorithm analysis in CS3 Advanced. His teacher, Kris McCoy, describes him as an exceptional problem solver who has shown a remarkable ability to learn and apply complex concepts in practical settings. McCoy notes that Pietro is not afraid to ask questions and possesses a natural curiosity and eagerness to learn. He works with others in a collaborative spirit and communicates complex technical ideas with clarity. His positive attitude and enthusiasm for computer science have made him a valuable asset to his classroom and his community.
Soccer has shaped Pietro as much as engineering has. He has spent fourteen years in the sport, balancing the rigorous schedule of MLS NEXT Youth soccer with his academic commitments. That journey brought him to Lone Star High School when he joined the FC Dallas Academy. But for Pietro, the game is about more than competition. One of the most meaningful ways he gives back to his community is volunteering as a youth soccer coach for the Frisco Soccer Association's U10 teams. He wants to pass on the lessons and joy the sport has given him. Coaching weekly practices and games throughout the season, his responsibilities go beyond organizing physical training sessions. He designs fun, engaging drills to hold the attention of energetic nine-year-olds, with the aim of instilling in them a sense of competition and a freedom to express their creativity with a soccer ball at their feet. The experience has taught him about leadership, empathy, and communication.
A member of the National Honor Society and a 2025 Hispanic Recognition Award recipient, Pietro has made an impression on those around him. He plans to pursue electrical engineering and computer engineering with a minor in history at the Colorado School of Mines, Old Dominion University, or the University of Wisconsin–Madison. "Lone Star High School is expecting big things from Pietro in the way of educational and communal leadership in the years to come," writes McCoy. Pietro, it seems, has every intention of proving them right.
High School: Lone Star High Scool
Hometown: Hammond, LA
In eighth grade, Pietro Moreira submitted an application to join St. Paul's VEX Robotics team. What began as a simple decision to try something new opened a new door for him. As part of the team, he helped design and program an autonomous robot that competed in regional matches. "The environment was messy yet innovative," he shares, and it marked his first exposure to the principles of engineering. It was there, surrounded by wires and code and teammates troubleshooting alongside him, that Pietro first understood what engineering could feel like. The work was hands-on and unpredictable, and success came only after repeated attempts. "Trial and error was the name of the game," he recalls, "and I would continue this same ideology into my future classes.”
What followed was solitary, frustrating work. Pietro spent countless hours trying to teach himself how to code, running into errors that sometimes took days to fix. But each small success made him love it more. The child of Brazilian and Italian immigrant parents, he was raised on values of perseverance and responsibility. His parents taught him that when you choose to take on a challenge, no matter how difficult it may seem, you must never quit. That belief became the foundation for how he approaches engineering. Whether debugging a program for hours or troubleshooting a failed prototype, he meets each problem with a drive to learn what he does not know and complete what he set out to accomplish. Object-oriented programming did not come easily at first, but through trial, error, and persistence, Pietro began to understand how everything fit together.
That persistence carried him from a rocky start in his introductory computer science course to what he considers one of his proudest engineering accomplishments. In AP Computer Science, Pietro coded the NBodySimulation lab, a program that uses physics to emulate the elliptical shapes of planetary orbits. The project required knowledge of physics and mathematical expressions within Java. He built the visual framework to display the planets, then coded the calculations for the physics behind their movement, determining how gravitational forces and distances affect each object's path through space. Pietro did not choose this project as one of his proudest because of its difficulty. What made it significant was that it marked the first instance in which he was required to integrate knowledge from multiple subjects into a single project. He used equations derived from physics and mathematical operations in Java, combining the two into code that produced the desired results. This process exemplified what it means to work as an engineer, synthesizing information from various sources to reach a defined goal. The project gave him a stronger understanding of the knowledge necessary to succeed in STEM and solidified his determination to become an engineer.
That determination came with a broader awareness of what the field demands. Pietro believes that engineers carry a significant responsibility. They have the power to shape the world, designing infrastructure for major cities, technologies that connect people, and tools that can both help and harm millions. For him, this means that those who enter the field must understand more than the science behind their work. They must also understand the human context of the projects they build. Diversity within the field, he argues, fosters a broader understanding of these consequences and helps establish future generations as good engineers and as moral human beings.
Pietro has continued to expand his technical skills through additional coursework and hands-on projects. At his Career and Technical Education Center, he completed Project Lead the Way courses in Introduction to Engineering Design and Principles of Engineering, where he learned 3D modeling and how to construct mechanical systems held together by complex analytical equations. He is enrolled in digital electronics, designing logic circuits and microcontroller projects, work that sparked his interest in electrical and computer engineering. In his third year of computer science, Pietro studies complex data structures and algorithm analysis in CS3 Advanced. His teacher, Kris McCoy, describes him as an exceptional problem solver who has shown a remarkable ability to learn and apply complex concepts in practical settings. McCoy notes that Pietro is not afraid to ask questions and possesses a natural curiosity and eagerness to learn. He works with others in a collaborative spirit and communicates complex technical ideas with clarity. His positive attitude and enthusiasm for computer science have made him a valuable asset to his classroom and his community.
Soccer has shaped Pietro as much as engineering has. He has spent fourteen years in the sport, balancing the rigorous schedule of MLS NEXT Youth soccer with his academic commitments. That journey brought him to Lone Star High School when he joined the FC Dallas Academy. But for Pietro, the game is about more than competition. One of the most meaningful ways he gives back to his community is volunteering as a youth soccer coach for the Frisco Soccer Association's U10 teams. He wants to pass on the lessons and joy the sport has given him. Coaching weekly practices and games throughout the season, his responsibilities go beyond organizing physical training sessions. He designs fun, engaging drills to hold the attention of energetic nine-year-olds, with the aim of instilling in them a sense of competition and a freedom to express their creativity with a soccer ball at their feet. The experience has taught him about leadership, empathy, and communication.
A member of the National Honor Society and a 2025 Hispanic Recognition Award recipient, Pietro has made an impression on those around him. He plans to pursue electrical engineering and computer engineering with a minor in history at the Colorado School of Mines, Old Dominion University, or the University of Wisconsin–Madison. "Lone Star High School is expecting big things from Pietro in the way of educational and communal leadership in the years to come," writes McCoy. Pietro, it seems, has every intention of proving them right.
Pink Region
Please select a recipient name to read their bio.
GOLD - Miranda Diaz
Major: Biomedical Engineering with a minor in Spanish
High School: Whitney M. Young Magnet High School
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Miranda Diaz's interest in technology took hold the moment she coded Tetris on Scratch in middle school. Watching those blocks respond to her commands, knowing she controlled every pixel and every movement, she realized she could create entire worlds from nothing but logic and imagination. But she was building those worlds in a Chicago neighborhood where Wi-Fi dropped as often as opportunities did. Her school computers lagged. The tech labs looked like they had not been updated since 2010. Her first desktop was a hand-me-down that overheated after ten minutes, and she treated it like it was everything. Every glitch was something to solve. Every frozen screen meant she had to figure out why. That mindset has stayed with her. "Limits don't stop me," she explains. "They just make me think harder.”
That resourcefulness carried her into formal training. She took Intermediate Computer Science, where she learned the foundations of functional programming through animations using a language called Racket. She built her first website at Kode with Klossy. She then joined the Everyone Can Code Chicago Apple App Accelerator to learn Swift and XCode, and was selected as one of the Top 12 in the iOS program in 2024. It was through that program that she would build what she considers her proudest accomplishment.
DermaLens is an iOS app that uses machine learning to detect and track childhood skin conditions. Miranda built it through the Apple App Accelerator, where she was one of the only high school students in a room full of college students and professional engineers. She was a sophomore at the time, and being surrounded by older, more experienced developers felt less like intimidation and more like she had something to prove. So, she stayed late, asked questions, and debugged for hours until things clicked. The app uses convolutional neural networks, a type of machine learning model, to detect conditions like melanoma and eczema. She trained the model on thousands of dermatological images, debugged code at midnight, and designed an interface where users could photograph their skin and track changes over time. The prototype came together slowly. Her team won Best Overall Presentation out of eight groups in 2025, but the award was not what mattered to her. What mattered was that it worked. The app could help families without easy access to dermatologists figure out what they are looking at. The best moment was not presenting. It was the first time a scan ran correctly and the model detected something accurate. "That's when it hit me," she recalls. "Code has the potential to solve actual problems for actual people." The experience taught her how to work with people who think differently than she does, how to balance precision with design, and how to push through when nothing makes sense until suddenly it does.
The realization that code solves real problems drove Miranda into research settings where she could apply technology to medicine. At the BADER Lab at UChicago, she used MATLAB to simulate how focused ultrasound destroys tumor cells. Through MIT's MITES Semester program, she used statistical analysis software to study experiments on planarian worms in stem cell biology. The experience showed her how quantitative analysis supports biological hypotheses.
Her interest in applying data to health extended to larger-scale public health initiatives. With the American Lung Cancer Screening Initiative, Miranda architects databases and manages nationwide screening center data that health organizations use to coordinate cancer prevention efforts. She has built national databases to map lung cancer screening access, and in doing so, she learned how data, when connected meaningfully, can make invisible disparities visible. She helps run outreach for the Plus One Campaign, which encourages everyone screened for lung cancer to bring someone else. She has spent weekends at health fairs and community centers on Chicago's South and West Sides, speaking with families about early detection and environmental risk. She has recruited over ten university chapters and works closely with UChicago's American Lung Cancer Screening Initiative team to expand the initiative's reach. Her work extends into policy. She collaborates with elected officials to secure public service announcements, partners with public health inspectors to place signage in tobacco stores, and works with mayors to declare November as Lung Cancer Awareness Month. With Oncologists United for Climate and Health International, she is building an Air Quality Vulnerability Index that traces which ZIP codes face pollution, wildfire exposure, and limited access to cancer treatment centers. What started as a state-level project is now scaling nationally. She manages social media across X, LinkedIn, and Facebook, translating complex research into stories that resonate with doctors and the public. She facilitates global collaboration, helping oncologists across continents connect, share data, and coordinate advocacy.
These experiences reinforced Miranda's belief about who builds technology and who it is built for. She was tired of joining coding spaces where no one looked like her, where diversity meant a slide in a presentation instead of an actual person at the table. She wanted to change that, not by talking about it, but by building it. So she co-founded Ella Puede STEM. What started as a small mentorship circle has grown into a national nonprofit reaching over 100 students. The organization teaches girls, many of them first-generation, most of them Latina, how to code, build, and design with purpose. Workshops cover web development, robotics, data visualization, and environmental technology. The team has built partnerships with other youth-led nonprofits to share resources and curricula, expanding reach beyond Chicago. Miranda believes that coming from an underrepresented community is not a weakness in tech but an advantage. You notice what everyone else overlooks. You build for the people who usually get forgotten. "Technology itself isn't revolutionary," Miranda writes. "People are. The world doesn't change all at once. It changes code by code, idea by idea, girl by girl.”
Her commitment to teaching extends to her school. Miranda serves as a teaching assistant for AP Computer Science Principles, guiding students through debugging their first loops and designing projects. She teaches concepts, grades work, builds relationships, and helps students feel successful in the classroom. Watching them hit the same moment of realization she had with Tetris reminds her why she remains committed to the field. Her teacher, Scott Underriner, describes her work ethic as unparalleled. He notes that she is focused, hardworking, curious, and creative, with an incredible intellect and the habits of mind to support it.
Miranda's leadership extends across campus and into her home. She is president of the Society of Women Engineers Next and president of the Spanish Honor Society, where she leads more than 90 members through service projects and cultural programming. She organized her school's first Hispanic Heritage Month celebration, which brought 300 people together. For many students, it was the first time their culture took up space at a school event. As vice president of Student Council, she organized Taste of Whitney Young, which raised over $3,000 for student initiatives. She is a leader in Bailemos Folklorico, her school's Mexican dance club. She participates in Science Olympiad and has served as an EYES on Cancer research intern. At home, she is one of the primary caregivers for her young siblings and helps her parents around the house. She juggles all these responsibilities successfully and gracefully, and her record reflects it. In 2025, she received the NCWIT Aspirations in Computing National Honorable Mention, a Princeton Prize in Race Relations Certificate of Accomplishment, and earned recognition as an AP Scholar with Distinction. She is a 2026 Coca-Cola Scholars Program Semifinalist and was selected for the CHCI NextGen Latino Leadership Program in 2024. She was also named a Morton Schapiro Northwestern Academy Scholar in 2023.
Miranda plans to study biomedical engineering with a minor in Spanish at Harvard College, Brown University, or Stanford University. Her vision for the future is clear. "By merging climate science, data engineering, and health equity, I hope to lead efforts that transform how cities and hospitals prepare for environmental change," she writes, "ensuring that care access remains stable, no matter the temperature or the air."
High School: Whitney M. Young Magnet High School
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Miranda Diaz's interest in technology took hold the moment she coded Tetris on Scratch in middle school. Watching those blocks respond to her commands, knowing she controlled every pixel and every movement, she realized she could create entire worlds from nothing but logic and imagination. But she was building those worlds in a Chicago neighborhood where Wi-Fi dropped as often as opportunities did. Her school computers lagged. The tech labs looked like they had not been updated since 2010. Her first desktop was a hand-me-down that overheated after ten minutes, and she treated it like it was everything. Every glitch was something to solve. Every frozen screen meant she had to figure out why. That mindset has stayed with her. "Limits don't stop me," she explains. "They just make me think harder.”
That resourcefulness carried her into formal training. She took Intermediate Computer Science, where she learned the foundations of functional programming through animations using a language called Racket. She built her first website at Kode with Klossy. She then joined the Everyone Can Code Chicago Apple App Accelerator to learn Swift and XCode, and was selected as one of the Top 12 in the iOS program in 2024. It was through that program that she would build what she considers her proudest accomplishment.
DermaLens is an iOS app that uses machine learning to detect and track childhood skin conditions. Miranda built it through the Apple App Accelerator, where she was one of the only high school students in a room full of college students and professional engineers. She was a sophomore at the time, and being surrounded by older, more experienced developers felt less like intimidation and more like she had something to prove. So, she stayed late, asked questions, and debugged for hours until things clicked. The app uses convolutional neural networks, a type of machine learning model, to detect conditions like melanoma and eczema. She trained the model on thousands of dermatological images, debugged code at midnight, and designed an interface where users could photograph their skin and track changes over time. The prototype came together slowly. Her team won Best Overall Presentation out of eight groups in 2025, but the award was not what mattered to her. What mattered was that it worked. The app could help families without easy access to dermatologists figure out what they are looking at. The best moment was not presenting. It was the first time a scan ran correctly and the model detected something accurate. "That's when it hit me," she recalls. "Code has the potential to solve actual problems for actual people." The experience taught her how to work with people who think differently than she does, how to balance precision with design, and how to push through when nothing makes sense until suddenly it does.
The realization that code solves real problems drove Miranda into research settings where she could apply technology to medicine. At the BADER Lab at UChicago, she used MATLAB to simulate how focused ultrasound destroys tumor cells. Through MIT's MITES Semester program, she used statistical analysis software to study experiments on planarian worms in stem cell biology. The experience showed her how quantitative analysis supports biological hypotheses.
Her interest in applying data to health extended to larger-scale public health initiatives. With the American Lung Cancer Screening Initiative, Miranda architects databases and manages nationwide screening center data that health organizations use to coordinate cancer prevention efforts. She has built national databases to map lung cancer screening access, and in doing so, she learned how data, when connected meaningfully, can make invisible disparities visible. She helps run outreach for the Plus One Campaign, which encourages everyone screened for lung cancer to bring someone else. She has spent weekends at health fairs and community centers on Chicago's South and West Sides, speaking with families about early detection and environmental risk. She has recruited over ten university chapters and works closely with UChicago's American Lung Cancer Screening Initiative team to expand the initiative's reach. Her work extends into policy. She collaborates with elected officials to secure public service announcements, partners with public health inspectors to place signage in tobacco stores, and works with mayors to declare November as Lung Cancer Awareness Month. With Oncologists United for Climate and Health International, she is building an Air Quality Vulnerability Index that traces which ZIP codes face pollution, wildfire exposure, and limited access to cancer treatment centers. What started as a state-level project is now scaling nationally. She manages social media across X, LinkedIn, and Facebook, translating complex research into stories that resonate with doctors and the public. She facilitates global collaboration, helping oncologists across continents connect, share data, and coordinate advocacy.
These experiences reinforced Miranda's belief about who builds technology and who it is built for. She was tired of joining coding spaces where no one looked like her, where diversity meant a slide in a presentation instead of an actual person at the table. She wanted to change that, not by talking about it, but by building it. So she co-founded Ella Puede STEM. What started as a small mentorship circle has grown into a national nonprofit reaching over 100 students. The organization teaches girls, many of them first-generation, most of them Latina, how to code, build, and design with purpose. Workshops cover web development, robotics, data visualization, and environmental technology. The team has built partnerships with other youth-led nonprofits to share resources and curricula, expanding reach beyond Chicago. Miranda believes that coming from an underrepresented community is not a weakness in tech but an advantage. You notice what everyone else overlooks. You build for the people who usually get forgotten. "Technology itself isn't revolutionary," Miranda writes. "People are. The world doesn't change all at once. It changes code by code, idea by idea, girl by girl.”
Her commitment to teaching extends to her school. Miranda serves as a teaching assistant for AP Computer Science Principles, guiding students through debugging their first loops and designing projects. She teaches concepts, grades work, builds relationships, and helps students feel successful in the classroom. Watching them hit the same moment of realization she had with Tetris reminds her why she remains committed to the field. Her teacher, Scott Underriner, describes her work ethic as unparalleled. He notes that she is focused, hardworking, curious, and creative, with an incredible intellect and the habits of mind to support it.
Miranda's leadership extends across campus and into her home. She is president of the Society of Women Engineers Next and president of the Spanish Honor Society, where she leads more than 90 members through service projects and cultural programming. She organized her school's first Hispanic Heritage Month celebration, which brought 300 people together. For many students, it was the first time their culture took up space at a school event. As vice president of Student Council, she organized Taste of Whitney Young, which raised over $3,000 for student initiatives. She is a leader in Bailemos Folklorico, her school's Mexican dance club. She participates in Science Olympiad and has served as an EYES on Cancer research intern. At home, she is one of the primary caregivers for her young siblings and helps her parents around the house. She juggles all these responsibilities successfully and gracefully, and her record reflects it. In 2025, she received the NCWIT Aspirations in Computing National Honorable Mention, a Princeton Prize in Race Relations Certificate of Accomplishment, and earned recognition as an AP Scholar with Distinction. She is a 2026 Coca-Cola Scholars Program Semifinalist and was selected for the CHCI NextGen Latino Leadership Program in 2024. She was also named a Morton Schapiro Northwestern Academy Scholar in 2023.
Miranda plans to study biomedical engineering with a minor in Spanish at Harvard College, Brown University, or Stanford University. Her vision for the future is clear. "By merging climate science, data engineering, and health equity, I hope to lead efforts that transform how cities and hospitals prepare for environmental change," she writes, "ensuring that care access remains stable, no matter the temperature or the air."
SILVER - Nyleah Jones
Major: Data Science
High School: Albert G. Lane Technical High School
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Nyleah Jones did not always see herself as someone who could pursue computer science. She enjoyed problem-solving and math, but the path forward was not obvious. That changed when she found Girls Who Code. The program gave her confidence, support, and a community of women in STEM who showed her that she belonged in the field. From there, she built a high school career marked by grit, technical growth, and a commitment to lifting others up along the way.
Through Girls Who Code, Nyleah completed projects in cryptography, cybersecurity, and data science, each requiring critical thinking, problem-solving, and experimentation. One project involved building a program to encode and decode messages, which taught her how to combine logic, algorithms, and attention to detail. Another focused on data analysis, where she explored patterns and created visualizations, gaining hands-on experience translating complex information into actionable insights. What stood out most, though, was the sisterhood the program built. Girls Who Code created a space where members could support one another, share knowledge, and learn from each other's successes and mistakes, all while being encouraged by a network of women in STEM. That experience taught Nyleah that technology thrives when collaboration and empowerment meet. "Technology is strongest when knowledge is shared," she says. She got help troubleshooting her own projects and led small group work for others, helping peers debug their code, explaining algorithms in ways that made sense, and encouraging them when they struggled. The program strengthened her technical abilities and showed her the value of teamwork, mentorship, and resilience.
That growth carried into a project that would become her proudest accomplishment in technology. Nyleah created a machine learning model to predict heart disease using real-world health data. The goal was to analyze patterns in patients' health indicators, including blood pressure, cholesterol, and lifestyle factors, to identify those at higher risk. She worked in Python, cleaning and organizing the dataset, selecting the best features, and testing multiple algorithms to improve accuracy. At first, the complex dataset and the subtleties of algorithm selection were daunting, but she embraced the challenge. Along the way, she learned about data preprocessing, classification models, and evaluation metrics. She was not just following instructions. She was building something from scratch, testing it, and learning from every failure. The process taught her patience, resilience, and the happiness of seeing a complex system work as intended. She presented her findings to peers and mentors, explaining not only how the model worked but also what its predictions meant for patients' lives. That experience reinforced the importance of communication in technology and showed her that technology is most powerful when it is applied thoughtfully to solve problems. "It solidified my passion for combining computer science with healthcare, showing that data-driven solutions can have a tangible, life-changing impact," shares Nyleah. "It reminded me that the most meaningful technological achievements are those that improve lives while pushing me to grow as a problem-solver.”
Her machine learning project was one part of a broader technical education she has pursued throughout high school. She has also enrolled in Honors Intro to Artificial Intelligence and AP Computer Science Principles, and she has completed courses in machine learning, data science, cryptography, cybersecurity, and game design. In her AI class, she is one of only four girls in a class of twenty-five. The experience has challenged her to speak up, advocate for herself, and persist through difficult assignments. She has built models to predict outcomes from data and strengthened her understanding of algorithms, data structures, and logical thinking. She has also applied these skills outside the classroom, building simulations based on her statistics class and experimenting with coding challenges on her own.
Nyleah has made it a priority to lift others as she climbs. That spirit of support followed her into her AI class, where she wanted to make sure the other girls felt supported in a space that can feel intimidating. She supports her classmates by answering questions, sharing strategies from Girls Who Code, and celebrating their wins. She has also introduced friends and underclassmen to coding and robotics workshops, many of whom had never considered STEM before, guiding them through projects and watching their confidence grow. As president of the Uplifting Health Club, she has connected STEM to community needs by creating presentations showing how environmental factors affect health outcomes and encouraging members to observe their neighborhoods, analyze patterns, and propose solutions. Through this work, she has shown others how data analysis can explain and improve real-world conditions. Through all of this, she has learned that community service in tech is not about offering coding help alone. It is about mentoring, supporting, and building spaces where everyone feels like they belong. Helping others gain confidence while developing their skills has shown her that technology is more than code. It is connection, encouragement, and empowerment.
Her interests and leadership are not limited to tech. Through the Chicago Scholars Leadership Council, Nyleah mentors students through the college process and leads conversations about identity, opportunity, and resilience. Whether helping someone organize their goals or simply listening to their story, she tries to create spaces where others feel seen and heard. As a Dreamchasers United ambassador, she leads discussions and guides participants through workshops focused on self-growth, leadership, and goal setting, helping students recognize their strengths and build confidence. Through the Future Leaders in Planning program with the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, she examined environmental inequities across Chicago neighborhoods and learned how planning decisions influence community access to green spaces. This past summer, she was accepted into two competitive programs, Learning to Lead at Lewis University and the Civil Rights Scholars Program with the City of Chicago, and excelled in both.
Nyleah's teacher, Daniel Law, has seen her determination firsthand. Law has been a computer science teacher for 23 years and currently serves as the computer science chair at Lane Technical College Preparatory High School. He sees approximately 150 students each year, and Nyleah stood out among them. She did not stand out because she had been writing code her entire life. She stood out because of her grit and determination, qualities Law believes are the most valuable traits an engineer can have. He describes her as incredibly charismatic, someone who knows how to work with other people and has a great instinct for leadership. She excels at anything she puts her mind to, he says. Law believes in her without reservation and does not think there is an obstacle in this world she cannot overcome.
Nyleah will study data science at Northwestern University, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, or the University of Chicago. "I want to create spaces where learning is encouraging, curiosity is celebrated, and everyone feels like they belong, especially young women in STEM," shares Nyleah. She hopes to contribute resilience, curiosity, and support to the field, and to help others see that they belong in spaces where innovation and creativity thrive.
High School: Albert G. Lane Technical High School
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Nyleah Jones did not always see herself as someone who could pursue computer science. She enjoyed problem-solving and math, but the path forward was not obvious. That changed when she found Girls Who Code. The program gave her confidence, support, and a community of women in STEM who showed her that she belonged in the field. From there, she built a high school career marked by grit, technical growth, and a commitment to lifting others up along the way.
Through Girls Who Code, Nyleah completed projects in cryptography, cybersecurity, and data science, each requiring critical thinking, problem-solving, and experimentation. One project involved building a program to encode and decode messages, which taught her how to combine logic, algorithms, and attention to detail. Another focused on data analysis, where she explored patterns and created visualizations, gaining hands-on experience translating complex information into actionable insights. What stood out most, though, was the sisterhood the program built. Girls Who Code created a space where members could support one another, share knowledge, and learn from each other's successes and mistakes, all while being encouraged by a network of women in STEM. That experience taught Nyleah that technology thrives when collaboration and empowerment meet. "Technology is strongest when knowledge is shared," she says. She got help troubleshooting her own projects and led small group work for others, helping peers debug their code, explaining algorithms in ways that made sense, and encouraging them when they struggled. The program strengthened her technical abilities and showed her the value of teamwork, mentorship, and resilience.
That growth carried into a project that would become her proudest accomplishment in technology. Nyleah created a machine learning model to predict heart disease using real-world health data. The goal was to analyze patterns in patients' health indicators, including blood pressure, cholesterol, and lifestyle factors, to identify those at higher risk. She worked in Python, cleaning and organizing the dataset, selecting the best features, and testing multiple algorithms to improve accuracy. At first, the complex dataset and the subtleties of algorithm selection were daunting, but she embraced the challenge. Along the way, she learned about data preprocessing, classification models, and evaluation metrics. She was not just following instructions. She was building something from scratch, testing it, and learning from every failure. The process taught her patience, resilience, and the happiness of seeing a complex system work as intended. She presented her findings to peers and mentors, explaining not only how the model worked but also what its predictions meant for patients' lives. That experience reinforced the importance of communication in technology and showed her that technology is most powerful when it is applied thoughtfully to solve problems. "It solidified my passion for combining computer science with healthcare, showing that data-driven solutions can have a tangible, life-changing impact," shares Nyleah. "It reminded me that the most meaningful technological achievements are those that improve lives while pushing me to grow as a problem-solver.”
Her machine learning project was one part of a broader technical education she has pursued throughout high school. She has also enrolled in Honors Intro to Artificial Intelligence and AP Computer Science Principles, and she has completed courses in machine learning, data science, cryptography, cybersecurity, and game design. In her AI class, she is one of only four girls in a class of twenty-five. The experience has challenged her to speak up, advocate for herself, and persist through difficult assignments. She has built models to predict outcomes from data and strengthened her understanding of algorithms, data structures, and logical thinking. She has also applied these skills outside the classroom, building simulations based on her statistics class and experimenting with coding challenges on her own.
Nyleah has made it a priority to lift others as she climbs. That spirit of support followed her into her AI class, where she wanted to make sure the other girls felt supported in a space that can feel intimidating. She supports her classmates by answering questions, sharing strategies from Girls Who Code, and celebrating their wins. She has also introduced friends and underclassmen to coding and robotics workshops, many of whom had never considered STEM before, guiding them through projects and watching their confidence grow. As president of the Uplifting Health Club, she has connected STEM to community needs by creating presentations showing how environmental factors affect health outcomes and encouraging members to observe their neighborhoods, analyze patterns, and propose solutions. Through this work, she has shown others how data analysis can explain and improve real-world conditions. Through all of this, she has learned that community service in tech is not about offering coding help alone. It is about mentoring, supporting, and building spaces where everyone feels like they belong. Helping others gain confidence while developing their skills has shown her that technology is more than code. It is connection, encouragement, and empowerment.
Her interests and leadership are not limited to tech. Through the Chicago Scholars Leadership Council, Nyleah mentors students through the college process and leads conversations about identity, opportunity, and resilience. Whether helping someone organize their goals or simply listening to their story, she tries to create spaces where others feel seen and heard. As a Dreamchasers United ambassador, she leads discussions and guides participants through workshops focused on self-growth, leadership, and goal setting, helping students recognize their strengths and build confidence. Through the Future Leaders in Planning program with the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, she examined environmental inequities across Chicago neighborhoods and learned how planning decisions influence community access to green spaces. This past summer, she was accepted into two competitive programs, Learning to Lead at Lewis University and the Civil Rights Scholars Program with the City of Chicago, and excelled in both.
Nyleah's teacher, Daniel Law, has seen her determination firsthand. Law has been a computer science teacher for 23 years and currently serves as the computer science chair at Lane Technical College Preparatory High School. He sees approximately 150 students each year, and Nyleah stood out among them. She did not stand out because she had been writing code her entire life. She stood out because of her grit and determination, qualities Law believes are the most valuable traits an engineer can have. He describes her as incredibly charismatic, someone who knows how to work with other people and has a great instinct for leadership. She excels at anything she puts her mind to, he says. Law believes in her without reservation and does not think there is an obstacle in this world she cannot overcome.
Nyleah will study data science at Northwestern University, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, or the University of Chicago. "I want to create spaces where learning is encouraging, curiosity is celebrated, and everyone feels like they belong, especially young women in STEM," shares Nyleah. She hopes to contribute resilience, curiosity, and support to the field, and to help others see that they belong in spaces where innovation and creativity thrive.
BRONZE - Solena Ornelas Pagnucci
Major: Computer Science with a minor in Human-Computer Interaction
High School: Francis W. Parker School
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Solena Ornelas Pagnucci's journey in technology began as a Discovery Partners Institute (DPI) Digital Scholar, where she completed over 50 hours of college-level iOS mobile app development training using Swift. She collaborated with two other young women to design "Protect Me," a personal safety platform that helps teenagers and families stay connected during emergencies by enabling real-time location sharing with trusted contacts, alerting users to local dangers, and providing safety resources. Her team competed against 43 teams and 139 participants, becoming the first DPI team to ever reach the Everyone Can Code Chicago finals. They secured a top-four finish and earned the opportunity to present alongside the other finalists at Apple's flagship Michigan Avenue store.
That success opened the door to more advanced roles. Solena was selected through a competitive process for the Apple Everyone Can Code (ECC) App Accelerator, where over 12 weeks and 180 hours, her team launched "Study Bridge," an iOS app connecting English language learners with bilingual high school tutors to provide personalized academic support in their native language. She was then hired as a teaching assistant, instructing 20 youth ages 16-24 in Swift coding and app design and helping a team reach the top 10 in the city-wide competition. What she calls her "most proud moment" came when she was hired as an ECC intern. In that role, she wrote a grant proposal that secured $100,000 to launch three youth tech initiatives and expand access to coding for underrepresented communities. She also reviewed applications and selected four scholarship finalists to encourage women in STEM. Her creativity, initiative, and organizational skills caught the attention of Daniel Yao, managing director of Everyone Can Code Chicago, who selected her as a "thought partner" on the management team. In that capacity, she helped conceptualize programs including generative AI initiatives and projects supporting justice-involved youth, work that was leveraged to secure a grant from The John E. & Jeanne T. Hughes Foundation. The skills she developed through ECC have carried into other competitive settings, including Hack With The Beat, a virtual hackathon combining music and technology, where last year, she won third place for Best Music Themed Hack.
The skills she built through ECC gave Solena the tools to identify problems and build solutions independently. When she noticed that many of her peers lacked financial literacy knowledge, she created an app to address the gap. Drawing on her economics coursework, she researched topics most relevant to teens and designed a wireframe in Figma before coding the app in Xcode and integrating Firebase to support both the frontend and backend. The app includes interactive lessons on budgeting, banking, and investing, along with quizzes that reinforce key concepts. She showcased it to a group of high school students and gathered feedback to improve the design. "The app started as a small idea to solve a problem I noticed in my community," she reflects, "and it evolved into something larger that created tangible change.”
Solena's technical leadership extends beyond app development. As CEO of her school's Underwater Robotics Team, she oversees a $28,000 budget and six cross-functional teams with more than 24 members. She organizes general and leadership meetings, sets team vision and deliverables, and previously led coding efforts using Arduino and Python. Her team competes at the annual MATE (Marine Advanced Technology Education) ROV Competition, where they achieved top-two regional placement and advanced to the international qualifier.
Her involvement spans her school and community in many directions. As head of Francis W. Parker School's Computer Technology Committee in Student Government, she maintains their website, email accounts, and scheduling systems while supporting students and faculty with tech needs. She also represents students on the Board of Trustees and participates in faculty hiring. As head of the Berkowitz Committee, she leads 35 members in researching Chicago youth nonprofits to select the recipient of the $10,000 Outstanding Service to Children Award, presenting the final selection to an audience of over 400. Through the Organization of Latin American Students, where she serves as head, she led a bake sale that raised over $600 for a nonprofit providing affordable legal immigration services and organized a collection drive to donate educational supplies to migrants housed in police stations across Chicago. As a junior analyst in the Investment Club, she manages a $35,000 student portfolio that has outperformed the S&P 500 by 12 percent and has pitched three stocks that were added to the portfolio. She is also a dedicated dancer, which has strengthened her discipline, teamwork, and creativity.
Community service has always been a central value in Solena's life, instilled in her by her mother. She volunteers with Cyber-Seniors, teaching older adults to use smartphones, email, and video calls, and has led webinars for more than 25 seniors on topics such as online banking and artificial intelligence. For her, technology can be a bridge to opportunity. As a Latina woman in STEM, she has noticed the lack of women and people of color in leadership positions in the programs she has participated in. That disparity motivated her to become the kind of role model she rarely saw. She volunteers as an assistant coach at her middle school's robotics team, where the leadership was entirely male and only one member was a person of color. She mentors students in programming, engineering design, and teamwork, showing them that a Latina woman can lead and innovate in STEM. She also volunteers at regional and international FIRST LEGO League and FIRST Tech Challenge competitions, helping manage event logistics and creating an inclusive environment. Her service extends to Youth Service Day, where she created 100 literacy kits for children in homeless shelters, as well as to a local food pantry, where she also distributes books to children and assembles clothing kits for those facing clothing insecurity.
Solena plans to study computer science with a minor in human-computer interaction at Washington University in St. Louis, the University of Chicago, or the University of Michigan. Her goal, she shares, is "to continue inspiring underrepresented youth to explore technology and to help shape a future where diversity is not the exception, but the norm."
High School: Francis W. Parker School
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Solena Ornelas Pagnucci's journey in technology began as a Discovery Partners Institute (DPI) Digital Scholar, where she completed over 50 hours of college-level iOS mobile app development training using Swift. She collaborated with two other young women to design "Protect Me," a personal safety platform that helps teenagers and families stay connected during emergencies by enabling real-time location sharing with trusted contacts, alerting users to local dangers, and providing safety resources. Her team competed against 43 teams and 139 participants, becoming the first DPI team to ever reach the Everyone Can Code Chicago finals. They secured a top-four finish and earned the opportunity to present alongside the other finalists at Apple's flagship Michigan Avenue store.
That success opened the door to more advanced roles. Solena was selected through a competitive process for the Apple Everyone Can Code (ECC) App Accelerator, where over 12 weeks and 180 hours, her team launched "Study Bridge," an iOS app connecting English language learners with bilingual high school tutors to provide personalized academic support in their native language. She was then hired as a teaching assistant, instructing 20 youth ages 16-24 in Swift coding and app design and helping a team reach the top 10 in the city-wide competition. What she calls her "most proud moment" came when she was hired as an ECC intern. In that role, she wrote a grant proposal that secured $100,000 to launch three youth tech initiatives and expand access to coding for underrepresented communities. She also reviewed applications and selected four scholarship finalists to encourage women in STEM. Her creativity, initiative, and organizational skills caught the attention of Daniel Yao, managing director of Everyone Can Code Chicago, who selected her as a "thought partner" on the management team. In that capacity, she helped conceptualize programs including generative AI initiatives and projects supporting justice-involved youth, work that was leveraged to secure a grant from The John E. & Jeanne T. Hughes Foundation. The skills she developed through ECC have carried into other competitive settings, including Hack With The Beat, a virtual hackathon combining music and technology, where last year, she won third place for Best Music Themed Hack.
The skills she built through ECC gave Solena the tools to identify problems and build solutions independently. When she noticed that many of her peers lacked financial literacy knowledge, she created an app to address the gap. Drawing on her economics coursework, she researched topics most relevant to teens and designed a wireframe in Figma before coding the app in Xcode and integrating Firebase to support both the frontend and backend. The app includes interactive lessons on budgeting, banking, and investing, along with quizzes that reinforce key concepts. She showcased it to a group of high school students and gathered feedback to improve the design. "The app started as a small idea to solve a problem I noticed in my community," she reflects, "and it evolved into something larger that created tangible change.”
Solena's technical leadership extends beyond app development. As CEO of her school's Underwater Robotics Team, she oversees a $28,000 budget and six cross-functional teams with more than 24 members. She organizes general and leadership meetings, sets team vision and deliverables, and previously led coding efforts using Arduino and Python. Her team competes at the annual MATE (Marine Advanced Technology Education) ROV Competition, where they achieved top-two regional placement and advanced to the international qualifier.
Her involvement spans her school and community in many directions. As head of Francis W. Parker School's Computer Technology Committee in Student Government, she maintains their website, email accounts, and scheduling systems while supporting students and faculty with tech needs. She also represents students on the Board of Trustees and participates in faculty hiring. As head of the Berkowitz Committee, she leads 35 members in researching Chicago youth nonprofits to select the recipient of the $10,000 Outstanding Service to Children Award, presenting the final selection to an audience of over 400. Through the Organization of Latin American Students, where she serves as head, she led a bake sale that raised over $600 for a nonprofit providing affordable legal immigration services and organized a collection drive to donate educational supplies to migrants housed in police stations across Chicago. As a junior analyst in the Investment Club, she manages a $35,000 student portfolio that has outperformed the S&P 500 by 12 percent and has pitched three stocks that were added to the portfolio. She is also a dedicated dancer, which has strengthened her discipline, teamwork, and creativity.
Community service has always been a central value in Solena's life, instilled in her by her mother. She volunteers with Cyber-Seniors, teaching older adults to use smartphones, email, and video calls, and has led webinars for more than 25 seniors on topics such as online banking and artificial intelligence. For her, technology can be a bridge to opportunity. As a Latina woman in STEM, she has noticed the lack of women and people of color in leadership positions in the programs she has participated in. That disparity motivated her to become the kind of role model she rarely saw. She volunteers as an assistant coach at her middle school's robotics team, where the leadership was entirely male and only one member was a person of color. She mentors students in programming, engineering design, and teamwork, showing them that a Latina woman can lead and innovate in STEM. She also volunteers at regional and international FIRST LEGO League and FIRST Tech Challenge competitions, helping manage event logistics and creating an inclusive environment. Her service extends to Youth Service Day, where she created 100 literacy kits for children in homeless shelters, as well as to a local food pantry, where she also distributes books to children and assembles clothing kits for those facing clothing insecurity.
Solena plans to study computer science with a minor in human-computer interaction at Washington University in St. Louis, the University of Chicago, or the University of Michigan. Her goal, she shares, is "to continue inspiring underrepresented youth to explore technology and to help shape a future where diversity is not the exception, but the norm."
Purple Region
Please select a recipient name to read their bio.
GOLD - Fatima Acosta
Major: Computer Science with minors in Cybersecurity, Public Policy, and Data Analysis
High School: Dr. Richard A. Vladovic Harbor Teacher Preparation Academy
Hometown: Wilmington, CA
Fatima Acosta built her foundation in computer science through relentless self-education. Her exploring computer science teacher, Ms. Kol, inspired her to embrace being different. "Being comfortable with your uncomfortability is a sign you need to make a change," Ms. Kol told her. Fatima took those words to heart and stopped accepting the discomfort she felt about making a change. She became obsessed with anything technology-related, determined to blaze a trail for others. She dove into free TryHackMe assignments, computer science edX lectures, MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute lectures, and Girls Who Code lunch meetings. Much of this learning happened while she helped her mother clean houses for clients. She would strengthen her coding foundations with one earbud in, listening to The Coding Sloth or Harvard's CS50, while keeping the other ear open for her mother. This self-directed education gave her a strong foundation in computer science and an ambition to seize any opportunity.
That ambition carried into policy debate, where Fatima learned about the social disadvantages that marginalized communities face. What she studied was not distant. It was her own reality. Since then, she has made it her purpose to connect underrepresented people with innovation and solution-oriented skills. That purpose led to her first major accomplishment, though the path forward was not straightforward. She co-authored a paper titled "Student Discussions From A Student Perspective," which was accepted for presentation at the MIT Raise conference. But while she waited for the conference date, she came to terms with not being able to afford the $700 flight or an English-speaking adult to accompany her. She had to turn down the offer. She was devastated. Yet having to walk away solidified her purpose: connecting the gap between higher education and low-income, underrepresented students. It also gave her the opportunity to co-found AI Ambassadors, an initiative to bridge the divide between marginalized students and technology. Last year, she and her co-founders informed twenty students about the makeup of artificial intelligence and donated their time to in-class technology lessons. She was responsible for creating curricula and implementing student-led projects in elementary through high schools. The initiative has achieved a 100 percent success rate. This year, they plan to connect members with real-world applications of technology through hands-on opportunities, such as self-initiated research papers. What felt like a loss became a redirect. "[It] jump-started my proudest award: a solution challenging the structural inequalities in technology," she shares.
Alongside her work with AI Ambassadors, Fatima sought out research internships. Through the Women in STEM and Humanities (WASH) Summer Research Internship, she created a life-like model of a brain through Python with neural connectors that worked. The experience also strengthened her skills in Python and JavaScript. As a UCLA Art-Medified CRAFT Research Scholar during the summer of her junior year, she wrote a research paper examining how Medicaid has not been implementing health-literacy initiatives and programs despite Google Trends data indicating a lack of medical understanding and engagement among the public.
When her family needed support, her tech skills were ready. When her mother needed help paying bills, Fatima launched a website engineering service in her free time, charging $20 per website. She applied the HTML and CSS that Ms. Kol had taught her and leveraged the Python and JavaScript she gained from her WASH internship to maintain websites at top-tier quality. Within a few months, she had built a small client base. The money she earned went toward helping her family with bills.
Fatima also channeled her skills into civic engagement. She created VoterReg, an application designed to remove barriers to political participation and provide everyday voters with reliable and accessible political knowledge. Fatima became politically aware the more she learned about structural inequalities in her community of Wilmington, California. Growing up, she noticed how political discourse often excluded people without higher education. The problem was not apathy, she realized. It was the jargon and dense language that made politics feel out of reach for the average person. VoterReg was her answer. Her prototype, built with block code on Code.org, allowed users to sign up to vote with a single click. The final version went further, aggregating information about candidates from reliable sources and presenting their positions in accessible language, eliminating the need for voters to sift through documents and interviews to make well-informed election decisions. As she continues to master computer science, she plans to learn about parallel processing to reach a national audience and empower people to find purpose in our democracy.
Fatima's community service grows from the same root. She spends three hours, two days a week, at the South Bay Community Center tutoring intellectually-driven children who lack resources. She worries about the future of thousands of bright kids in her community, and because of them, she has made it her mission to connect low-income students with the opportunities of higher education and STEM. One student, Matteo, stood out. He was a fifth-grade math prodigy who struggled with English, already supporting his family by babysitting his younger brother. Fatima recognized his situation, as it mirrored her own. She dedicated extra hours each week to teaching him literacy skills and phonics, and by year's end, his Lexile level had jumped to sixth grade. "Witnessing Matteo's growth was tangible proof of my impact," she writes.
Inspired by the impact she had on Matteo, Fatima founded the South Bay chapter of NextGenNav. Her goal was to create accessible computer science opportunities for low-income, rural students in the Southern California region. What she planned took months. She leveraged her awards for credibility, designed countless marketing materials through self-taught Adobe tutorials, and organized an online hackathon in four months. The event was a tremendous success and taught her invaluable lessons about event coordination. Plans for a larger hackathon in 2026 are now in motion. NextGenNav received recognition from the United Nations in 2025. "I am committed to reshaping Wilmington everyday," shares Fatima, "ensuring that every 'Matteo' has the opportunity to build the future they deserve.”
Her leadership extends to state-level advocacy and college access. As vice president of her local YMCA's Youth and Government, Fatima developed bills in the beautification sector, transportation sector, and substance sector to foster immediate change. She presented those bills to representatives of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Los Angeles City Councilmember Soto. She also holds a state-wide position on the Youth and Government Delegate Advisory Committee, representing all Southern California YMCAs. As an Ambassador for Big Future, sponsored by College Board, she provides resources and guidance to under-served students in their college search and application process.
Fatima's approach to technology is personal. She knows what it means to be left out. That experience shapes how she uses technology, with intention and purpose. Her background compels her to ask, "Who is being excluded?" and motivates her to be a presence in tech spaces, ensuring that one day the answer is "no one." To continue building toward that goal, she has been taking STEM courses at LA Harbor Community College. Starting this fall, she will begin pursuing a computer science major with minors in cybersecurity, public policy, and data analysis at California State University, Long Beach; the University of California, Los Angeles; or Stanford University.
High School: Dr. Richard A. Vladovic Harbor Teacher Preparation Academy
Hometown: Wilmington, CA
Fatima Acosta built her foundation in computer science through relentless self-education. Her exploring computer science teacher, Ms. Kol, inspired her to embrace being different. "Being comfortable with your uncomfortability is a sign you need to make a change," Ms. Kol told her. Fatima took those words to heart and stopped accepting the discomfort she felt about making a change. She became obsessed with anything technology-related, determined to blaze a trail for others. She dove into free TryHackMe assignments, computer science edX lectures, MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute lectures, and Girls Who Code lunch meetings. Much of this learning happened while she helped her mother clean houses for clients. She would strengthen her coding foundations with one earbud in, listening to The Coding Sloth or Harvard's CS50, while keeping the other ear open for her mother. This self-directed education gave her a strong foundation in computer science and an ambition to seize any opportunity.
That ambition carried into policy debate, where Fatima learned about the social disadvantages that marginalized communities face. What she studied was not distant. It was her own reality. Since then, she has made it her purpose to connect underrepresented people with innovation and solution-oriented skills. That purpose led to her first major accomplishment, though the path forward was not straightforward. She co-authored a paper titled "Student Discussions From A Student Perspective," which was accepted for presentation at the MIT Raise conference. But while she waited for the conference date, she came to terms with not being able to afford the $700 flight or an English-speaking adult to accompany her. She had to turn down the offer. She was devastated. Yet having to walk away solidified her purpose: connecting the gap between higher education and low-income, underrepresented students. It also gave her the opportunity to co-found AI Ambassadors, an initiative to bridge the divide between marginalized students and technology. Last year, she and her co-founders informed twenty students about the makeup of artificial intelligence and donated their time to in-class technology lessons. She was responsible for creating curricula and implementing student-led projects in elementary through high schools. The initiative has achieved a 100 percent success rate. This year, they plan to connect members with real-world applications of technology through hands-on opportunities, such as self-initiated research papers. What felt like a loss became a redirect. "[It] jump-started my proudest award: a solution challenging the structural inequalities in technology," she shares.
Alongside her work with AI Ambassadors, Fatima sought out research internships. Through the Women in STEM and Humanities (WASH) Summer Research Internship, she created a life-like model of a brain through Python with neural connectors that worked. The experience also strengthened her skills in Python and JavaScript. As a UCLA Art-Medified CRAFT Research Scholar during the summer of her junior year, she wrote a research paper examining how Medicaid has not been implementing health-literacy initiatives and programs despite Google Trends data indicating a lack of medical understanding and engagement among the public.
When her family needed support, her tech skills were ready. When her mother needed help paying bills, Fatima launched a website engineering service in her free time, charging $20 per website. She applied the HTML and CSS that Ms. Kol had taught her and leveraged the Python and JavaScript she gained from her WASH internship to maintain websites at top-tier quality. Within a few months, she had built a small client base. The money she earned went toward helping her family with bills.
Fatima also channeled her skills into civic engagement. She created VoterReg, an application designed to remove barriers to political participation and provide everyday voters with reliable and accessible political knowledge. Fatima became politically aware the more she learned about structural inequalities in her community of Wilmington, California. Growing up, she noticed how political discourse often excluded people without higher education. The problem was not apathy, she realized. It was the jargon and dense language that made politics feel out of reach for the average person. VoterReg was her answer. Her prototype, built with block code on Code.org, allowed users to sign up to vote with a single click. The final version went further, aggregating information about candidates from reliable sources and presenting their positions in accessible language, eliminating the need for voters to sift through documents and interviews to make well-informed election decisions. As she continues to master computer science, she plans to learn about parallel processing to reach a national audience and empower people to find purpose in our democracy.
Fatima's community service grows from the same root. She spends three hours, two days a week, at the South Bay Community Center tutoring intellectually-driven children who lack resources. She worries about the future of thousands of bright kids in her community, and because of them, she has made it her mission to connect low-income students with the opportunities of higher education and STEM. One student, Matteo, stood out. He was a fifth-grade math prodigy who struggled with English, already supporting his family by babysitting his younger brother. Fatima recognized his situation, as it mirrored her own. She dedicated extra hours each week to teaching him literacy skills and phonics, and by year's end, his Lexile level had jumped to sixth grade. "Witnessing Matteo's growth was tangible proof of my impact," she writes.
Inspired by the impact she had on Matteo, Fatima founded the South Bay chapter of NextGenNav. Her goal was to create accessible computer science opportunities for low-income, rural students in the Southern California region. What she planned took months. She leveraged her awards for credibility, designed countless marketing materials through self-taught Adobe tutorials, and organized an online hackathon in four months. The event was a tremendous success and taught her invaluable lessons about event coordination. Plans for a larger hackathon in 2026 are now in motion. NextGenNav received recognition from the United Nations in 2025. "I am committed to reshaping Wilmington everyday," shares Fatima, "ensuring that every 'Matteo' has the opportunity to build the future they deserve.”
Her leadership extends to state-level advocacy and college access. As vice president of her local YMCA's Youth and Government, Fatima developed bills in the beautification sector, transportation sector, and substance sector to foster immediate change. She presented those bills to representatives of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Los Angeles City Councilmember Soto. She also holds a state-wide position on the Youth and Government Delegate Advisory Committee, representing all Southern California YMCAs. As an Ambassador for Big Future, sponsored by College Board, she provides resources and guidance to under-served students in their college search and application process.
Fatima's approach to technology is personal. She knows what it means to be left out. That experience shapes how she uses technology, with intention and purpose. Her background compels her to ask, "Who is being excluded?" and motivates her to be a presence in tech spaces, ensuring that one day the answer is "no one." To continue building toward that goal, she has been taking STEM courses at LA Harbor Community College. Starting this fall, she will begin pursuing a computer science major with minors in cybersecurity, public policy, and data analysis at California State University, Long Beach; the University of California, Los Angeles; or Stanford University.
SILVER - Roman Manzo Gudino
Major: Computer Engineering with a minor in Environmental Science
High School: Reedley High School
Hometown: Reedley, CA
Roman Manzo Gudino discovered technology in a basement. His family had immigrated from Mexico, and while his parents worked early shifts, a clunky Dell laptop kept him company. He had no toys, no crayons, just a glowing screen and an internet browser that promised everything and delivered confusion. He spent hours trying to download free RAM and searching every combination of words that might unlock Minecraft without paying. "There I learned, painstakingly, that I couldn't download more RAM and that Minecraft wasn't free no matter how many times I searched 'mc free,'" he recalls. None of it worked, but he kept clicking. When things got a little easier for his family, his curiosity turned mechanical. He wanted to understand how the machine that had kept him company actually functioned. Since he could not disassemble the laptop without losing his cartoons, he turned to other things. Clocks. Radios. Anything with screws. His mother was less than thrilled to find their parts scattered across the dining table. With little money for new gadgets, he worked with what he had. He watched DIY tutorials on his babysitter's phone and built a version of Flappy Bird out of chewed crayons, cardboard, and kabab skewers. Eventually, his mother enrolled him in the Migrant Saturday Academy. There, an instructor named Ms. Josephina saw something in him. She was of Hispanic descent, like Roman, and she understood that for students like him, programs like this were the only doorway into worlds otherwise out of reach. When funding ran short, she fought to keep a computer-building project alive because she knew what it meant to him. Under her guidance, Roman built his first computer using a Raspberry Pi.
That foundation gave him direction, but the road was not smooth. When Roman tried to enroll in dual enrollment courses at Reedley College, school officials resisted. They told him he was not capable. His counselor warned him that failure would stain his transcript. Roman found the logic backwards. Why would someone reaching for more already be planning to fall short? He pushed until he had the signatures he needed and enrolled in his first HTML and JavaScript course. He kept going from there, stacking coursework in web development, programming, and game design despite the tedious approval process each time. He also attended Shadow the Scientists, a two-day Python research internship where he spoke with real scientists conducting astronomy research and learned how Python could be used as a graphing tool. He is now working toward a Web Development Certificate through Reedley College and building fluency in Python, HTML, and CSS. He carries a 4.0 unweighted GPA across advanced courses in math, science, and college-level programming.
His most ambitious work blends code, art, and story into something entirely his own. Roman created ElveWood Rift, a single-player fantasy RPG that he designed, illustrated, and programmed across two installments. The game features pixel environments, original character sprites, and a narrative built around forgiveness, kinship, the blindness of greed, and the strength found in unity. He reverse engineered a dialogue system in Construct 3 using AJAX and JSON to handle data exchange, then layered in character portraits and sound cues that respond to player choices. He recruited his entire school to help find bugs, going so far as to email the game to 200 classmates and staff, which got him in trouble. He pulled friends in as voice actors for a trailer he edited himself. Every piece of art in the second installment is his own. The night before the deadline, he still had not finished the final boss battle. He did not sleep. The next day, mid-class, on a sluggish school Chromebook, he got the call that submissions were closing. He had not fully tested what he had built. He submitted anyway, trusting months of problem-solving to hold. It did. Roman won his college's Video Game Design competition in both 2024 and 2025, and his work earned recognition at the Reedley College Tiger Romp. Competitors approached him with praise. Students played his game with visible excitement.
Roman collects what others might throw away. He hunts for outdated technology at swap meets and junkyards, drawn to the distinct charm of devices built for a single purpose. One find was a ten-dollar digital camera. It looked promising, batteries intact, only a few scratches. When he powered it on, the screen stayed black. Stubborn and unwilling to waste ten dollars, he searched online for repair guides. Nothing existed. The camera had been forgotten. So he opened it himself. He spread bolts and circuit boards across his desk, re-seated every cable he could find, and reassembled it. Same black screen. He turned it over, deflated, and a flash went off. Something had worked. In that moment, he realized he had fixed what the world had written off. The experience reminded him that persistence can matter even when the impact feels small, even when it is just the first step toward something larger. He now offers console modding and repair services, applying the same care to hardware others have abandoned.
Roman leads with the same stubbornness he brings to broken cameras. As vice president of the Reedley High Art Club, he walked into a role with almost no funding and an organization that had gone quiet. Rather than drain members with endless fundraisers, he leaned on what he knew. He built a website using skills from his dual enrollment courses, turning it into a digital gallery where students could showcase their work. He created weekly art challenges and monthly prompts. He ran the club's social media, spotlighting members and their pieces. At their first club rush, he printed early submissions to display at the table. Watching students stop to admire the work, and watching the artists light up at the attention, reminded him why he wanted the role in the first place. For Roman, leadership is service. He has said that community service is about creating spaces where others can feel valued and inspired, and that even with a heavy workload, he will continue dedicating himself to ensuring others feel seen, supported, and celebrated. The Art Club, he says, has become more than a group of artists. It is a community held together by shared creativity, compassion, and a little bit of code.
Roman's interests stretch in many directions, and his involvement at school reflects that range. He serves as treasurer of the German Club, public relations manager for the CADD Club, competes on the Skills USA Video Game Design Team, and has participated in Fresno County Science Fair Technology Solutions. An elective caught his eye one day on his school's YouTube channel, Turf Grass Land Management, and what he thought would be a laid-back class turned into something more. He learned tree pruning techniques and sustainable fertilizers, met friends he plans to keep for life, and found his way into FFA. Through the FFA Soil and Land Evaluation Team, he studied soil composition and competed at state finals, placing third highest individual at Fresno State and fifth highest at Cal Poly in 2025. At those competitions, he spoke with soil scientists and professors whose enthusiasm left him ready to declare his major on the spot. He has long held an interest in wildlife conservation and outdoor expeditions, and he keeps plants that he loves. He describes himself as a serial photo taker. His creative work runs just as wide. He has spent three years writing and illustrating a sci-fi manga called Seasonal Rage. He has also contributed original artwork to his school's weekly announcements video. The project found new momentum in AP Biology when a video on genetically modified organisms showed a glowing rabbit on screen and science suddenly became narrative fuel. He began researching genetic engineering, DNA mutations, and ecological niches, not as science alone but as material for his story. His visual art has earned recognition as well, including first place at the Big Fresno Fair Junior Art Exhibit in 2025 and a County of Orange Certificate of Recognition in 2024.
Service runs through much of what Roman does. Through the Leo Club, he has packaged coats for children, volunteered at the Blossom Bike Ride, and helped place wreaths and flags at the Reedley Cemetery for veteran holidays. He has joined trail clean-ups with multiple organizations, noting how striking it is to pull bulging trash bags from a single stretch of path. As a volunteer with Adventure Scientists, a field data-collecting nonprofit, he collected soil DNA samples in the National Sierra Forest as part of a biodiversity initiative focused on ecosystem preservation. Through the Cupid Crew Campaign, a program under the Congressional Awards, he hand-wrote and illustrated 350 valentines for residents of elderly homes, logging more than 30 volunteer hours. He has also served as a camp counselor, spending three days caring for a cabin of kids and using his knowledge of trail safety to watch over hiking groups from behind.
James Lyons, Roman's Video Production and Game Design instructor at Reedley High School, describes him as one of the most driven, creative, and well-rounded students he has ever taught. What sets Roman apart, Lyons writes, is his rare ability to connect technical problem-solving with creativity and leadership. Whether coding a game, illustrating digital art, or guiding a team project, Roman shows maturity, determination, and vision. He is the kind of student, Lyons adds, who succeeds individually while lifting the people around him.
Lyons is confident Roman will excel in any path he chooses. For Roman, that path leads somewhere specific. For him, technology and nature are not at odds. He believes the two can coexist and harmonize, and he intends to build a future where they do. He hopes to study computer engineering with a minor in environmental science at the University of California, Berkeley, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, or the University of California, Los Angeles. He never did get free Minecraft, but he is now building worlds of his own. Turns out you cannot download more RAM. You can, however, build your own computer, design your own games, and write your own future.
High School: Reedley High School
Hometown: Reedley, CA
Roman Manzo Gudino discovered technology in a basement. His family had immigrated from Mexico, and while his parents worked early shifts, a clunky Dell laptop kept him company. He had no toys, no crayons, just a glowing screen and an internet browser that promised everything and delivered confusion. He spent hours trying to download free RAM and searching every combination of words that might unlock Minecraft without paying. "There I learned, painstakingly, that I couldn't download more RAM and that Minecraft wasn't free no matter how many times I searched 'mc free,'" he recalls. None of it worked, but he kept clicking. When things got a little easier for his family, his curiosity turned mechanical. He wanted to understand how the machine that had kept him company actually functioned. Since he could not disassemble the laptop without losing his cartoons, he turned to other things. Clocks. Radios. Anything with screws. His mother was less than thrilled to find their parts scattered across the dining table. With little money for new gadgets, he worked with what he had. He watched DIY tutorials on his babysitter's phone and built a version of Flappy Bird out of chewed crayons, cardboard, and kabab skewers. Eventually, his mother enrolled him in the Migrant Saturday Academy. There, an instructor named Ms. Josephina saw something in him. She was of Hispanic descent, like Roman, and she understood that for students like him, programs like this were the only doorway into worlds otherwise out of reach. When funding ran short, she fought to keep a computer-building project alive because she knew what it meant to him. Under her guidance, Roman built his first computer using a Raspberry Pi.
That foundation gave him direction, but the road was not smooth. When Roman tried to enroll in dual enrollment courses at Reedley College, school officials resisted. They told him he was not capable. His counselor warned him that failure would stain his transcript. Roman found the logic backwards. Why would someone reaching for more already be planning to fall short? He pushed until he had the signatures he needed and enrolled in his first HTML and JavaScript course. He kept going from there, stacking coursework in web development, programming, and game design despite the tedious approval process each time. He also attended Shadow the Scientists, a two-day Python research internship where he spoke with real scientists conducting astronomy research and learned how Python could be used as a graphing tool. He is now working toward a Web Development Certificate through Reedley College and building fluency in Python, HTML, and CSS. He carries a 4.0 unweighted GPA across advanced courses in math, science, and college-level programming.
His most ambitious work blends code, art, and story into something entirely his own. Roman created ElveWood Rift, a single-player fantasy RPG that he designed, illustrated, and programmed across two installments. The game features pixel environments, original character sprites, and a narrative built around forgiveness, kinship, the blindness of greed, and the strength found in unity. He reverse engineered a dialogue system in Construct 3 using AJAX and JSON to handle data exchange, then layered in character portraits and sound cues that respond to player choices. He recruited his entire school to help find bugs, going so far as to email the game to 200 classmates and staff, which got him in trouble. He pulled friends in as voice actors for a trailer he edited himself. Every piece of art in the second installment is his own. The night before the deadline, he still had not finished the final boss battle. He did not sleep. The next day, mid-class, on a sluggish school Chromebook, he got the call that submissions were closing. He had not fully tested what he had built. He submitted anyway, trusting months of problem-solving to hold. It did. Roman won his college's Video Game Design competition in both 2024 and 2025, and his work earned recognition at the Reedley College Tiger Romp. Competitors approached him with praise. Students played his game with visible excitement.
Roman collects what others might throw away. He hunts for outdated technology at swap meets and junkyards, drawn to the distinct charm of devices built for a single purpose. One find was a ten-dollar digital camera. It looked promising, batteries intact, only a few scratches. When he powered it on, the screen stayed black. Stubborn and unwilling to waste ten dollars, he searched online for repair guides. Nothing existed. The camera had been forgotten. So he opened it himself. He spread bolts and circuit boards across his desk, re-seated every cable he could find, and reassembled it. Same black screen. He turned it over, deflated, and a flash went off. Something had worked. In that moment, he realized he had fixed what the world had written off. The experience reminded him that persistence can matter even when the impact feels small, even when it is just the first step toward something larger. He now offers console modding and repair services, applying the same care to hardware others have abandoned.
Roman leads with the same stubbornness he brings to broken cameras. As vice president of the Reedley High Art Club, he walked into a role with almost no funding and an organization that had gone quiet. Rather than drain members with endless fundraisers, he leaned on what he knew. He built a website using skills from his dual enrollment courses, turning it into a digital gallery where students could showcase their work. He created weekly art challenges and monthly prompts. He ran the club's social media, spotlighting members and their pieces. At their first club rush, he printed early submissions to display at the table. Watching students stop to admire the work, and watching the artists light up at the attention, reminded him why he wanted the role in the first place. For Roman, leadership is service. He has said that community service is about creating spaces where others can feel valued and inspired, and that even with a heavy workload, he will continue dedicating himself to ensuring others feel seen, supported, and celebrated. The Art Club, he says, has become more than a group of artists. It is a community held together by shared creativity, compassion, and a little bit of code.
Roman's interests stretch in many directions, and his involvement at school reflects that range. He serves as treasurer of the German Club, public relations manager for the CADD Club, competes on the Skills USA Video Game Design Team, and has participated in Fresno County Science Fair Technology Solutions. An elective caught his eye one day on his school's YouTube channel, Turf Grass Land Management, and what he thought would be a laid-back class turned into something more. He learned tree pruning techniques and sustainable fertilizers, met friends he plans to keep for life, and found his way into FFA. Through the FFA Soil and Land Evaluation Team, he studied soil composition and competed at state finals, placing third highest individual at Fresno State and fifth highest at Cal Poly in 2025. At those competitions, he spoke with soil scientists and professors whose enthusiasm left him ready to declare his major on the spot. He has long held an interest in wildlife conservation and outdoor expeditions, and he keeps plants that he loves. He describes himself as a serial photo taker. His creative work runs just as wide. He has spent three years writing and illustrating a sci-fi manga called Seasonal Rage. He has also contributed original artwork to his school's weekly announcements video. The project found new momentum in AP Biology when a video on genetically modified organisms showed a glowing rabbit on screen and science suddenly became narrative fuel. He began researching genetic engineering, DNA mutations, and ecological niches, not as science alone but as material for his story. His visual art has earned recognition as well, including first place at the Big Fresno Fair Junior Art Exhibit in 2025 and a County of Orange Certificate of Recognition in 2024.
Service runs through much of what Roman does. Through the Leo Club, he has packaged coats for children, volunteered at the Blossom Bike Ride, and helped place wreaths and flags at the Reedley Cemetery for veteran holidays. He has joined trail clean-ups with multiple organizations, noting how striking it is to pull bulging trash bags from a single stretch of path. As a volunteer with Adventure Scientists, a field data-collecting nonprofit, he collected soil DNA samples in the National Sierra Forest as part of a biodiversity initiative focused on ecosystem preservation. Through the Cupid Crew Campaign, a program under the Congressional Awards, he hand-wrote and illustrated 350 valentines for residents of elderly homes, logging more than 30 volunteer hours. He has also served as a camp counselor, spending three days caring for a cabin of kids and using his knowledge of trail safety to watch over hiking groups from behind.
James Lyons, Roman's Video Production and Game Design instructor at Reedley High School, describes him as one of the most driven, creative, and well-rounded students he has ever taught. What sets Roman apart, Lyons writes, is his rare ability to connect technical problem-solving with creativity and leadership. Whether coding a game, illustrating digital art, or guiding a team project, Roman shows maturity, determination, and vision. He is the kind of student, Lyons adds, who succeeds individually while lifting the people around him.
Lyons is confident Roman will excel in any path he chooses. For Roman, that path leads somewhere specific. For him, technology and nature are not at odds. He believes the two can coexist and harmonize, and he intends to build a future where they do. He hopes to study computer engineering with a minor in environmental science at the University of California, Berkeley, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, or the University of California, Los Angeles. He never did get free Minecraft, but he is now building worlds of his own. Turns out you cannot download more RAM. You can, however, build your own computer, design your own games, and write your own future.
BRONZE - Emmanuel Rodriguez Mejia
Major: Statistics and Data Science with a minor in Political Science
High School: Middle College High School
Hometown: Santa Ana, CA
The user interface flickered to life, and Emmanuel Rodriguez Mejia exhaled. Months of tutorials, syntax errors, and late-night debugging sessions had led to this moment. No one in his family had ever written a line of code, which meant no one could check his logic or help him troubleshoot when things broke. He figured it out anyway, teaching himself to code through sheer determination. That first working program made his point. Building software was not reserved for people unlike him. He had become the first in his family to code. "For me, every new concept mastered is another reminder that growth comes from persistence, not perfection," Emmanuel shares.
That determination carried him into formal training. He enrolled in three computer science courses at his community college, studying Python, C++, and the broader relationship between technology and society. Around the same time, an internship with The Energy Coalition handed him a new tool. ArcGIS, software that turns raw data into maps, became his entry point into data visualization. Emmanuel used it to chart energy efficiency projects across Southern California, including neighborhoods in his own city. Watching data points transform into visual stories about which communities had resources and which did not sparked a realization. Maps could do more than display information. They could expose who gets left behind.
A second internship sharpened that realization into something closer to conviction. At GREEN-MPNA, a Santa Ana nonprofit focused on social justice, Emmanuel sat through a lecture on air quality in his city. The slide showed a map the organization had built, tracing toxic pollutants back to factories constructed in working-class neighborhoods. The families living there, many of them without the legal resources or political leverage to fight back, were breathing air that made them sick. Emmanuel had grown up with asthma in one of those neighborhoods. Seeing the data laid out in such stark terms changed how he understood his own city and what technology could do for communities like his.
These experiences positioned Emmanuel for one of the most competitive pre-college programs in the country. He was selected as an MIT MITES Semester scholar, one of 250 students chosen from more than 5,000 applicants. A course called Mapping Justice introduced him to Data Feminism and the story of María Salguero, a woman who documented femicides in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, by gathering data on the murders and placing them on a map. Her work was not just statistics. It told a story. Emmanuel understood then that data visualizations carry the biases and intentions of whoever builds them. With three fellow MITES scholars, he applied that lesson by creating an ArcGIS StoryMap on climate gentrification in Miami-Dade, Florida. Layering census data, flood maps, and housing prices, the team made visible a crisis that often remains hidden. Rising seas push wealthier residents to higher ground, displacing low-income families in the process. Emmanuel also completed a science writing course during MITES, interviewing a professional in game theory and producing an article from that conversation. The program proved that geography does not limit impact. From California, Emmanuel could build a case for justice in Florida.
His approach to technology has been shaped as much by frustration as by formal training. Emmanuel watched his mother struggle with government websites where the Spanish translations were broken or incomplete. He once encountered a filter that lightened his skin. These were not isolated glitches. They were patterns, evidence that the people designing these systems did not have families like his in mind. When one demographic dominates the teams that build artificial intelligence and software, Emmanuel observed, the products inherit their blind spots. Translation services fail. Facial recognition stumbles. Interfaces assume a kind of user who does not look or speak like his neighbors. These experiences fuel his commitment to building technology that accounts for communities often overlooked. He questions datasets for representation. He tests for equity across diverse user groups. "My background isn't a hurdle," Emmanuel writes. "It is my unique value proposition. It is the lens that allows me to see gaps that others might miss.”
That same awareness extends to digital safety. When Emmanuel was younger, his parents came close to falling for a scam disguised as an affordable immigration service. The website looked legitimate until Emmanuel and his older brother took a closer look and discovered that its privacy policy redirected to a different site. The family escaped fraud, but Emmanuel understood that others in his community might not be so fortunate. Santa Ana is home to many immigrant, Spanish-speaking families, and cybercriminals target them through fake government websites, phishing schemes, and fraudulent services that exploit language barriers and unfamiliarity with technology. Emmanuel has proposed partnering with his school district's Family and Community Engagement offices to deliver bilingual cybersecurity workshops at school sites, teaching parents and community members to recognize warning signs and protect themselves. "Protecting Santa Ana families from digital exploitation isn't just about technology," he writes. "It's about dignity and ensuring our community isn't left vulnerable in a digital world.”
Emmanuel has poured himself into organizations both in and outside of school. As president of Key Club, he coordinates service projects throughout Santa Ana, including holiday toy giveaways where he has worked alongside local organizations to distribute gifts to families in need. At one giveaway, a mother thanked him through tears because she could not afford presents that year. That moment made clear what his parents had been showing him since he was seven years old, when he watched them go door to door collecting groceries, clothes, and essentials for a neighbor whose house had burned down. Helping others, his mother told him, is what you do when you have been helped. Emmanuel does not wait for service opportunities to find him. He creates them. "When you've been lifted up by a community," he writes, "you have a responsibility to lift others." He also serves as co-president of Speech and Debate, where he organizes tournaments and mentors younger students. He became the first high school student to help operate Tabroom, the platform that runs middle school tournaments in his district, handling logistics and communication between teachers, coaches, and personnel. At competitions, including the National Speech and Debate Tournament, he has spoken out against the dehumanization of immigrants and advocated for ethical labor practices. He also serves as co-editor-in-chief of The Spellbinder, his school newspaper, and works as a courtroom journalist for Mock Trial. Outside of school, he has been a scholar at Nicholas Academic Centers, a college access program for first-generation students, and participated in the Santa Ana Youth Vote Fellowship.
Emmanuel has earned recognition for his efforts along the way. He maintains a 3.97 unweighted GPA and has maintained a place on the Principal's Honor Roll and been honored as Student of the Month. He has been named a QuestBridge National College Match Finalist and received College Board National Recognition for both the School Award and the First-Generation Award. He placed third in the Better Business Bureau Ethical Torch competition in 2024, and his community involvement earned him a United States Congress Certificate of Special Recognition in 2023 and a County of Orange Certificate of Recognition in 2024. Jasmine Palmerin, academic services manager at Nicholas Academic Centers, has mentored Emmanuel throughout high school and witnessed his exceptional growth. She describes him as a student whose "strong leadership, effective communication, polished written abilities, and active listening" set him apart. "My unwavering confidence in Emmanuel's dedication and academic drive assures me he is an outstanding young scholar in the making," she writes.
The lessons that matter most to Emmanuel were not learned in a classroom. Emmanuel's parents never had the chance to finish high school, but they have hearts that hold more wisdom than any diploma could grant. They do not understand his homework or the maze of college applications. What they understand is sacrifice. And they have lived it every single day. Emmanuel's grandfather is half-paralyzed. Caring for him has required the kind of love that does not ask for anything in return. It has been a family effort, with everyone organizing their lives around his care. His parents take on the heaviest parts of that care. They bathe him, feed him, help him move through the house, all while working full-time jobs and raising their children. They have never once complained. His parents have shown him that love is not a feeling you talk about but a choice you make, again and again, even when you are tired. And somehow, even with so little left to give, they still find ways to help their neighbors, their community, anyone who needs them. Emmanuel has carried his own share of this care. Every morning before school, he helps his grandfather get dressed and gives him his medication. After school, he rushes home to assist with physical therapy, cook dinner, and keep him company. For Emmanuel, this has never been a burden. It has been a privilege, one that taught him what service means at its core. His grandfather's body may have failed him, but his mind has stayed sharp and his spirit has remained strong. He has never complained about needing help, and that quiet humility changed how Emmanuel sees people. From his grandfather, he learned that a person's worth is not measured by what they can do physically. It is found in their dignity, their stories, their humanity.
One evening, exhausted after a long day of caregiving and work, Emmanuel's mother still found energy to help someone else. Emmanuel asked his mother how she could keep giving when she had so little left for herself. She looked at him and said, "La bondad no cuesta nada, mijo. Todos estamos conectados." Kindness costs nothing, and we are all connected. Watching his parents lift others even while carrying so much themselves showed Emmanuel something he has never forgotten. We lift each other up because that is what family does. And community is family. These responsibilities could have been Emmanuel's excuse to step back. No one would have blamed him for scaling down his commitments or choosing an easier path. Instead, he chose more. From his parents, he learned that the weight you carry does not have to slow you down. It can be the very thing that makes you strong. Every tournament he organized, every service project he led, every article he published happened while he balanced responsibilities most students will never face. He did not just survive these challenges. He used them as fuel to prove that first-generation students from families like his belong in every space and can lead with the strength that comes from overcoming what others might see as impossible. His grandfather taught him resilience. His parents taught him that limitations do not define you. Together, they showed him that where you begin does not decide where you can go. And everything Emmanuel does now, he does to honor the spirit of generosity they showed him, to pay forward the kindness that raised him.
Emmanuel plans to study statistics and data science with a minor in political science at Harvard College, Dartmouth College, or the University of California, Davis. He is drawn to this intersection because numbers, he has learned, can be made to speak. They can expose injustice or they can hide it. They can give voice to communities or render them invisible. Data, in the right hands, can tell the stories that matter. It can speak for those who are not heard. Emmanuel intends to be one of those hands. "I want to dedicate myself to mastering this craft," he shares, "using data not just for prediction, but for justice, by responsibly and ethically telling the stories that the numbers hold." It is his way of doing what his parents have always done. Showing up. Making sure no one gets left behind.
High School: Middle College High School
Hometown: Santa Ana, CA
The user interface flickered to life, and Emmanuel Rodriguez Mejia exhaled. Months of tutorials, syntax errors, and late-night debugging sessions had led to this moment. No one in his family had ever written a line of code, which meant no one could check his logic or help him troubleshoot when things broke. He figured it out anyway, teaching himself to code through sheer determination. That first working program made his point. Building software was not reserved for people unlike him. He had become the first in his family to code. "For me, every new concept mastered is another reminder that growth comes from persistence, not perfection," Emmanuel shares.
That determination carried him into formal training. He enrolled in three computer science courses at his community college, studying Python, C++, and the broader relationship between technology and society. Around the same time, an internship with The Energy Coalition handed him a new tool. ArcGIS, software that turns raw data into maps, became his entry point into data visualization. Emmanuel used it to chart energy efficiency projects across Southern California, including neighborhoods in his own city. Watching data points transform into visual stories about which communities had resources and which did not sparked a realization. Maps could do more than display information. They could expose who gets left behind.
A second internship sharpened that realization into something closer to conviction. At GREEN-MPNA, a Santa Ana nonprofit focused on social justice, Emmanuel sat through a lecture on air quality in his city. The slide showed a map the organization had built, tracing toxic pollutants back to factories constructed in working-class neighborhoods. The families living there, many of them without the legal resources or political leverage to fight back, were breathing air that made them sick. Emmanuel had grown up with asthma in one of those neighborhoods. Seeing the data laid out in such stark terms changed how he understood his own city and what technology could do for communities like his.
These experiences positioned Emmanuel for one of the most competitive pre-college programs in the country. He was selected as an MIT MITES Semester scholar, one of 250 students chosen from more than 5,000 applicants. A course called Mapping Justice introduced him to Data Feminism and the story of María Salguero, a woman who documented femicides in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, by gathering data on the murders and placing them on a map. Her work was not just statistics. It told a story. Emmanuel understood then that data visualizations carry the biases and intentions of whoever builds them. With three fellow MITES scholars, he applied that lesson by creating an ArcGIS StoryMap on climate gentrification in Miami-Dade, Florida. Layering census data, flood maps, and housing prices, the team made visible a crisis that often remains hidden. Rising seas push wealthier residents to higher ground, displacing low-income families in the process. Emmanuel also completed a science writing course during MITES, interviewing a professional in game theory and producing an article from that conversation. The program proved that geography does not limit impact. From California, Emmanuel could build a case for justice in Florida.
His approach to technology has been shaped as much by frustration as by formal training. Emmanuel watched his mother struggle with government websites where the Spanish translations were broken or incomplete. He once encountered a filter that lightened his skin. These were not isolated glitches. They were patterns, evidence that the people designing these systems did not have families like his in mind. When one demographic dominates the teams that build artificial intelligence and software, Emmanuel observed, the products inherit their blind spots. Translation services fail. Facial recognition stumbles. Interfaces assume a kind of user who does not look or speak like his neighbors. These experiences fuel his commitment to building technology that accounts for communities often overlooked. He questions datasets for representation. He tests for equity across diverse user groups. "My background isn't a hurdle," Emmanuel writes. "It is my unique value proposition. It is the lens that allows me to see gaps that others might miss.”
That same awareness extends to digital safety. When Emmanuel was younger, his parents came close to falling for a scam disguised as an affordable immigration service. The website looked legitimate until Emmanuel and his older brother took a closer look and discovered that its privacy policy redirected to a different site. The family escaped fraud, but Emmanuel understood that others in his community might not be so fortunate. Santa Ana is home to many immigrant, Spanish-speaking families, and cybercriminals target them through fake government websites, phishing schemes, and fraudulent services that exploit language barriers and unfamiliarity with technology. Emmanuel has proposed partnering with his school district's Family and Community Engagement offices to deliver bilingual cybersecurity workshops at school sites, teaching parents and community members to recognize warning signs and protect themselves. "Protecting Santa Ana families from digital exploitation isn't just about technology," he writes. "It's about dignity and ensuring our community isn't left vulnerable in a digital world.”
Emmanuel has poured himself into organizations both in and outside of school. As president of Key Club, he coordinates service projects throughout Santa Ana, including holiday toy giveaways where he has worked alongside local organizations to distribute gifts to families in need. At one giveaway, a mother thanked him through tears because she could not afford presents that year. That moment made clear what his parents had been showing him since he was seven years old, when he watched them go door to door collecting groceries, clothes, and essentials for a neighbor whose house had burned down. Helping others, his mother told him, is what you do when you have been helped. Emmanuel does not wait for service opportunities to find him. He creates them. "When you've been lifted up by a community," he writes, "you have a responsibility to lift others." He also serves as co-president of Speech and Debate, where he organizes tournaments and mentors younger students. He became the first high school student to help operate Tabroom, the platform that runs middle school tournaments in his district, handling logistics and communication between teachers, coaches, and personnel. At competitions, including the National Speech and Debate Tournament, he has spoken out against the dehumanization of immigrants and advocated for ethical labor practices. He also serves as co-editor-in-chief of The Spellbinder, his school newspaper, and works as a courtroom journalist for Mock Trial. Outside of school, he has been a scholar at Nicholas Academic Centers, a college access program for first-generation students, and participated in the Santa Ana Youth Vote Fellowship.
Emmanuel has earned recognition for his efforts along the way. He maintains a 3.97 unweighted GPA and has maintained a place on the Principal's Honor Roll and been honored as Student of the Month. He has been named a QuestBridge National College Match Finalist and received College Board National Recognition for both the School Award and the First-Generation Award. He placed third in the Better Business Bureau Ethical Torch competition in 2024, and his community involvement earned him a United States Congress Certificate of Special Recognition in 2023 and a County of Orange Certificate of Recognition in 2024. Jasmine Palmerin, academic services manager at Nicholas Academic Centers, has mentored Emmanuel throughout high school and witnessed his exceptional growth. She describes him as a student whose "strong leadership, effective communication, polished written abilities, and active listening" set him apart. "My unwavering confidence in Emmanuel's dedication and academic drive assures me he is an outstanding young scholar in the making," she writes.
The lessons that matter most to Emmanuel were not learned in a classroom. Emmanuel's parents never had the chance to finish high school, but they have hearts that hold more wisdom than any diploma could grant. They do not understand his homework or the maze of college applications. What they understand is sacrifice. And they have lived it every single day. Emmanuel's grandfather is half-paralyzed. Caring for him has required the kind of love that does not ask for anything in return. It has been a family effort, with everyone organizing their lives around his care. His parents take on the heaviest parts of that care. They bathe him, feed him, help him move through the house, all while working full-time jobs and raising their children. They have never once complained. His parents have shown him that love is not a feeling you talk about but a choice you make, again and again, even when you are tired. And somehow, even with so little left to give, they still find ways to help their neighbors, their community, anyone who needs them. Emmanuel has carried his own share of this care. Every morning before school, he helps his grandfather get dressed and gives him his medication. After school, he rushes home to assist with physical therapy, cook dinner, and keep him company. For Emmanuel, this has never been a burden. It has been a privilege, one that taught him what service means at its core. His grandfather's body may have failed him, but his mind has stayed sharp and his spirit has remained strong. He has never complained about needing help, and that quiet humility changed how Emmanuel sees people. From his grandfather, he learned that a person's worth is not measured by what they can do physically. It is found in their dignity, their stories, their humanity.
One evening, exhausted after a long day of caregiving and work, Emmanuel's mother still found energy to help someone else. Emmanuel asked his mother how she could keep giving when she had so little left for herself. She looked at him and said, "La bondad no cuesta nada, mijo. Todos estamos conectados." Kindness costs nothing, and we are all connected. Watching his parents lift others even while carrying so much themselves showed Emmanuel something he has never forgotten. We lift each other up because that is what family does. And community is family. These responsibilities could have been Emmanuel's excuse to step back. No one would have blamed him for scaling down his commitments or choosing an easier path. Instead, he chose more. From his parents, he learned that the weight you carry does not have to slow you down. It can be the very thing that makes you strong. Every tournament he organized, every service project he led, every article he published happened while he balanced responsibilities most students will never face. He did not just survive these challenges. He used them as fuel to prove that first-generation students from families like his belong in every space and can lead with the strength that comes from overcoming what others might see as impossible. His grandfather taught him resilience. His parents taught him that limitations do not define you. Together, they showed him that where you begin does not decide where you can go. And everything Emmanuel does now, he does to honor the spirit of generosity they showed him, to pay forward the kindness that raised him.
Emmanuel plans to study statistics and data science with a minor in political science at Harvard College, Dartmouth College, or the University of California, Davis. He is drawn to this intersection because numbers, he has learned, can be made to speak. They can expose injustice or they can hide it. They can give voice to communities or render them invisible. Data, in the right hands, can tell the stories that matter. It can speak for those who are not heard. Emmanuel intends to be one of those hands. "I want to dedicate myself to mastering this craft," he shares, "using data not just for prediction, but for justice, by responsibly and ethically telling the stories that the numbers hold." It is his way of doing what his parents have always done. Showing up. Making sure no one gets left behind.
Red Region
Please select a recipient name to read their bio.
GOLD - Alexandra Sepulveda
Major: Computer Science with a minor in Biology
High School: St. Anthony's High School
Hometown: Holbrook, NY
Coding apps, designing things that solve problems, building something and watching it work: this is what drew Alexandra Sepulveda to computer science. Video games became her first playground. She began designing her own using platforms like Unity, writing her own soundtracks along the way. The work draws on both her problem-solving skills and her ear for music. Glitches do not stand a chance. She tests and refines until the code runs clean. That same eye for what is broken led to one of her favorite projects: an AI and machine learning detector. Commercial versions, she discovered, give false positives more often than they should. Computer science has pulled her into AP Computer Science Principles, an intro to engineering class, Independent Science Research Honors, hackathons, Coding Club, the Toshiba ExploraVision Science Competition, and the SAAWA Science Fair. When school ends, she does not stop. At home, she works through independent coding courses and watches online college lectures. Not for a grade. Not for credit. Because she loves to learn. For Alexandra, computer science is not just about technology. It is about solving real problems that real people have. So she found a problem worth solving.
Prosthetic limbs help people move. But Alexandra thought they could do more. She had seen people who lost limbs to severe injuries fight to overcome that loss, and she wanted to make the fight easier. So she built something. In 2023, she filed a patent for an invention titled "system and method for operating a robotic prosthetic limb." The system improves how neural implants control prosthetic limbs by helping the microcomputer in the implant process data more efficiently. She made a novel AI algorithm that looks at neural implant electrode data and uses a custom machine learning structure to control the robotic limb more efficiently. Her goal was to make movement feel more natural and responsive for people who use prosthetics. She designed and coded the entire system herself, bringing together biology, robotics, and coding. It was not easy. Balancing the technical research with schoolwork, music, and art took late nights and long weekends preparing diagrams and flow charts for the patent application. When the email arrived confirming her patent had been filed, she was ecstatic. All the late nights testing code and sketching designs had been worth it. Filing the patent stands as one of her most meaningful experiences. For Alexandra, this accomplishment captures her curiosity and determination to create something meaningful. "It also reflects the resilience and pride I have learned from my Puerto Rican family," she says, "especially during our family dinners where hard work and creativity are always celebrated.”
Sundays belong to her grandfather's house. Around Christmas, the pasteles he makes are worth the wait. After dinner, he reaches for his guitar. She already knows what comes next. Music is not the only thing he makes. He designs. He fixes. That spirit runs through the family. When something breaks, they do not throw it away. They open it up. They figure it out with what they have, sometimes 3D printing a replacement part. That is how Alexandra learned to look at problems. Not as dead ends, but as puzzles waiting for a creative solution. Working on music with her father and grandfather taught her that small details change everything. A slight adjustment, and the whole sound shifts. She brings that same ear to her design work. Her 3D printer at home does not sit idle. She builds tools and holders for her music equipment, testing designs until they work the way she wants. She also helps her dad build music synthesizers, learning how circuits generate sound. Engineering, she discovered, is both creative and precise. It is also time with her dad, doing something they both love. Of all the things she has built, one holds a different place. At the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan, she saw a Puerto Rican tiple, the smallest of the three string instruments that make up the traditional folk instrumental ensemble of the island. She took a photo. Then she went home and built one herself from wood scraps, using the photo as a template. She measured. She carved. She tuned. And when she played it for the first time, it worked. She has released her own music too. Every track recorded by her. Every instrument played by her. For Alexandra, art and science are not opposites. Both are ways to create connection and progress.
Alexandra lives with leukemia. That is not a detail. It is a lens. It taught her to observe. To keep working toward improvement. To understand that time is not infinite. Rather than pulling her away from her goals, it sharpened them. She knows why she wants to use her skills for something meaningful. Her mentor, Jessica Caso, describes her as someone who faces every challenge with strength and optimism, inspiring those around her. Beyond her intellect, Caso writes, Alexandra stands out for her kindness, grace, and resilience.
Living with leukemia taught her what it means to need encouragement. So she gives it. She volunteers at local events that raise awareness for the disease. She has spent time in hospitals. She knows what support means when you need it, and she offers that to others now. Her service goes further. She volunteers at a soup kitchen in a primarily Hispanic neighborhood. At school, she tutors students who struggle with math, breaking problems into smaller steps until they stop looking impossible. She likes seeing when it finally clicks. Her Puerto Rican family also shaped how she thinks about service. At their Sunday dinners, everyone contributes. Her grandfather cooks. Relatives bring food. They all share stories and music. Those gatherings were a lesson. Community is built when everyone shows up and helps. "Whether through teaching or volunteering, I feel connected to something larger than myself," she says. Serving others gives her purpose and strength.
At hackathons and coding events, Alexandra kept noticing the same thing. She rarely saw other students who looked like her. That said something to her. Alexandra has seen what happens when young people find someone who shares their background solving problems. They start to believe they can do the same. She has also seen what stands in the way for many Hispanic elementary and middle school students. Most schools lack the resources. The equipment is expensive. Students are introduced to these subjects too late, often by people with minimal experience in the field. These are the barriers she has watched pile up. She has ideas for how to change that. Workshops hosted at libraries could introduce younger students to coding, robotics, and 3D printing. Affordable materials and open-source software would keep costs down. She would also like to organize small hackathons where students collaborate on projects that solve real problems in their communities. What she wants is for technology to feel accessible. For every student to have the chance to explore computer science and discover how fulfilling it can be.
Alexandra is among the top students at St. Anthony's High School. She carries a 4.0 unweighted GPA and has consistently distinguished herself through leadership and academic excellence. She is a member of the Math Honor Society, the Science Honor Society, and the National Honor Society, where she is known as much for her genuine character and integrity as for her achievements. She also serves on St. Anthony's Leadership Team. Her work has earned recognition, including the Frank and Frances Lule Memorial Scholarship Award in 2023, the Adam Pomper '11 Memorial Scholarship Award in 2024, and the St. Bonaventure Award in both 2023 and 2024.
Caso, who guided Alexandra through drafting her patent application, describes her as a rare and extraordinary young woman. Her intellect, maturity, and compassion, Caso writes, shine through in everything she does. Working together on the patent, Caso watched Alexandra grasp complex concepts and communicate them with clarity and thoughtfulness, showing her technical sophistication and sincere empathy for those who could benefit from her ideas. What stands out most, Caso notes, is Alexandra's rare ability to see technology not as a tool but as a way to improve lives. She is determined, disciplined, and inventive. She consistently models what it means to lead by example and is, in every way, an exceptional role model for her peers. Caso also notes that Alexandra often speaks about representing her culture in the technology space, where diversity is still growing, and that she is committed to uplifting her community through her future work. Caso is confident Alexandra will achieve great academic success and make a lasting, positive impact on the world.
Alexandra plans to study computer science with a minor in biology at Columbia University, Yale University, or the State University of New York at Stony Brook. She is building toward a life where what she creates helps people and where what she learns finds its way back to others who need it. That has always been the point.
High School: St. Anthony's High School
Hometown: Holbrook, NY
Coding apps, designing things that solve problems, building something and watching it work: this is what drew Alexandra Sepulveda to computer science. Video games became her first playground. She began designing her own using platforms like Unity, writing her own soundtracks along the way. The work draws on both her problem-solving skills and her ear for music. Glitches do not stand a chance. She tests and refines until the code runs clean. That same eye for what is broken led to one of her favorite projects: an AI and machine learning detector. Commercial versions, she discovered, give false positives more often than they should. Computer science has pulled her into AP Computer Science Principles, an intro to engineering class, Independent Science Research Honors, hackathons, Coding Club, the Toshiba ExploraVision Science Competition, and the SAAWA Science Fair. When school ends, she does not stop. At home, she works through independent coding courses and watches online college lectures. Not for a grade. Not for credit. Because she loves to learn. For Alexandra, computer science is not just about technology. It is about solving real problems that real people have. So she found a problem worth solving.
Prosthetic limbs help people move. But Alexandra thought they could do more. She had seen people who lost limbs to severe injuries fight to overcome that loss, and she wanted to make the fight easier. So she built something. In 2023, she filed a patent for an invention titled "system and method for operating a robotic prosthetic limb." The system improves how neural implants control prosthetic limbs by helping the microcomputer in the implant process data more efficiently. She made a novel AI algorithm that looks at neural implant electrode data and uses a custom machine learning structure to control the robotic limb more efficiently. Her goal was to make movement feel more natural and responsive for people who use prosthetics. She designed and coded the entire system herself, bringing together biology, robotics, and coding. It was not easy. Balancing the technical research with schoolwork, music, and art took late nights and long weekends preparing diagrams and flow charts for the patent application. When the email arrived confirming her patent had been filed, she was ecstatic. All the late nights testing code and sketching designs had been worth it. Filing the patent stands as one of her most meaningful experiences. For Alexandra, this accomplishment captures her curiosity and determination to create something meaningful. "It also reflects the resilience and pride I have learned from my Puerto Rican family," she says, "especially during our family dinners where hard work and creativity are always celebrated.”
Sundays belong to her grandfather's house. Around Christmas, the pasteles he makes are worth the wait. After dinner, he reaches for his guitar. She already knows what comes next. Music is not the only thing he makes. He designs. He fixes. That spirit runs through the family. When something breaks, they do not throw it away. They open it up. They figure it out with what they have, sometimes 3D printing a replacement part. That is how Alexandra learned to look at problems. Not as dead ends, but as puzzles waiting for a creative solution. Working on music with her father and grandfather taught her that small details change everything. A slight adjustment, and the whole sound shifts. She brings that same ear to her design work. Her 3D printer at home does not sit idle. She builds tools and holders for her music equipment, testing designs until they work the way she wants. She also helps her dad build music synthesizers, learning how circuits generate sound. Engineering, she discovered, is both creative and precise. It is also time with her dad, doing something they both love. Of all the things she has built, one holds a different place. At the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan, she saw a Puerto Rican tiple, the smallest of the three string instruments that make up the traditional folk instrumental ensemble of the island. She took a photo. Then she went home and built one herself from wood scraps, using the photo as a template. She measured. She carved. She tuned. And when she played it for the first time, it worked. She has released her own music too. Every track recorded by her. Every instrument played by her. For Alexandra, art and science are not opposites. Both are ways to create connection and progress.
Alexandra lives with leukemia. That is not a detail. It is a lens. It taught her to observe. To keep working toward improvement. To understand that time is not infinite. Rather than pulling her away from her goals, it sharpened them. She knows why she wants to use her skills for something meaningful. Her mentor, Jessica Caso, describes her as someone who faces every challenge with strength and optimism, inspiring those around her. Beyond her intellect, Caso writes, Alexandra stands out for her kindness, grace, and resilience.
Living with leukemia taught her what it means to need encouragement. So she gives it. She volunteers at local events that raise awareness for the disease. She has spent time in hospitals. She knows what support means when you need it, and she offers that to others now. Her service goes further. She volunteers at a soup kitchen in a primarily Hispanic neighborhood. At school, she tutors students who struggle with math, breaking problems into smaller steps until they stop looking impossible. She likes seeing when it finally clicks. Her Puerto Rican family also shaped how she thinks about service. At their Sunday dinners, everyone contributes. Her grandfather cooks. Relatives bring food. They all share stories and music. Those gatherings were a lesson. Community is built when everyone shows up and helps. "Whether through teaching or volunteering, I feel connected to something larger than myself," she says. Serving others gives her purpose and strength.
At hackathons and coding events, Alexandra kept noticing the same thing. She rarely saw other students who looked like her. That said something to her. Alexandra has seen what happens when young people find someone who shares their background solving problems. They start to believe they can do the same. She has also seen what stands in the way for many Hispanic elementary and middle school students. Most schools lack the resources. The equipment is expensive. Students are introduced to these subjects too late, often by people with minimal experience in the field. These are the barriers she has watched pile up. She has ideas for how to change that. Workshops hosted at libraries could introduce younger students to coding, robotics, and 3D printing. Affordable materials and open-source software would keep costs down. She would also like to organize small hackathons where students collaborate on projects that solve real problems in their communities. What she wants is for technology to feel accessible. For every student to have the chance to explore computer science and discover how fulfilling it can be.
Alexandra is among the top students at St. Anthony's High School. She carries a 4.0 unweighted GPA and has consistently distinguished herself through leadership and academic excellence. She is a member of the Math Honor Society, the Science Honor Society, and the National Honor Society, where she is known as much for her genuine character and integrity as for her achievements. She also serves on St. Anthony's Leadership Team. Her work has earned recognition, including the Frank and Frances Lule Memorial Scholarship Award in 2023, the Adam Pomper '11 Memorial Scholarship Award in 2024, and the St. Bonaventure Award in both 2023 and 2024.
Caso, who guided Alexandra through drafting her patent application, describes her as a rare and extraordinary young woman. Her intellect, maturity, and compassion, Caso writes, shine through in everything she does. Working together on the patent, Caso watched Alexandra grasp complex concepts and communicate them with clarity and thoughtfulness, showing her technical sophistication and sincere empathy for those who could benefit from her ideas. What stands out most, Caso notes, is Alexandra's rare ability to see technology not as a tool but as a way to improve lives. She is determined, disciplined, and inventive. She consistently models what it means to lead by example and is, in every way, an exceptional role model for her peers. Caso also notes that Alexandra often speaks about representing her culture in the technology space, where diversity is still growing, and that she is committed to uplifting her community through her future work. Caso is confident Alexandra will achieve great academic success and make a lasting, positive impact on the world.
Alexandra plans to study computer science with a minor in biology at Columbia University, Yale University, or the State University of New York at Stony Brook. She is building toward a life where what she creates helps people and where what she learns finds its way back to others who need it. That has always been the point.
SILVER - Yesenia Minarcaja
Major: Medicine on a Pre-Medicine track
High School: International High School at Prospect Heights
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
What sparked Yesenia Minarcaja's interest in technology was wondering how digital tools could make a difference in people's lives. She began finding answers through a program from Futures and Options, a local nonprofit that connects high school students to career development and hands-on professional experience, where she and her team set out to build something with real impact. Their project was a medical app, one that could help users figure out what might be wrong when symptoms appeared and what to do if an emergency hit. The team researched symptoms of various illnesses, designed an interface, built a database, and created a system for users to input symptoms and receive guidance. They wanted to offer reliable information without pretending to replace a doctor. It was not simple. Coordinating ideas across teammates and making the app both clear and trustworthy took work. By the end of the program, they had a working presentation, and Yesenia had something else. She had found what she wanted to use technology for. The project gave her a personal direction and a broader realization. "The true power of technology lies in using it with empathy and purpose," she shares, "to create solutions that benefit people when they need it most.”
The program ended. What it taught her did not. Back at school, she learned Canva and started making presentations, advertisements, logos, and social media posts. But tools only matter if people can use them, and Yesenia noticed that not everyone could. So she volunteered to help classmates navigate educational software and online resources, especially when group projects left some students staring at screens they did not understand. She taught one person how to use email. It sounds small, but it was not. "It was a very meaningful experience," she recalls, "to see how something as simple as teaching someone how to use email could make such a big difference." Yesenia has come to see technology as a bridge to communities that often get left out. She is drawn to interface design and artificial intelligence applied to healthcare. For her, technology is the path where her skills and her desire to help others finally get to work together.
The instinct to build runs in her family. Yesenia grew up watching relatives work in construction, repair, and structural design. They built houses. They fixed tools. They turned ordinary materials into things that lasted. Watching them, she started wondering how things worked and how they could be made better. In 10th grade, she got the chance to find out. Her team designed and built model homes powered by wind turbines. They had to research how wind becomes electricity, apply sustainable design principles, and get precise about everything from roof angles to floor layouts. Small errors could throw off the whole system. When a turbine finally powered a light bulb, Yesenia watched weeks of effort come to life.
She builds community, too. At International High School at Prospect Heights, Yesenia founded the Latino Club, a space for students to celebrate their roots and find belonging. The club is two years old now. It hosts lunchtime games, museum trips, college fairs, and events during Hispanic Heritage Month where students can show up as themselves and feel proud of it. As founder and leader, Yesenia has shaped the club from its beginning. She drives engagement, supports members who need guidance, and commits to every activity. When a food sale fell apart, she did not let the moment pass. She called a meeting, stood in front of her peers, and became the voice they needed. She named what went wrong, honored what went right, and gave the group a way forward. She had turned a stumble into momentum, and in doing so, demonstrated why her classmates trust her to lead.
Helping people is not new to her. Yesenia is the daughter of Latino immigrants, and she grew up watching her family work hard, support neighbors, and treat education like the ladder it is. To her, service goes beyond showing up when someone needs help. It means passing along what you have learned, meeting people with empathy, and making sure opportunity does not stop with you. In class, she finishes her work and then turns around to see who is stuck. When she finds an opportunity, she shares it with others because she believes those around her should have the chance to move forward alongside her. She tutors classmates who are struggling academically or still finding their footing in a new environment. As someone who values education, she shares what she knows and motivates others not to give up. Watching them improve or grow more confident fills her with pride. She has pitched in on recycling campaigns and helped clean common areas, because she believes caring for the environment is also a way of serving others. "Every act of service, large or small, can sow hope and build a more just future for all," she says.
Her work in the community has shown her where the gaps are. In Brooklyn, many immigrant families and older adults do not have reliable internet, working devices, or the know-how to use technology for school, jobs, or healthcare, Yesenia says. She has watched students fall behind on online assignments and parents struggle to communicate with schools. To address this, she proposes digital literacy workshops where young people like her could teach the basics: email, online forms, health resources, job applications. She suggests partnering with libraries and schools to offer free computer and internet access. She also envisions a youth club focused on learning and technology, a place where teenagers could work on projects, receive mentorship, and try hands-on activities like model building and renewable energy experiments. "Technological knowledge should be a right, not a privilege," she writes. "Helping others acquire it is a powerful way to empower my community and build a more equitable and inclusive future.”
Edinson Aguinaga Arancibia, Yesenia's science teacher and club advisor, has watched her grow over the past three years. He describes her as an "exceptional community-driven young leader" who approaches every challenge with "tenacity, thoughtfulness and diligence rarely seen in peers." That tenacity shows in her academics, with a 4.0 unweighted GPA to boot, as much as in her service. She seeks feedback, pushes herself toward higher standards, and shares what she learns with others. Aguinaga Arancibia calls her "a key member, a true leader, of [the] Hispanic community at Prospect Heights," noting that her impact "extends well beyond the classroom walls." He sees in her a "unique combination of sense of responsibility and leadership.”
Yesenia plans to attend Hunter College, Brooklyn College, or John Jay College of Criminal Justice to study medicine on a pre-med track. She sees how technology can save lives and improve access to medical information, and she wants to be part of making that happen. Her goal is to contribute to a future where technological innovation is guided by empathy, diversity, and the desire to create a more equitable world.
High School: International High School at Prospect Heights
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
What sparked Yesenia Minarcaja's interest in technology was wondering how digital tools could make a difference in people's lives. She began finding answers through a program from Futures and Options, a local nonprofit that connects high school students to career development and hands-on professional experience, where she and her team set out to build something with real impact. Their project was a medical app, one that could help users figure out what might be wrong when symptoms appeared and what to do if an emergency hit. The team researched symptoms of various illnesses, designed an interface, built a database, and created a system for users to input symptoms and receive guidance. They wanted to offer reliable information without pretending to replace a doctor. It was not simple. Coordinating ideas across teammates and making the app both clear and trustworthy took work. By the end of the program, they had a working presentation, and Yesenia had something else. She had found what she wanted to use technology for. The project gave her a personal direction and a broader realization. "The true power of technology lies in using it with empathy and purpose," she shares, "to create solutions that benefit people when they need it most.”
The program ended. What it taught her did not. Back at school, she learned Canva and started making presentations, advertisements, logos, and social media posts. But tools only matter if people can use them, and Yesenia noticed that not everyone could. So she volunteered to help classmates navigate educational software and online resources, especially when group projects left some students staring at screens they did not understand. She taught one person how to use email. It sounds small, but it was not. "It was a very meaningful experience," she recalls, "to see how something as simple as teaching someone how to use email could make such a big difference." Yesenia has come to see technology as a bridge to communities that often get left out. She is drawn to interface design and artificial intelligence applied to healthcare. For her, technology is the path where her skills and her desire to help others finally get to work together.
The instinct to build runs in her family. Yesenia grew up watching relatives work in construction, repair, and structural design. They built houses. They fixed tools. They turned ordinary materials into things that lasted. Watching them, she started wondering how things worked and how they could be made better. In 10th grade, she got the chance to find out. Her team designed and built model homes powered by wind turbines. They had to research how wind becomes electricity, apply sustainable design principles, and get precise about everything from roof angles to floor layouts. Small errors could throw off the whole system. When a turbine finally powered a light bulb, Yesenia watched weeks of effort come to life.
She builds community, too. At International High School at Prospect Heights, Yesenia founded the Latino Club, a space for students to celebrate their roots and find belonging. The club is two years old now. It hosts lunchtime games, museum trips, college fairs, and events during Hispanic Heritage Month where students can show up as themselves and feel proud of it. As founder and leader, Yesenia has shaped the club from its beginning. She drives engagement, supports members who need guidance, and commits to every activity. When a food sale fell apart, she did not let the moment pass. She called a meeting, stood in front of her peers, and became the voice they needed. She named what went wrong, honored what went right, and gave the group a way forward. She had turned a stumble into momentum, and in doing so, demonstrated why her classmates trust her to lead.
Helping people is not new to her. Yesenia is the daughter of Latino immigrants, and she grew up watching her family work hard, support neighbors, and treat education like the ladder it is. To her, service goes beyond showing up when someone needs help. It means passing along what you have learned, meeting people with empathy, and making sure opportunity does not stop with you. In class, she finishes her work and then turns around to see who is stuck. When she finds an opportunity, she shares it with others because she believes those around her should have the chance to move forward alongside her. She tutors classmates who are struggling academically or still finding their footing in a new environment. As someone who values education, she shares what she knows and motivates others not to give up. Watching them improve or grow more confident fills her with pride. She has pitched in on recycling campaigns and helped clean common areas, because she believes caring for the environment is also a way of serving others. "Every act of service, large or small, can sow hope and build a more just future for all," she says.
Her work in the community has shown her where the gaps are. In Brooklyn, many immigrant families and older adults do not have reliable internet, working devices, or the know-how to use technology for school, jobs, or healthcare, Yesenia says. She has watched students fall behind on online assignments and parents struggle to communicate with schools. To address this, she proposes digital literacy workshops where young people like her could teach the basics: email, online forms, health resources, job applications. She suggests partnering with libraries and schools to offer free computer and internet access. She also envisions a youth club focused on learning and technology, a place where teenagers could work on projects, receive mentorship, and try hands-on activities like model building and renewable energy experiments. "Technological knowledge should be a right, not a privilege," she writes. "Helping others acquire it is a powerful way to empower my community and build a more equitable and inclusive future.”
Edinson Aguinaga Arancibia, Yesenia's science teacher and club advisor, has watched her grow over the past three years. He describes her as an "exceptional community-driven young leader" who approaches every challenge with "tenacity, thoughtfulness and diligence rarely seen in peers." That tenacity shows in her academics, with a 4.0 unweighted GPA to boot, as much as in her service. She seeks feedback, pushes herself toward higher standards, and shares what she learns with others. Aguinaga Arancibia calls her "a key member, a true leader, of [the] Hispanic community at Prospect Heights," noting that her impact "extends well beyond the classroom walls." He sees in her a "unique combination of sense of responsibility and leadership.”
Yesenia plans to attend Hunter College, Brooklyn College, or John Jay College of Criminal Justice to study medicine on a pre-med track. She sees how technology can save lives and improve access to medical information, and she wants to be part of making that happen. Her goal is to contribute to a future where technological innovation is guided by empathy, diversity, and the desire to create a more equitable world.
BRONZE - Carolina Notaro Machado
Major: Computer Science
High School: Mystic Valley Regional Charter High School
Hometown: Malden, MA
Carolina Notaro Machado remembers the pink Nintendo DS her parents gave her when she was a child. It was exactly what she had been hoping for, and when she finally held it, she did not just play. She paid attention. She noticed how she could press a button and the device would take her exactly where she wanted to go. She did not know how it worked. She just knew it did, and that fascinated her. Most kids saw a toy. Carolina saw something that could teach her. Elementary school gave her more to explore. There, she found the same pull in every website her computer class let her explore. When she transferred to a school without computer class, she chased the same feeling through typing programs in library class. Then came second grade and code.org, and something clicked into place. She knew, even then, that she wanted to make a game. That wish stayed with her for years, waiting for the right moment. It arrived in summer 2025, when Carolina joined the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program. Over two weeks, she learned Java, Javascript, Python, and HTML. She built her own game using Replit. The girl who once studied how a Nintendo DS worked had become someone who could build a game herself.
The program asked for projects. Carolina gave it more than that. She created a Yoda-themed self-portrait and a Choose Your Own Adventure game with a magical backstory, adding features and design elements that went beyond what was required. Mallory Weber, her instructor, noticed. Weber has taught the program over six summers to roughly 500 students, and she called Carolina "indispensable" to the classroom. What stood out was not just the code. Carolina showed up on time with her camera on, ready to participate when others hesitated to engage. Weber called her a "culture-maker" in the classroom, someone who fostered a supportive and inclusive environment. She was often the first to offer feedback or encouragement when classmates shared their work, and she approached team-building exercises with vulnerability and authenticity. When she ran into problems, she tried multiple debugging strategies and did her own research before asking a teacher for help. She embraced what Girls Who Code calls its "more than code" ethos, the idea that connection matters as much as technical skill. All of this while juggling a summer leadership program and sports practices at the same time.
Carolina brought that same energy back to her high school, where she teaches coding techniques to members of her STEM Club. She does this because she has seen what discouragement looks like. From middle school through high school, she watched girls who wanted to pursue technology hesitate because the field looked male-dominated and intimidating. She wants to change that, especially for Latina women considering the same path. Girls Who Code showed her that a future in coding was possible, and it also showed her something else. "I saw great possibilities for a future in coding and a chance to motivate other Latina women who want to pursue computer science," she shares. During the program, she connected with professionals in the tech industry, learning how to network and build relationships in the field. She believes that having educators from diverse backgrounds matters because they help students see themselves reflected in the work. When someone who looks like you has done what you dream of doing, the dream feels closer.
Carolina lifts others outside the classroom, too. She has been a Key Club board member for almost three full school years, but it started with something smaller. She showed up to a car wash. That single event introduced her to RESPOND, the first domestic violence-prevention agency in New England. Every fall and spring since, her Key Club has held car washes that raise and donate hundreds of dollars to the organization. Carolina went from working the wash, dry, and advertising stations to organizing the whole thing. She has also helped introduce "Thanks for Being a Key Player" letters through the club, where students write notes of appreciation to their teachers. She helps lead the club's annual holiday baskets event, where members fill baskets with toys and gifts for underprivileged families in her hometown of Malden, Massachusetts. Families have sent letters thanking Key Club for "giving them a true, merry Christmas." For Carolina, who grew up as an only child with parents who worked hard to make the holidays feel special, the chance to bring that same feeling to someone else is her favorite part of the season.
The list of causes she has touched through Key Club is long. Through donation events, programs, and fundraisers, she has supported Kiwanis International, Thirst Project, Tanzania Education Corporation, Kiwanis Pediatric Trauma Institute, Camp Sunshine, and Children of Peace International. She participates every year in UNICEF USA's Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF campaign. She has handed out books to children at her local park with Malden Kiwanis, donated clothes to the Malden Warming Center, and contributed to a clothing and toiletries drive for the same organization. She has volunteered at Bread of Life, a local food bank, and worked with her church to deliver food to underserved families. Service, for Carolina, is not a checklist. It is a pattern. One experience leads to the next, and each one confirms what she already knew. "One small step, such as attending a club event, can lead you to making change in the world and inspiring others to do the same," she says.
Carolina currently serves as her Key Club's Bulletin Editor, a position she was elected to after winning Outstanding Key Club Webmaster at the 2024-2025 New England and Bermuda District convention. In 2024, she earned a certificate from the Kiwanis Global Leadership Program, which strengthened her leadership skills. In 2025, she completed the UNICEF USA Youth Advocacy Training Program, where she learned how to network within her community and advocate for schools to have the academic resources they need. Next on her list is attending Kiwanis International's Key Leader event.
Carolina has balanced her service commitments all while navigating a challenging academic schedule packed with IB classes, cheerleading, and soccer. She has made honor roll and high honor roll, earned an award from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for exceptional performance on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System in 2023, and earned silver medals in her freshman and sophomore years on the National Spanish Exam and a certificate her junior year.
Carolina plans to attend Boston College, Boston University, or Northeastern University to study computer science, with her sights set on earning her PhD in the field. She is committed to continuing to learn and contribute innovative ideas that promote positive change in her community and the world, and wants to keep serving her community in college, building on the work that has defined her high school years.
High School: Mystic Valley Regional Charter High School
Hometown: Malden, MA
Carolina Notaro Machado remembers the pink Nintendo DS her parents gave her when she was a child. It was exactly what she had been hoping for, and when she finally held it, she did not just play. She paid attention. She noticed how she could press a button and the device would take her exactly where she wanted to go. She did not know how it worked. She just knew it did, and that fascinated her. Most kids saw a toy. Carolina saw something that could teach her. Elementary school gave her more to explore. There, she found the same pull in every website her computer class let her explore. When she transferred to a school without computer class, she chased the same feeling through typing programs in library class. Then came second grade and code.org, and something clicked into place. She knew, even then, that she wanted to make a game. That wish stayed with her for years, waiting for the right moment. It arrived in summer 2025, when Carolina joined the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program. Over two weeks, she learned Java, Javascript, Python, and HTML. She built her own game using Replit. The girl who once studied how a Nintendo DS worked had become someone who could build a game herself.
The program asked for projects. Carolina gave it more than that. She created a Yoda-themed self-portrait and a Choose Your Own Adventure game with a magical backstory, adding features and design elements that went beyond what was required. Mallory Weber, her instructor, noticed. Weber has taught the program over six summers to roughly 500 students, and she called Carolina "indispensable" to the classroom. What stood out was not just the code. Carolina showed up on time with her camera on, ready to participate when others hesitated to engage. Weber called her a "culture-maker" in the classroom, someone who fostered a supportive and inclusive environment. She was often the first to offer feedback or encouragement when classmates shared their work, and she approached team-building exercises with vulnerability and authenticity. When she ran into problems, she tried multiple debugging strategies and did her own research before asking a teacher for help. She embraced what Girls Who Code calls its "more than code" ethos, the idea that connection matters as much as technical skill. All of this while juggling a summer leadership program and sports practices at the same time.
Carolina brought that same energy back to her high school, where she teaches coding techniques to members of her STEM Club. She does this because she has seen what discouragement looks like. From middle school through high school, she watched girls who wanted to pursue technology hesitate because the field looked male-dominated and intimidating. She wants to change that, especially for Latina women considering the same path. Girls Who Code showed her that a future in coding was possible, and it also showed her something else. "I saw great possibilities for a future in coding and a chance to motivate other Latina women who want to pursue computer science," she shares. During the program, she connected with professionals in the tech industry, learning how to network and build relationships in the field. She believes that having educators from diverse backgrounds matters because they help students see themselves reflected in the work. When someone who looks like you has done what you dream of doing, the dream feels closer.
Carolina lifts others outside the classroom, too. She has been a Key Club board member for almost three full school years, but it started with something smaller. She showed up to a car wash. That single event introduced her to RESPOND, the first domestic violence-prevention agency in New England. Every fall and spring since, her Key Club has held car washes that raise and donate hundreds of dollars to the organization. Carolina went from working the wash, dry, and advertising stations to organizing the whole thing. She has also helped introduce "Thanks for Being a Key Player" letters through the club, where students write notes of appreciation to their teachers. She helps lead the club's annual holiday baskets event, where members fill baskets with toys and gifts for underprivileged families in her hometown of Malden, Massachusetts. Families have sent letters thanking Key Club for "giving them a true, merry Christmas." For Carolina, who grew up as an only child with parents who worked hard to make the holidays feel special, the chance to bring that same feeling to someone else is her favorite part of the season.
The list of causes she has touched through Key Club is long. Through donation events, programs, and fundraisers, she has supported Kiwanis International, Thirst Project, Tanzania Education Corporation, Kiwanis Pediatric Trauma Institute, Camp Sunshine, and Children of Peace International. She participates every year in UNICEF USA's Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF campaign. She has handed out books to children at her local park with Malden Kiwanis, donated clothes to the Malden Warming Center, and contributed to a clothing and toiletries drive for the same organization. She has volunteered at Bread of Life, a local food bank, and worked with her church to deliver food to underserved families. Service, for Carolina, is not a checklist. It is a pattern. One experience leads to the next, and each one confirms what she already knew. "One small step, such as attending a club event, can lead you to making change in the world and inspiring others to do the same," she says.
Carolina currently serves as her Key Club's Bulletin Editor, a position she was elected to after winning Outstanding Key Club Webmaster at the 2024-2025 New England and Bermuda District convention. In 2024, she earned a certificate from the Kiwanis Global Leadership Program, which strengthened her leadership skills. In 2025, she completed the UNICEF USA Youth Advocacy Training Program, where she learned how to network within her community and advocate for schools to have the academic resources they need. Next on her list is attending Kiwanis International's Key Leader event.
Carolina has balanced her service commitments all while navigating a challenging academic schedule packed with IB classes, cheerleading, and soccer. She has made honor roll and high honor roll, earned an award from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for exceptional performance on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System in 2023, and earned silver medals in her freshman and sophomore years on the National Spanish Exam and a certificate her junior year.
Carolina plans to attend Boston College, Boston University, or Northeastern University to study computer science, with her sights set on earning her PhD in the field. She is committed to continuing to learn and contribute innovative ideas that promote positive change in her community and the world, and wants to keep serving her community in college, building on the work that has defined her high school years.
Tan Region
Please select a recipient name to read their bio.
GOLD - Iroel Gonzalez
Major: Neuroscience with a minor in Music
High School: Colegio San Ignacio de Loyola
Hometown: Guaynabo, PR
Iroel Gonzalez's first teacher was his father, an engineer. From a young age, he encouraged Iroel to ask questions, take things apart, and understand how things worked. When Iroel started building projects of his own, his father stayed close, offering technical advice when the problem was mechanical, emotional support when the challenge was harder to name. From him, Iroel says, he learned patience, precision, and the value of problem-solving through creativity. Ninth grade was the year Iroel started building. It was also the year he realized that innovation could solve real problems. He built a boat that ran on sunlight and cleaned pools on its own, skimming the surface and collecting debris with solar-powered propellers. That was the beginning. He started to wonder what else engineering and code could do together.
Tenth grade brought a new question. Could he pull drinking water out of thin air? He built a mechanism that used the Peltier effect, harnessing temperature differences to condense water for drinking. He ran experiment after experiment, adjusting temperature differentials, working to improve the system's efficiency. His physics teacher guided him through the testing. That same year, he earned a nomination to the Regeneron International Science Fair.
Then came eleventh grade, and the project that would matter most to Iroel. He had noticed a pattern in Puerto Rico that showed up every December. Hyperglycemia cases spiked. The culprits were familiar. Coquito. Tembleque. Traditional Christmas dishes loaded with sugar, and most people had no idea how much they were consuming. So he built an app. You enter your information, and it recommends traditional dishes that work for people managing diabetes, offering balanced options that let people keep their traditions. His biology teacher helped him make sure the nutritional science was accurate and useful. That project became his proudest work in technology, and it changed how he saw everything he would build after. He learned what it meant to design with empathy. "Technology could be that bridge between compassion and progress," he shares. From then on, he stopped building just to build. He started asking whether what he made could do some good.
Technology is one language Iroel speaks. He taught himself Python and Arduino through online courses, building the skills to design and troubleshoot prototypes on his own. Music is another language, and it came first. He has been playing violin for ten years under Rosarito Triay Martínez through the Asociación Suzuki de Violín de Puerto Rico. He now plays with the Puerto Rico Youth Symphony Orchestra. Triay Martínez has watched him grow through the years. She describes a musician who shows perseverance and excellence when learning new skills and repertoire, who meets feedback with humility and a willingness to grow, and whose resilience, work ethic, and sense of responsibility make him a leader in any setting. For Iroel, the violin is more than something to master. It is a healthy outlet for his emotions.
That outlet has become something he shares. On his own initiative, he reached out to a local orphanage and arranged to teach free piano and violin lessons to ten children. Twenty hours and counting. At first, he thought it would be a fun way to share his love for music. Then he got to know the children. Many have faced difficult circumstances, and some carry emotional pain they do not yet know how to express. His goal is not to turn them into masters of the instrument. It is to give them what he found in music, permission to feel without having to explain. When they smile as they play, he knows he is helping them rediscover joy and self-expression. Some show real talent. "I hope to guide them to develop it further in the future," says Iroel.
Music also brings him to senior living facilities, where he and a few friends perform concerts for the residents. They choose their setlists with care, selecting boleros and traditional songs that might help someone remember their youth. After each performance, they stay. They talk. They listen. Those conversations, he says, are often the most rewarding part. Some residents have asked them to return, telling them the visit made them feel remembered and valued. Seven concerts so far, and he shows up every time he is asked. Beyond music, he has shown up for beach and park cleanups and logged more than 110 hours of service across his community. "Service is more than just helping others," he shares. "It is about sharing, connecting, and caring for people, and in many ways, it serves as a reminder of the compassion that can soften some of life's harsh realities.”
The same drive shows in the classroom. Iroel has taken on a rigorous course load, challenging himself with advanced placement work in physics, calculus, biology, and English literature. He has earned First Honors every year from ninth through eleventh grade and has been nominated to the National Honor Society as both a junior and a senior. Iroel is equally comfortable behind a podium, and has taken first place wins in oratory competitions.
Iroel has watched his island struggle since Hurricane Maria. The power cuts out. The water stops. Sometimes for days. Some families have generators and cisterns to fall back on. Many do not. His family was not spared. He has seen how unreliable infrastructure affects daily life, and how much harder it hits families who cannot afford backup systems. Rather than accept it, he proposes organizing community gatherings to protest and raise awareness about the need for renewable energy investment and infrastructure reform, partnering with local organizations to bring solar panels and rainwater collection to low-income households, and teaching people how to conserve energy and water during outages.
From a solar-powered boat to a water condensation mechanism to an app that helps diabetics hold onto their traditions, each project has pushed Iroel to think critically, adapt to challenges, and build with purpose. Together, these experiences have shaped not only his technical skills but also his vision to develop accessible, sustainable technologies that improve people's lives. He plans to carry that vision forward, studying neuroscience with a minor in music at Columbia University, Washington University in St. Louis, or Emory College.
High School: Colegio San Ignacio de Loyola
Hometown: Guaynabo, PR
Iroel Gonzalez's first teacher was his father, an engineer. From a young age, he encouraged Iroel to ask questions, take things apart, and understand how things worked. When Iroel started building projects of his own, his father stayed close, offering technical advice when the problem was mechanical, emotional support when the challenge was harder to name. From him, Iroel says, he learned patience, precision, and the value of problem-solving through creativity. Ninth grade was the year Iroel started building. It was also the year he realized that innovation could solve real problems. He built a boat that ran on sunlight and cleaned pools on its own, skimming the surface and collecting debris with solar-powered propellers. That was the beginning. He started to wonder what else engineering and code could do together.
Tenth grade brought a new question. Could he pull drinking water out of thin air? He built a mechanism that used the Peltier effect, harnessing temperature differences to condense water for drinking. He ran experiment after experiment, adjusting temperature differentials, working to improve the system's efficiency. His physics teacher guided him through the testing. That same year, he earned a nomination to the Regeneron International Science Fair.
Then came eleventh grade, and the project that would matter most to Iroel. He had noticed a pattern in Puerto Rico that showed up every December. Hyperglycemia cases spiked. The culprits were familiar. Coquito. Tembleque. Traditional Christmas dishes loaded with sugar, and most people had no idea how much they were consuming. So he built an app. You enter your information, and it recommends traditional dishes that work for people managing diabetes, offering balanced options that let people keep their traditions. His biology teacher helped him make sure the nutritional science was accurate and useful. That project became his proudest work in technology, and it changed how he saw everything he would build after. He learned what it meant to design with empathy. "Technology could be that bridge between compassion and progress," he shares. From then on, he stopped building just to build. He started asking whether what he made could do some good.
Technology is one language Iroel speaks. He taught himself Python and Arduino through online courses, building the skills to design and troubleshoot prototypes on his own. Music is another language, and it came first. He has been playing violin for ten years under Rosarito Triay Martínez through the Asociación Suzuki de Violín de Puerto Rico. He now plays with the Puerto Rico Youth Symphony Orchestra. Triay Martínez has watched him grow through the years. She describes a musician who shows perseverance and excellence when learning new skills and repertoire, who meets feedback with humility and a willingness to grow, and whose resilience, work ethic, and sense of responsibility make him a leader in any setting. For Iroel, the violin is more than something to master. It is a healthy outlet for his emotions.
That outlet has become something he shares. On his own initiative, he reached out to a local orphanage and arranged to teach free piano and violin lessons to ten children. Twenty hours and counting. At first, he thought it would be a fun way to share his love for music. Then he got to know the children. Many have faced difficult circumstances, and some carry emotional pain they do not yet know how to express. His goal is not to turn them into masters of the instrument. It is to give them what he found in music, permission to feel without having to explain. When they smile as they play, he knows he is helping them rediscover joy and self-expression. Some show real talent. "I hope to guide them to develop it further in the future," says Iroel.
Music also brings him to senior living facilities, where he and a few friends perform concerts for the residents. They choose their setlists with care, selecting boleros and traditional songs that might help someone remember their youth. After each performance, they stay. They talk. They listen. Those conversations, he says, are often the most rewarding part. Some residents have asked them to return, telling them the visit made them feel remembered and valued. Seven concerts so far, and he shows up every time he is asked. Beyond music, he has shown up for beach and park cleanups and logged more than 110 hours of service across his community. "Service is more than just helping others," he shares. "It is about sharing, connecting, and caring for people, and in many ways, it serves as a reminder of the compassion that can soften some of life's harsh realities.”
The same drive shows in the classroom. Iroel has taken on a rigorous course load, challenging himself with advanced placement work in physics, calculus, biology, and English literature. He has earned First Honors every year from ninth through eleventh grade and has been nominated to the National Honor Society as both a junior and a senior. Iroel is equally comfortable behind a podium, and has taken first place wins in oratory competitions.
Iroel has watched his island struggle since Hurricane Maria. The power cuts out. The water stops. Sometimes for days. Some families have generators and cisterns to fall back on. Many do not. His family was not spared. He has seen how unreliable infrastructure affects daily life, and how much harder it hits families who cannot afford backup systems. Rather than accept it, he proposes organizing community gatherings to protest and raise awareness about the need for renewable energy investment and infrastructure reform, partnering with local organizations to bring solar panels and rainwater collection to low-income households, and teaching people how to conserve energy and water during outages.
From a solar-powered boat to a water condensation mechanism to an app that helps diabetics hold onto their traditions, each project has pushed Iroel to think critically, adapt to challenges, and build with purpose. Together, these experiences have shaped not only his technical skills but also his vision to develop accessible, sustainable technologies that improve people's lives. He plans to carry that vision forward, studying neuroscience with a minor in music at Columbia University, Washington University in St. Louis, or Emory College.
SILVER - Dan Delgado-Ayala
Major: Software Engineering with minors in Electrical Engineering and Systems Engineering
High School: The Palmas Academy
Hometown: Las Piedras, PR
Dan Delgado-Ayala learned early that understanding something matters more than simply knowing how to use it. His father, a mechanical engineer who spends his spare time as a wrench turner, passed down lessons that were not about any one tool or machine. They were about how to think. Dan took that mindset into First Lego League, where he started building robots and writing code at a young age. His team won multiple awards for the ideas they developed together, and the experience left him wanting more. By sixth grade, he had enrolled in a programming bootcamp to learn the basics of coding and Python, and what had begun as tinkering with robots was becoming something else entirely, a serious pull toward software.
The bootcamp gave Dan a foundation, and he put it to use. With a classmate, he co-founded the Software Programming Society at The Palmas Academy, where he taught other students the basics of coding and hosted mock hackathons that challenged them to solve problems with what they had learned. He also captains his school's Science Bowl team, leading in yet another technical space. But the achievement Dan considers his proudest is something he built on his own, a voice assistant capable of executing macros and performing basic math. He designed it to recognize spoken commands and trigger automated key presses, and he added a math function to help optimize his gameplay. It was the first time he took his skills and tackled a real problem with a specific purpose in mind. Every challenge he hit during production taught him something new about automation and human-to-computer interactions. More than the technical lessons, though, the project proved something to Dan himself. "The most important person to validate," as he puts it, is yourself. And he did.
Aviation has also captured Dan's attention. He found a way to bring that interest into his technical work by scripting and developing missions for DCS World, a military aviation combat simulator. Learning about how aircraft operate and the precision required for flight has given him a new appreciation for what he describes as the balance between technology and nature. Understanding those systems, in turn, influences how he approaches technical challenges. Most recently, he participated in a precollegiate program at a local university that gave him hands-on experience in renewable energy research, Arduino programming, and real business practices. The program taught him how to identify problems and create solutions more efficiently. It also taught him how to make those solutions marketable and consumer-friendly.
Technology is not the only area where Dan wants to make a difference. He feels a strong sense of responsibility to Puerto Rico, its people, its land, and its ecosystems. Growing up surrounded by beaches, forests, and agriculture gave him an appreciation for the island's uniqueness, but it also made him aware of how vulnerable it all is. That awareness is what moves him to act. Over the years, he has participated in many beach cleanups across the island, removing debris that litters the coasts and threatens ecosystems that he sees as critical to life in Puerto Rico. After countless hours of work, he came to understand the power of collective action, how a group of people who show up can turn a neglected stretch of coastline back into something families can enjoy again. He has also volunteered at a local hacienda, planting crops to help revive the small-farming economy. The experience taught him patience and the dedication that sustainable agriculture requires, and it opened his eyes to how essential farming is to Puerto Rico's independence. Even his time in First Lego League had an environmental dimension. When the theme one year revolved around protecting beaches, his team researched ways to safeguard endangered sea turtles, whose breeding grounds were at risk from pollution and human activity. Through that work, he developed a sense of responsibility, teamwork, and respect for the ecosystems he was trying to protect.
But Dan also sees larger challenges facing the island. In his view, Puerto Rico lacks a self-sustaining economy, a problem he attributes to the abandonment and carelessness of a corrupt government. Industrial parks and agricultural land that once supported the island have been left behind, leaving Puerto Rico dependent on imports and limiting economic and job opportunities. Technology, he observes, is severely underrepresented in higher education on the island. The University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez is currently the only institution offering a bachelor's degree in software engineering, and its program runs five years compared to four-year options elsewhere. As Dan sees it, this scarcity limits access to technical education and forces many aspiring developers to seek opportunities off the island. To address these issues, he proposes expanding STEM programs and partnerships between schools, universities, and private industry to create more accessible pathways into software and technology. He also proposes repurposing abandoned industrial sites into technology training centers focused on coding, automation, and innovation. For Dan, giving back is not about accumulating hours or earning recognition. It is about contributing to something larger than himself. "Change happens where people care about their world," he shares.
Alongside his technical projects, leadership roles, and service work, Dan has built a remarkable academic record. He also plays volleyball, balancing athletics with everything else on his plate. His work in the classroom has not gone unnoticed. He has earned College Board National Merit recognition and High Honors in both 2024 and 2025.
Looking ahead, Dan is considering Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Florida Institute of Technology, and the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez. He plans to study software engineering, with minors in electrical engineering and systems engineering. His dream, as he puts it, is to mix his two passions, technology and aviation. Becoming a software engineer is a goal he has already proven to himself he can reach. Now he is ready to pursue it.
High School: The Palmas Academy
Hometown: Las Piedras, PR
Dan Delgado-Ayala learned early that understanding something matters more than simply knowing how to use it. His father, a mechanical engineer who spends his spare time as a wrench turner, passed down lessons that were not about any one tool or machine. They were about how to think. Dan took that mindset into First Lego League, where he started building robots and writing code at a young age. His team won multiple awards for the ideas they developed together, and the experience left him wanting more. By sixth grade, he had enrolled in a programming bootcamp to learn the basics of coding and Python, and what had begun as tinkering with robots was becoming something else entirely, a serious pull toward software.
The bootcamp gave Dan a foundation, and he put it to use. With a classmate, he co-founded the Software Programming Society at The Palmas Academy, where he taught other students the basics of coding and hosted mock hackathons that challenged them to solve problems with what they had learned. He also captains his school's Science Bowl team, leading in yet another technical space. But the achievement Dan considers his proudest is something he built on his own, a voice assistant capable of executing macros and performing basic math. He designed it to recognize spoken commands and trigger automated key presses, and he added a math function to help optimize his gameplay. It was the first time he took his skills and tackled a real problem with a specific purpose in mind. Every challenge he hit during production taught him something new about automation and human-to-computer interactions. More than the technical lessons, though, the project proved something to Dan himself. "The most important person to validate," as he puts it, is yourself. And he did.
Aviation has also captured Dan's attention. He found a way to bring that interest into his technical work by scripting and developing missions for DCS World, a military aviation combat simulator. Learning about how aircraft operate and the precision required for flight has given him a new appreciation for what he describes as the balance between technology and nature. Understanding those systems, in turn, influences how he approaches technical challenges. Most recently, he participated in a precollegiate program at a local university that gave him hands-on experience in renewable energy research, Arduino programming, and real business practices. The program taught him how to identify problems and create solutions more efficiently. It also taught him how to make those solutions marketable and consumer-friendly.
Technology is not the only area where Dan wants to make a difference. He feels a strong sense of responsibility to Puerto Rico, its people, its land, and its ecosystems. Growing up surrounded by beaches, forests, and agriculture gave him an appreciation for the island's uniqueness, but it also made him aware of how vulnerable it all is. That awareness is what moves him to act. Over the years, he has participated in many beach cleanups across the island, removing debris that litters the coasts and threatens ecosystems that he sees as critical to life in Puerto Rico. After countless hours of work, he came to understand the power of collective action, how a group of people who show up can turn a neglected stretch of coastline back into something families can enjoy again. He has also volunteered at a local hacienda, planting crops to help revive the small-farming economy. The experience taught him patience and the dedication that sustainable agriculture requires, and it opened his eyes to how essential farming is to Puerto Rico's independence. Even his time in First Lego League had an environmental dimension. When the theme one year revolved around protecting beaches, his team researched ways to safeguard endangered sea turtles, whose breeding grounds were at risk from pollution and human activity. Through that work, he developed a sense of responsibility, teamwork, and respect for the ecosystems he was trying to protect.
But Dan also sees larger challenges facing the island. In his view, Puerto Rico lacks a self-sustaining economy, a problem he attributes to the abandonment and carelessness of a corrupt government. Industrial parks and agricultural land that once supported the island have been left behind, leaving Puerto Rico dependent on imports and limiting economic and job opportunities. Technology, he observes, is severely underrepresented in higher education on the island. The University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez is currently the only institution offering a bachelor's degree in software engineering, and its program runs five years compared to four-year options elsewhere. As Dan sees it, this scarcity limits access to technical education and forces many aspiring developers to seek opportunities off the island. To address these issues, he proposes expanding STEM programs and partnerships between schools, universities, and private industry to create more accessible pathways into software and technology. He also proposes repurposing abandoned industrial sites into technology training centers focused on coding, automation, and innovation. For Dan, giving back is not about accumulating hours or earning recognition. It is about contributing to something larger than himself. "Change happens where people care about their world," he shares.
Alongside his technical projects, leadership roles, and service work, Dan has built a remarkable academic record. He also plays volleyball, balancing athletics with everything else on his plate. His work in the classroom has not gone unnoticed. He has earned College Board National Merit recognition and High Honors in both 2024 and 2025.
Looking ahead, Dan is considering Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Florida Institute of Technology, and the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez. He plans to study software engineering, with minors in electrical engineering and systems engineering. His dream, as he puts it, is to mix his two passions, technology and aviation. Becoming a software engineer is a goal he has already proven to himself he can reach. Now he is ready to pursue it.
BRONZE - Hector Irizarry
Major: Data Science with a minor in Statistics
High School: Carib Christian School
Hometown: Aguadilla, PR
Hector Irizarry wants to break everything. He wants to understand how every piece of everything works. As a kid, he got in trouble more than once for taking things apart that were not meant to be disassembled. Bikes were his favorite. Everything was connected, crude and visible. He could see how one part moved another, could trace the logic with his hands. Computers never made the same kind of sense. The parts seemed disconnected, the motherboards inscrutable. But numbers, it turned out, were something else entirely. In 2024, Hector built a science fair project around a question that fascinated him. Could humans recognize AI-generated text? He designed a study to test whether people could distinguish AI writing from human writing and whether demographic factors affected accuracy. The results were striking. Most people could not tell the difference any better than a coin flip. He ran to tell his parents. If he could do this kind of work for a living, he said, he would do it in a heartbeat. His dad told him he could. That was the moment Hector knew what he wanted to pursue. "I loved just trying to understand what the numbers were trying to tell me," he shares. The project earned second place at the Carib Science Fair, but the placement was beside the point. He had found something he loved, and it would go on to inspire his choice of major.
Hector had been studying AI before that project ever started. He began studying generative AI and how to work with it when ChatGPT first launched, and by the time of the science fair, he had already completed two projects on the subject. Sharing knowledge with as many people as possible matters to him, and AI, in his view, is a tool that can help do exactly that. He believes it will play a significant positive role in the next generation's education. The biggest upside, as he sees it, is accessibility. Anyone can use AI, even without knowing how to code or being an expert with computers. But that same accessibility makes it a double-edged sword. AI can be used to spread misinformation and influence behavior, and Hector's own research made that risk feel more urgent. If most people cannot distinguish AI-generated text from human writing, misinformation becomes harder to detect. He hopes to explore the role of AI in misinformation and its impact. To Hector, knowledge is the most important tool humans have. It is the foundation for all progress.
That care for knowledge and access took shape somewhere specific. Hector was born and raised in Texas until he was fourteen, when his family moved to Puerto Rico. The contrast between the two places was immediate. Public schools in Texas had numerous electives, AP classes, and Honors courses. The distinguished private school he attended in Puerto Rico had few electives and no AP or Honors options at all. The gap motivated him to act. He began offering introductions to coding at no cost to anyone who asked, walking students through the basics of Scratch or Python and recommending the resources he had used to learn. But this drive to give back did not come from nowhere. His parents have always taken time to volunteer, whether through science, math, or faith. "Community service runs in my family," Hector says. They are always engaged in something, whether as scout leaders, on a church work day, or as volunteers. It is second nature. And they inspire him to do the same.
Hector's approach to service is deliberate. He aims to create something valuable that others can maintain and grow. If a volunteer cannot continue, someone else should be able to step in and carry on the work without disruption. He developed this mindset after moving between schools many times as a kid, learning to identify natural transition points where his work could be handed off. Making a bigger impact, he realized, often requires a bigger group. That is one of the reasons he joined Scouting America. Through the program, he has taken part in and led community service projects that include building public infrastructure, organizing beach cleanups, and planting trees. "I have seen the trees I have planted grow, the infrastructure I built used, and the beaches I cleaned sparkle," he shares. He earned the Boy Scouts of America NOVA Project Recognition in 2025. Hector is also a member of the National Honor Society (NHS). Through NHS, he has participated in charity fundraisers, food bank drives, blood donation drives, and beach cleanups. The activity that stood out most to him was a fundraiser for his school. The money raised was enough to build an entire covered basketball court at Carib Christian School. Even when the impact was not visible, like with blood donation drives, Hector felt proud knowing his efforts, in some small way, helped save lives.
But of all his service work, one accomplishment stands apart as his proudest. Hector serves as the Elementary Math Club Volunteer Manager at his school, a role that requires him to recruit, train, and coordinate high school volunteers while also teaching the kids himself and serving as a bridge between parents and teachers. The club is something he built. When they started, there were problems. Logistics were a mess, and students struggled to stay engaged during the lecture portions. Hector suggested recruiting high school volunteers, and the move solved both issues. It lowered the student-to-instructor ratio and gave high schoolers a way to earn their required community service hours. For Hector, the main purpose of the Elementary Math Club is to show what math truly is and make it more accessible for everyone. It allows him to lead, collaborate, and serve his community all at once.
Hector sees challenges in Puerto Rico that he wants to help address. Power outages are one. Anyone who has lived on the island knows the routine, the groans and whines, then the generator's click-vroooom. Even the smallest storm can leave communities without power for days. The electrical grid, says Hector, is old, fragile, and vulnerable to any gust of wind. Outages disrupt schools, hospitals, businesses, and the safety of everyone on the island. "It feels like we wait for things to break before we fix them," he observes. His proposed solutions include switching from overhead powerlines to underground ones, removing dead or oversized trees near powerlines before they cause damage, and pushing for transparency so residents can see where their money is going. He also sees a lack of public libraries in his community, which limits academic achievement and employment potential. Libraries, as he sees them, offer a quiet place to study, a space to relax, and a hub for learning beyond school. Without them, access to information becomes limited to those who can afford books. To address this, he proposes starting with a petition to the mayor, seeking donors and community support, and eventually working toward a physical library. He admits the plan may sound naive, but he is willing to learn and refine it to make it work. Puerto Rico has faced these challenges and more, but for Hector, the island's culture is not defined by its struggles. It is defined by its beautiful island and its people.
Alongside his service and technical projects, Hector has built an outstanding academic record. He has earned recognition as a National Merit Commended Student and received the National Recognition Program: School Recognition Award in 2025. In 2024, he competed in the Olimpiadas Matemáticas de Puerto Rico. Earlier honors include the Carib Superior Excellence Award in 2022 and the Carib High Honor Roll in 2021. He is an American Red Cross Certified Lifeguard and serves as an AV assistant for Youth For Christ. Hector is also a competitive swimmer. In his first year on the team, he made it to regionals and then qualified for states, where he earned fifth place after swimming faster than anyone else in his heat. The experience, he says, showed him who he is. "I learned that when I break my limits, I never regret it.”
Hector plans to study data science with a minor in statistics at the University of Arkansas, Arizona State University, or the University of Texas at Dallas. It is a decision he arrived at with intention. He wants to see a data-driven world. "Data without application is just numbers, but when applied through social science, it becomes something more," he shares. It becomes the basis for smarter decisions. By collecting data and finding patterns, data science offers the tools to understand what actually works. Hector wants to be part of the generation that can make education more effective, reduce crime, and help every community. "Data science is not just a career path for me," he shares. "It is something I think will change the world." He wants to create a meaningful impact. He wants to make an even bigger, more meaningful difference. And with the preparation and education that college offers, he believes he will be equipped to make a real and lasting difference in his community. If his record is any indication, he absolutely will.
High School: Carib Christian School
Hometown: Aguadilla, PR
Hector Irizarry wants to break everything. He wants to understand how every piece of everything works. As a kid, he got in trouble more than once for taking things apart that were not meant to be disassembled. Bikes were his favorite. Everything was connected, crude and visible. He could see how one part moved another, could trace the logic with his hands. Computers never made the same kind of sense. The parts seemed disconnected, the motherboards inscrutable. But numbers, it turned out, were something else entirely. In 2024, Hector built a science fair project around a question that fascinated him. Could humans recognize AI-generated text? He designed a study to test whether people could distinguish AI writing from human writing and whether demographic factors affected accuracy. The results were striking. Most people could not tell the difference any better than a coin flip. He ran to tell his parents. If he could do this kind of work for a living, he said, he would do it in a heartbeat. His dad told him he could. That was the moment Hector knew what he wanted to pursue. "I loved just trying to understand what the numbers were trying to tell me," he shares. The project earned second place at the Carib Science Fair, but the placement was beside the point. He had found something he loved, and it would go on to inspire his choice of major.
Hector had been studying AI before that project ever started. He began studying generative AI and how to work with it when ChatGPT first launched, and by the time of the science fair, he had already completed two projects on the subject. Sharing knowledge with as many people as possible matters to him, and AI, in his view, is a tool that can help do exactly that. He believes it will play a significant positive role in the next generation's education. The biggest upside, as he sees it, is accessibility. Anyone can use AI, even without knowing how to code or being an expert with computers. But that same accessibility makes it a double-edged sword. AI can be used to spread misinformation and influence behavior, and Hector's own research made that risk feel more urgent. If most people cannot distinguish AI-generated text from human writing, misinformation becomes harder to detect. He hopes to explore the role of AI in misinformation and its impact. To Hector, knowledge is the most important tool humans have. It is the foundation for all progress.
That care for knowledge and access took shape somewhere specific. Hector was born and raised in Texas until he was fourteen, when his family moved to Puerto Rico. The contrast between the two places was immediate. Public schools in Texas had numerous electives, AP classes, and Honors courses. The distinguished private school he attended in Puerto Rico had few electives and no AP or Honors options at all. The gap motivated him to act. He began offering introductions to coding at no cost to anyone who asked, walking students through the basics of Scratch or Python and recommending the resources he had used to learn. But this drive to give back did not come from nowhere. His parents have always taken time to volunteer, whether through science, math, or faith. "Community service runs in my family," Hector says. They are always engaged in something, whether as scout leaders, on a church work day, or as volunteers. It is second nature. And they inspire him to do the same.
Hector's approach to service is deliberate. He aims to create something valuable that others can maintain and grow. If a volunteer cannot continue, someone else should be able to step in and carry on the work without disruption. He developed this mindset after moving between schools many times as a kid, learning to identify natural transition points where his work could be handed off. Making a bigger impact, he realized, often requires a bigger group. That is one of the reasons he joined Scouting America. Through the program, he has taken part in and led community service projects that include building public infrastructure, organizing beach cleanups, and planting trees. "I have seen the trees I have planted grow, the infrastructure I built used, and the beaches I cleaned sparkle," he shares. He earned the Boy Scouts of America NOVA Project Recognition in 2025. Hector is also a member of the National Honor Society (NHS). Through NHS, he has participated in charity fundraisers, food bank drives, blood donation drives, and beach cleanups. The activity that stood out most to him was a fundraiser for his school. The money raised was enough to build an entire covered basketball court at Carib Christian School. Even when the impact was not visible, like with blood donation drives, Hector felt proud knowing his efforts, in some small way, helped save lives.
But of all his service work, one accomplishment stands apart as his proudest. Hector serves as the Elementary Math Club Volunteer Manager at his school, a role that requires him to recruit, train, and coordinate high school volunteers while also teaching the kids himself and serving as a bridge between parents and teachers. The club is something he built. When they started, there were problems. Logistics were a mess, and students struggled to stay engaged during the lecture portions. Hector suggested recruiting high school volunteers, and the move solved both issues. It lowered the student-to-instructor ratio and gave high schoolers a way to earn their required community service hours. For Hector, the main purpose of the Elementary Math Club is to show what math truly is and make it more accessible for everyone. It allows him to lead, collaborate, and serve his community all at once.
Hector sees challenges in Puerto Rico that he wants to help address. Power outages are one. Anyone who has lived on the island knows the routine, the groans and whines, then the generator's click-vroooom. Even the smallest storm can leave communities without power for days. The electrical grid, says Hector, is old, fragile, and vulnerable to any gust of wind. Outages disrupt schools, hospitals, businesses, and the safety of everyone on the island. "It feels like we wait for things to break before we fix them," he observes. His proposed solutions include switching from overhead powerlines to underground ones, removing dead or oversized trees near powerlines before they cause damage, and pushing for transparency so residents can see where their money is going. He also sees a lack of public libraries in his community, which limits academic achievement and employment potential. Libraries, as he sees them, offer a quiet place to study, a space to relax, and a hub for learning beyond school. Without them, access to information becomes limited to those who can afford books. To address this, he proposes starting with a petition to the mayor, seeking donors and community support, and eventually working toward a physical library. He admits the plan may sound naive, but he is willing to learn and refine it to make it work. Puerto Rico has faced these challenges and more, but for Hector, the island's culture is not defined by its struggles. It is defined by its beautiful island and its people.
Alongside his service and technical projects, Hector has built an outstanding academic record. He has earned recognition as a National Merit Commended Student and received the National Recognition Program: School Recognition Award in 2025. In 2024, he competed in the Olimpiadas Matemáticas de Puerto Rico. Earlier honors include the Carib Superior Excellence Award in 2022 and the Carib High Honor Roll in 2021. He is an American Red Cross Certified Lifeguard and serves as an AV assistant for Youth For Christ. Hector is also a competitive swimmer. In his first year on the team, he made it to regionals and then qualified for states, where he earned fifth place after swimming faster than anyone else in his heat. The experience, he says, showed him who he is. "I learned that when I break my limits, I never regret it.”
Hector plans to study data science with a minor in statistics at the University of Arkansas, Arizona State University, or the University of Texas at Dallas. It is a decision he arrived at with intention. He wants to see a data-driven world. "Data without application is just numbers, but when applied through social science, it becomes something more," he shares. It becomes the basis for smarter decisions. By collecting data and finding patterns, data science offers the tools to understand what actually works. Hector wants to be part of the generation that can make education more effective, reduce crime, and help every community. "Data science is not just a career path for me," he shares. "It is something I think will change the world." He wants to create a meaningful impact. He wants to make an even bigger, more meaningful difference. And with the preparation and education that college offers, he believes he will be equipped to make a real and lasting difference in his community. If his record is any indication, he absolutely will.
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GOLD - Ronan Avila
Major: Cybersecurity with a minor in Cyber Research
High School: Silver Creek High School
Hometown: Longmont, CO
By the time Ronan Avila walks at his high school graduation in 2026, he will already hold a college degree. Through RaptorTECH, a cybersecurity-focused early college program at Silver Creek High School, he has been taking concurrent enrollment courses at a local community college since freshman year, working toward an Associate's Degree in Cybersecurity that he will earn before his diploma. The direction came from a podcast. Darknet Diaries tells stories from the dark web, about the people who protect information and the people who tear it apart. Ronan listened, episode after episode, and knew he had found his field.
Before the certifications came, there was the problem of how to study. During his underclassman years, Ronan could not make anything stick. He was balancing coursework, service, and activities, trying method after method, and watching material disappear as fast as he absorbed it. Then he found Anki, a flashcard tool built on spaced repetition. He could shape it to fit how he learned, pair it with practice problems, and finally retain what he studied. The CompTIA Security+ certification was the first real test of whether the system worked. It did. In the cybersecurity industry, the CompTIA Security+ certification tells employers that someone understands how systems are protected and how they fail. It validates expertise in enterprise-level security, networks, firewalls, data security, and encryption models. Most people who earn it are already working in the field. Ronan earned his as a high school student. Since then, he has added CompTIA A+, Network+, IT Operations Specialist, Secure Infrastructure Specialist, Server Administration, and Python Basics to the list, for a total of six industry certifications.
Last summer, Ronan interned at Comcast. Not in a mailroom. In cyber and data analysis research, working alongside C-Suite executives, his project manager, and the Site Security Senior Architect. His assignment was competitive intelligence. He analyzed AI products offered by Comcast's competitors, identified areas where the company could gain an edge, assessed viability for private equity investment, and helped pinpoint acquisition targets. His reports fed into an internal audit on AI resources and future strategy. The internship taught him that plans do not always hold. When they broke, he learned to adapt and lean on his team. Erick Finnestead, principal at Silver Creek High School, believes the experience set Ronan apart. "While some kids are achieving their teamwork skills from athletics," he writes, "Ronan has honed his teamwork and technical skills as part of a Fortune 100 company.”
Even now, with certifications stacked and an internship behind him, Ronan keeps pushing. He is studying IT Disaster Recovery to prepare for breaches and system failures. He is learning the fundamentals of UNIX and cloud computing, building fluency in the systems that run Linux and macOS. He sees where the field is heading.
Ronan has competed in CyberPatriot since freshman year. The program, run by the U.S. Air Force and Space Force, puts students through national cybersecurity competitions, testing what they know and how fast they can apply it. His team placed 17th in Colorado and earned a spot in the Platinum Tier, the highest competitive level.
Ronan knows that what you can build matters less than what you choose to do with it. One of his projects, WikiCalc, uses a Raspberry Pi to communicate with a TI-84 calculator, scraping information through Python to produce a wiki for searches run on the device. He built it, and then he made a choice. He knew what it could do in the wrong hands, so he kept the process to himself. He did not share it with classmates. He did not let it be used in any way that could compromise academic integrity. "His strong moral compass," Finnestead writes, "is exactly what we need in the space of cybersecurity.”
RaptorTECH gave Ronan his start. He wants to make sure it keeps going after he is gone. The program is still young, and one of its offerings is the opportunity for students to volunteer at and manage events. But the students who lead those events are often the only ones who know how to operate specific equipment or access certain resources. When they graduate, the knowledge leaves with them, creating bottlenecks and extra work for a limited staff. To tackle this, Ronan proposes creating a documented record of how things work, who to contact, and how past events were run, kept in the program's storage room or with the academic facilitator. That way, the students who follow do not have to start from scratch. His hope is that when he and the other leaders graduate, the program keeps running.
Giving back does not always mean standing in front. For four years, Ronan has worked behind the scenes at Seventh-Day Adventist churches. He manages the soundboard, runs the livestream on YouTube, and handles audio and visual maintenance. Most people never notice unless something breaks. But the reach goes further than he expected. A woman once thanked his team after her father and brother, who had not spoken in over thirty years, reconnected. One of them had seen a familiar face on the livestream, flown to Colorado, and shown up. They are talking again. "Hearing of this experience," Ronan shares, "has reminded me why I continue to help out.”
That same instinct brings him to Denver Streetbeat. Since September 2024, Ronan has joined others from his church every second and third Saturday to prepare meals and gather supplies for the Denver Salvation Army Crossroads Centre. They serve food to people experiencing homelessness and give out pencils, books, wallets, whatever might help someone trying to get back on their feet. The work is personal for Ronan. He has seen close family and friends struggle with financial hardship, and he has lived through uncertain stretches himself. "Knowing how much something small can have a huge impact," he says, "inspires me to continue helping and giving back.”
Outside of cybersecurity and service, Ronan has found time for Science Olympiad, Marching Band, Diplomacy Club, and International Club. He is a member of the National Honor Society and the National French Honor Society. Equally talented in his academics, he has earned the designation of Advanced Placement Scholar.
Ronan plans to study cybersecurity with a minor in cyber research at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, the University of Colorado Denver, or Colorado State University in Fort Collins. Finnestead has no doubts about what comes next. "His steadfast commitment to learning, character and work ethic," he writes, "will certainly propel him as a valued member of the communities he is a part of." As for how far Ronan will go, his principal puts it simply. "His potential is limitless."
High School: Silver Creek High School
Hometown: Longmont, CO
By the time Ronan Avila walks at his high school graduation in 2026, he will already hold a college degree. Through RaptorTECH, a cybersecurity-focused early college program at Silver Creek High School, he has been taking concurrent enrollment courses at a local community college since freshman year, working toward an Associate's Degree in Cybersecurity that he will earn before his diploma. The direction came from a podcast. Darknet Diaries tells stories from the dark web, about the people who protect information and the people who tear it apart. Ronan listened, episode after episode, and knew he had found his field.
Before the certifications came, there was the problem of how to study. During his underclassman years, Ronan could not make anything stick. He was balancing coursework, service, and activities, trying method after method, and watching material disappear as fast as he absorbed it. Then he found Anki, a flashcard tool built on spaced repetition. He could shape it to fit how he learned, pair it with practice problems, and finally retain what he studied. The CompTIA Security+ certification was the first real test of whether the system worked. It did. In the cybersecurity industry, the CompTIA Security+ certification tells employers that someone understands how systems are protected and how they fail. It validates expertise in enterprise-level security, networks, firewalls, data security, and encryption models. Most people who earn it are already working in the field. Ronan earned his as a high school student. Since then, he has added CompTIA A+, Network+, IT Operations Specialist, Secure Infrastructure Specialist, Server Administration, and Python Basics to the list, for a total of six industry certifications.
Last summer, Ronan interned at Comcast. Not in a mailroom. In cyber and data analysis research, working alongside C-Suite executives, his project manager, and the Site Security Senior Architect. His assignment was competitive intelligence. He analyzed AI products offered by Comcast's competitors, identified areas where the company could gain an edge, assessed viability for private equity investment, and helped pinpoint acquisition targets. His reports fed into an internal audit on AI resources and future strategy. The internship taught him that plans do not always hold. When they broke, he learned to adapt and lean on his team. Erick Finnestead, principal at Silver Creek High School, believes the experience set Ronan apart. "While some kids are achieving their teamwork skills from athletics," he writes, "Ronan has honed his teamwork and technical skills as part of a Fortune 100 company.”
Even now, with certifications stacked and an internship behind him, Ronan keeps pushing. He is studying IT Disaster Recovery to prepare for breaches and system failures. He is learning the fundamentals of UNIX and cloud computing, building fluency in the systems that run Linux and macOS. He sees where the field is heading.
Ronan has competed in CyberPatriot since freshman year. The program, run by the U.S. Air Force and Space Force, puts students through national cybersecurity competitions, testing what they know and how fast they can apply it. His team placed 17th in Colorado and earned a spot in the Platinum Tier, the highest competitive level.
Ronan knows that what you can build matters less than what you choose to do with it. One of his projects, WikiCalc, uses a Raspberry Pi to communicate with a TI-84 calculator, scraping information through Python to produce a wiki for searches run on the device. He built it, and then he made a choice. He knew what it could do in the wrong hands, so he kept the process to himself. He did not share it with classmates. He did not let it be used in any way that could compromise academic integrity. "His strong moral compass," Finnestead writes, "is exactly what we need in the space of cybersecurity.”
RaptorTECH gave Ronan his start. He wants to make sure it keeps going after he is gone. The program is still young, and one of its offerings is the opportunity for students to volunteer at and manage events. But the students who lead those events are often the only ones who know how to operate specific equipment or access certain resources. When they graduate, the knowledge leaves with them, creating bottlenecks and extra work for a limited staff. To tackle this, Ronan proposes creating a documented record of how things work, who to contact, and how past events were run, kept in the program's storage room or with the academic facilitator. That way, the students who follow do not have to start from scratch. His hope is that when he and the other leaders graduate, the program keeps running.
Giving back does not always mean standing in front. For four years, Ronan has worked behind the scenes at Seventh-Day Adventist churches. He manages the soundboard, runs the livestream on YouTube, and handles audio and visual maintenance. Most people never notice unless something breaks. But the reach goes further than he expected. A woman once thanked his team after her father and brother, who had not spoken in over thirty years, reconnected. One of them had seen a familiar face on the livestream, flown to Colorado, and shown up. They are talking again. "Hearing of this experience," Ronan shares, "has reminded me why I continue to help out.”
That same instinct brings him to Denver Streetbeat. Since September 2024, Ronan has joined others from his church every second and third Saturday to prepare meals and gather supplies for the Denver Salvation Army Crossroads Centre. They serve food to people experiencing homelessness and give out pencils, books, wallets, whatever might help someone trying to get back on their feet. The work is personal for Ronan. He has seen close family and friends struggle with financial hardship, and he has lived through uncertain stretches himself. "Knowing how much something small can have a huge impact," he says, "inspires me to continue helping and giving back.”
Outside of cybersecurity and service, Ronan has found time for Science Olympiad, Marching Band, Diplomacy Club, and International Club. He is a member of the National Honor Society and the National French Honor Society. Equally talented in his academics, he has earned the designation of Advanced Placement Scholar.
Ronan plans to study cybersecurity with a minor in cyber research at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, the University of Colorado Denver, or Colorado State University in Fort Collins. Finnestead has no doubts about what comes next. "His steadfast commitment to learning, character and work ethic," he writes, "will certainly propel him as a valued member of the communities he is a part of." As for how far Ronan will go, his principal puts it simply. "His potential is limitless."
SILVER - Jade Santana Hernandez
Major: Computer Science with a minor in Robotics and Intelligence Systems
High School: Arrupe Jesuit High School
Hometown: Arvada, CO
When Jade Santana Hernandez was ten, her brother was in college learning how to code. She would watch him build "Hello, World!" programs and think it was magic. A person could talk to a machine, and the machine would answer. She wanted in. So she did what any ten-year-old with a mission would do. She made him teach her his ways. She started building mini-coding projects under his guidance, and by middle school, she was taking advanced classes in math and science, hungry for more. Before high school, she attended CodeDenver, a STEM camp sponsored by the Gordon Family Giving Foundation, where she built projects in robotics and coding and met people who did this work for a living. By the time she walked into Arrupe Jesuit High School, she was not looking for a direction. She had already found one.
High school gave her room to run. Jade joined the Robotics team, rose to president her sophomore year, and in the 2024-2025 season brought her team within reach of state qualifiers. Through robotics, she discovered the worlds of electrical and mechanical engineering and worked side by side with students focused on computer science. She found herself in programs like (HS)², where she took higher-level classes in math, science, and coding. Her teachers, picking up on her interests, pointed her toward Mark Cuban's AI camp, where she learned how machine learning powers the AI systems people use every day. This past summer, she participated in the Colorado School of Mines' Summer Mines Engineering and Training Program and saw what technology looks like when it leaves the classroom and enters the world.
Then came the opportunity she had been building toward. This summer, Jade was selected as an intern at Lockheed Martin. She calls it her proudest achievement. "An exciting and surreal adventure I knew was coming," she says. She was nervous. The stakes had shifted. She had a real job now, and she wanted to prove she belonged. The moment carried weight beyond the role itself. She had made it into STEM as a Latina. She worked alongside software development professionals and, for the first time, put into practice everything she had spent years learning. It was the beginning of what she calls the "dream pursuit of [her] future career.”
One of the people who has seen Jade's work up close is Stephan Graham, her junior-year chemistry teacher at Arrupe Jesuit High School and now capstone coordinator. He describes her as one of his best students. She consistently delivered high-quality lab reports, scored among the highest on quizzes and exams, and brought a level of thought and creativity to her write-ups that set her apart. Her work became the benchmark other students were measured against. In 2025, she was recognized with the Outstanding High School Chemistry Student Award from the American Chemical Society, a distinction that speaks to her exceptional performance in Graham's class. She was also an active contributor who advocated for herself by asking questions, the kind of student who takes ownership of her own learning. Her questions, Graham writes, "steered the class in interesting directions and helped me as a teacher and the students in the class to grow." He says Jade has the gift of being both analytical and creative. It is a combination that has served her well and, by his account, will continue to.
Jade has spent hours digging through platforms and books just to find scholarships. She has watched her peers experience what she describes as heartache, annoyance, and sadness when they miss opportunities they never even heard about. It is a pattern she has seen enough times to recognize it as a problem, one that affects students across her community who lack easy access to information about scholarships, programs, camps, and resources. She proposes tackling it with tools she already has at her disposal. She wants to build a website that brings everything together in one place, free and accessible to students, parents, and educators. Scholarships updated monthly. Programs at the state and national level. College events and opportunities. A single resource, right at their fingertips, that takes the scramble out of the search.
Since she was little, Jade has understood that giving back is not about what you have. It is about showing up. Her mother taught her that first. Her faith deepened it. Her life, she says, revolves around the example of service she finds there. "I have been so blessed and received so much," she says. "It is my right to do unto others as they have done to me." In fifth grade, her family switched churches to build a closer relationship with God, and Jade found a small group in the kids ministry. In middle school, she joined the youth group and began volunteering as a greeter on Tuesdays. She was helping to create a space that felt safe, welcoming, and loving. Eventually she took an official weekend position. She considers being a greeter one of her proudest accomplishments in community service. "While sharing a smile, handing a pen and paper to those coming in, or even giving a hug, might seem simple," she says, "in reality, these actions allow those coming into service to feel loved, seen, and part of the community." She also serves at her church's backpack drives, Operation Christmas Child, and food drives. At school, she helps during mass, open houses, club events, and service days. As a Philanthropy Ambassador, she gives tours, speaks on panels, and helps at Magis Night, one of her school's largest fundraising events. Everywhere she turns, she says, community service never stops.
What she puts into her work has come back to her. Jade is a remarkable student who has worked hard and maintained a 4.0 unweighted GPA throughout her high school career. In 2024, she received the Best Academic Effort award in Honors Calculus and was recognized with the Philanthropy Guiding Light award and the YLC Certification of Appreciation. The following year brought more. She took first place in the Pedro Arrupe Writing Challenge and received the Of Arrupe award. Her service has also continued to stand out, earning her the Philanthropy Above and Beyond Award.
Jade's parents raised her the way you raise someone you want to see face the world whole. With love, so she would know how to give it. With gratitude, so she would recognize what matters. With encouragement, so she would keep going. With kindness, so she would become it. This, she says, gave her a childhood that prospered. That is her word. "Prospered." Like something tended. Something that grew because someone made sure it would. And she did. And maybe her parents couldn't tend to her in all the places she would go, but they could believe in her. And they did. They loved her in the way that says go farther than we went, and they steadied her with hands that knew work and sacrifice and the quiet weight of wanting more for your child than the world had offered them. Jade watched them. That is how she learned. She watched them give what they had, even when what they had was just time, just effort, just showing up. Her mother brought her along, once, to help clean out a house at a church. A lesson that did not need to be wrapped in an explanation. Just the quiet truth of it. You show up for people. You give what you can. That is what love looks like when it moves. Jade has come to understand that her education is a privilege. She feels it in a way that is hard to explain to those who were always going to have it. There are people behind her, cheering her forward, and she carries what they showed her into every room she enters. She carries the years of being cheered on by people who could not show her the way but never stopped pointing toward it. Never stopped believing she could get there. And she has gone further than some thought she could, done more than others expected, because that is what their love made room for. "Nothing is given, but earned," she says. And she has earned every inch of where she stands. The hours, the effort, the refusal to quit. That is hers. But she knows where it began. She knows the love that came first, the steady voices that kept saying keep going. She has the desire to succeed and the resilience to face whatever comes. That was not built by accident. She stands now at a door her parents built but will never walk through, and she knows exactly who carried her here.
Jade plans to study computer science with a minor in robotics and intelligence systems at the Colorado School of Mines, the University of Colorado Boulder, or the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She wants to make her own mark in the tech field. She wants to become the representation she wants to stand for, the kind of person who shows younger generations that they belong. Her brother gave her that. He showed her what was possible when someone who looks like you is already walking the path you hope to walk. She wants to be that for someone else. She wants to stand where others can see her and know that if she made it, so can they.
High School: Arrupe Jesuit High School
Hometown: Arvada, CO
When Jade Santana Hernandez was ten, her brother was in college learning how to code. She would watch him build "Hello, World!" programs and think it was magic. A person could talk to a machine, and the machine would answer. She wanted in. So she did what any ten-year-old with a mission would do. She made him teach her his ways. She started building mini-coding projects under his guidance, and by middle school, she was taking advanced classes in math and science, hungry for more. Before high school, she attended CodeDenver, a STEM camp sponsored by the Gordon Family Giving Foundation, where she built projects in robotics and coding and met people who did this work for a living. By the time she walked into Arrupe Jesuit High School, she was not looking for a direction. She had already found one.
High school gave her room to run. Jade joined the Robotics team, rose to president her sophomore year, and in the 2024-2025 season brought her team within reach of state qualifiers. Through robotics, she discovered the worlds of electrical and mechanical engineering and worked side by side with students focused on computer science. She found herself in programs like (HS)², where she took higher-level classes in math, science, and coding. Her teachers, picking up on her interests, pointed her toward Mark Cuban's AI camp, where she learned how machine learning powers the AI systems people use every day. This past summer, she participated in the Colorado School of Mines' Summer Mines Engineering and Training Program and saw what technology looks like when it leaves the classroom and enters the world.
Then came the opportunity she had been building toward. This summer, Jade was selected as an intern at Lockheed Martin. She calls it her proudest achievement. "An exciting and surreal adventure I knew was coming," she says. She was nervous. The stakes had shifted. She had a real job now, and she wanted to prove she belonged. The moment carried weight beyond the role itself. She had made it into STEM as a Latina. She worked alongside software development professionals and, for the first time, put into practice everything she had spent years learning. It was the beginning of what she calls the "dream pursuit of [her] future career.”
One of the people who has seen Jade's work up close is Stephan Graham, her junior-year chemistry teacher at Arrupe Jesuit High School and now capstone coordinator. He describes her as one of his best students. She consistently delivered high-quality lab reports, scored among the highest on quizzes and exams, and brought a level of thought and creativity to her write-ups that set her apart. Her work became the benchmark other students were measured against. In 2025, she was recognized with the Outstanding High School Chemistry Student Award from the American Chemical Society, a distinction that speaks to her exceptional performance in Graham's class. She was also an active contributor who advocated for herself by asking questions, the kind of student who takes ownership of her own learning. Her questions, Graham writes, "steered the class in interesting directions and helped me as a teacher and the students in the class to grow." He says Jade has the gift of being both analytical and creative. It is a combination that has served her well and, by his account, will continue to.
Jade has spent hours digging through platforms and books just to find scholarships. She has watched her peers experience what she describes as heartache, annoyance, and sadness when they miss opportunities they never even heard about. It is a pattern she has seen enough times to recognize it as a problem, one that affects students across her community who lack easy access to information about scholarships, programs, camps, and resources. She proposes tackling it with tools she already has at her disposal. She wants to build a website that brings everything together in one place, free and accessible to students, parents, and educators. Scholarships updated monthly. Programs at the state and national level. College events and opportunities. A single resource, right at their fingertips, that takes the scramble out of the search.
Since she was little, Jade has understood that giving back is not about what you have. It is about showing up. Her mother taught her that first. Her faith deepened it. Her life, she says, revolves around the example of service she finds there. "I have been so blessed and received so much," she says. "It is my right to do unto others as they have done to me." In fifth grade, her family switched churches to build a closer relationship with God, and Jade found a small group in the kids ministry. In middle school, she joined the youth group and began volunteering as a greeter on Tuesdays. She was helping to create a space that felt safe, welcoming, and loving. Eventually she took an official weekend position. She considers being a greeter one of her proudest accomplishments in community service. "While sharing a smile, handing a pen and paper to those coming in, or even giving a hug, might seem simple," she says, "in reality, these actions allow those coming into service to feel loved, seen, and part of the community." She also serves at her church's backpack drives, Operation Christmas Child, and food drives. At school, she helps during mass, open houses, club events, and service days. As a Philanthropy Ambassador, she gives tours, speaks on panels, and helps at Magis Night, one of her school's largest fundraising events. Everywhere she turns, she says, community service never stops.
What she puts into her work has come back to her. Jade is a remarkable student who has worked hard and maintained a 4.0 unweighted GPA throughout her high school career. In 2024, she received the Best Academic Effort award in Honors Calculus and was recognized with the Philanthropy Guiding Light award and the YLC Certification of Appreciation. The following year brought more. She took first place in the Pedro Arrupe Writing Challenge and received the Of Arrupe award. Her service has also continued to stand out, earning her the Philanthropy Above and Beyond Award.
Jade's parents raised her the way you raise someone you want to see face the world whole. With love, so she would know how to give it. With gratitude, so she would recognize what matters. With encouragement, so she would keep going. With kindness, so she would become it. This, she says, gave her a childhood that prospered. That is her word. "Prospered." Like something tended. Something that grew because someone made sure it would. And she did. And maybe her parents couldn't tend to her in all the places she would go, but they could believe in her. And they did. They loved her in the way that says go farther than we went, and they steadied her with hands that knew work and sacrifice and the quiet weight of wanting more for your child than the world had offered them. Jade watched them. That is how she learned. She watched them give what they had, even when what they had was just time, just effort, just showing up. Her mother brought her along, once, to help clean out a house at a church. A lesson that did not need to be wrapped in an explanation. Just the quiet truth of it. You show up for people. You give what you can. That is what love looks like when it moves. Jade has come to understand that her education is a privilege. She feels it in a way that is hard to explain to those who were always going to have it. There are people behind her, cheering her forward, and she carries what they showed her into every room she enters. She carries the years of being cheered on by people who could not show her the way but never stopped pointing toward it. Never stopped believing she could get there. And she has gone further than some thought she could, done more than others expected, because that is what their love made room for. "Nothing is given, but earned," she says. And she has earned every inch of where she stands. The hours, the effort, the refusal to quit. That is hers. But she knows where it began. She knows the love that came first, the steady voices that kept saying keep going. She has the desire to succeed and the resilience to face whatever comes. That was not built by accident. She stands now at a door her parents built but will never walk through, and she knows exactly who carried her here.
Jade plans to study computer science with a minor in robotics and intelligence systems at the Colorado School of Mines, the University of Colorado Boulder, or the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She wants to make her own mark in the tech field. She wants to become the representation she wants to stand for, the kind of person who shows younger generations that they belong. Her brother gave her that. He showed her what was possible when someone who looks like you is already walking the path you hope to walk. She wants to be that for someone else. She wants to stand where others can see her and know that if she made it, so can they.
BRONZE - John Orta Cabrales
Major: Cybersecurity with a minor in Game Development
High School: Reynolds High School
Hometown: Portland, OR
John Orta Cabrales did not go looking for technology. He grew up surrounded by it. His aunt, obsessed with robots and enrolled in programming classes at her university, would talk about the future of technology with an excitement he could not ignore. Every conversation left him thinking the same thing. I want to be part of that. In elementary school, he joined a LEGO robotics club and programmed little robots to walk and perform simple tasks. It was basic, but watching something he built actually move because of code he wrote felt like magic. Technology ran in the family. Several relatives had built careers in tech, and even his father had dipped his toes in the field. When John first got his hands on a laptop, his cousin became his unofficial tutor, teaching him the shortcuts and tricks that helped him find his way around his new device. When he steps back and sees how many people and moments nudged him toward the field, it almost feels inevitable to him. He did not choose it so much as it kept choosing him.
John started out convinced that engineering was his path. STEM had taught him to think like a problem-solver, to break down challenges and build solutions. But somewhere along the way, realization crept in. Engineering was interesting, but it was not it. Freshman year, he took a beginner computer science course out of curiosity. Sophomore year, he moved up a level, but the material was not pushing him. He wanted to be challenged, not comfortable. So he applied to the Center for Advanced Learning (CAL) and committed to their technology track. It was, he says, the greatest decision he had made. CAL was rigorous, engaging, and fun. He found himself on the edge of his seat during lessons, absorbed in the history of computers. His teacher made the difference. His enthusiasm was contagious, his patience with students made complex concepts feel approachable. "Without his enthusiasm and understanding for the students, I don't think I would [have enjoyed] it as much," John shares. In web programming, he learned to build websites from the ground up. Functional, clean, visually appealing. In cybersecurity, the stakes felt higher. He studied the pillars of defense: security, availability, integrity. They were not just students, he says, they were training to be digital "soldiers in cyberspace" standing guard against all threats. There is something exhilarating, he has found, about using technology as a shield rather than just a tool. That is what excites him about cybersecurity, the idea he can protect, defend, and make the digital world a little safer.
During a five-month internship, John discovered something unexpected. He loves giving old tech a second chance at life. Refurbishing laptops and devices became therapeutic, until one gaming laptop decided to test him. The thing was completely dead. Stubborn. He cycled through every trick he knew. Unplugging and replugging. Swapping out parts for newer components. Practically begging it to show signs of life. Nothing. Every part looked fine, which made the whole situation even more infuriating. So he did what any determined person would do. He performed full-on tech surgery. He disassembled that laptop down to its bones, meticulously cleaning each component and even removing the screen entirely. He still could not pinpoint the culprit, but he did not mind. There is something satisfying about taking things apart and piecing them back together for him. It is like solving a three-dimensional puzzle with real stakes. When he finally reassembled everything and hit the power button, the laptop hummed to life. Victory. Except not quite. The screen was completely shot, rendering the whole machine useless. It ended up in the recycling pile anyway. But he was not defeated. Before this, he had only disassembled a handful of laptops with mixed results. This time, he had successfully been able to pull one apart, build it back up, and have it turn on. The laptop did not survive, but his confidence did. Sometimes growth looks like a broken screen and a hard-won lesson.
What inspires John to give back is simple. He wants to see things improve in his community. His local elementary school is a case in point. The building, he says, looked like "the same gray looking building" and needed to show more life. So one summer, he and his brother decided to do something about it. They helped build a garden at the school, bringing their cousin along. They started shoveling for hours. It was tiring, but they kept going. Every week, they would move on to adding something new. After about a year, the garden was finished, and it was, in his words, "beautiful and different." The school brings kids out there to look around and relax. John has volunteered at other elementary schools, where he noticed how different the resources were. Huge libraries. Clean, spacious hallways. Nicer classrooms. It made him want to help his local school catch up. He helps set up events and gets called in during the summer. He has also volunteered to help students with reading. At a church toy drive, he worked alongside friends, helping set up and keeping the children entertained with coloring activities. Seeing people happy, knowing that an event he helped create brought them together, made it all worth it. Helping his community brings John a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction, knowing he can make a difference by taking action.
Balancing his schedule has not been easy. John attends the Center for Advanced Learning for half of his school day, and the two schedules overlapped with his honors Pre-Calculus class at Reynolds High School. His teacher, Andrea Hernandez, describes it as a distinct disadvantage, but she was impressed by his perseverance. He showed up punctual and prepared. He asked questions when he had them, and if he needed more help, he came before or after school to get it. He worked well on his own and just as well in a group. Hernandez writes that he made a conscious effort to develop time management skills and discipline, and that his work ethic and determination to truly understand the material ensured his success. Hernandez notes that he has taken advantage of many opportunities at Reynolds High School and has used them to grow into the confident person he is today. She is confident he will reach any goal he sets for himself, both personal and educational.
At Reynolds High School, John is a member of Raider 2 Raider, a student-led academic support program. He is also part of Greater Than, an organization that supports students and families in thriving through school, college, and career, and of Latino Network's Escalera program, an intensive year-round college-preparation initiative for Reynolds students. John plans to study cybersecurity with a minor in game development at Portland State University, Mt. Hood Community College, or DigiPen Institute of Technology. He has spent years taking things apart to understand how they work. Now he wants to help keep them safe.
High School: Reynolds High School
Hometown: Portland, OR
John Orta Cabrales did not go looking for technology. He grew up surrounded by it. His aunt, obsessed with robots and enrolled in programming classes at her university, would talk about the future of technology with an excitement he could not ignore. Every conversation left him thinking the same thing. I want to be part of that. In elementary school, he joined a LEGO robotics club and programmed little robots to walk and perform simple tasks. It was basic, but watching something he built actually move because of code he wrote felt like magic. Technology ran in the family. Several relatives had built careers in tech, and even his father had dipped his toes in the field. When John first got his hands on a laptop, his cousin became his unofficial tutor, teaching him the shortcuts and tricks that helped him find his way around his new device. When he steps back and sees how many people and moments nudged him toward the field, it almost feels inevitable to him. He did not choose it so much as it kept choosing him.
John started out convinced that engineering was his path. STEM had taught him to think like a problem-solver, to break down challenges and build solutions. But somewhere along the way, realization crept in. Engineering was interesting, but it was not it. Freshman year, he took a beginner computer science course out of curiosity. Sophomore year, he moved up a level, but the material was not pushing him. He wanted to be challenged, not comfortable. So he applied to the Center for Advanced Learning (CAL) and committed to their technology track. It was, he says, the greatest decision he had made. CAL was rigorous, engaging, and fun. He found himself on the edge of his seat during lessons, absorbed in the history of computers. His teacher made the difference. His enthusiasm was contagious, his patience with students made complex concepts feel approachable. "Without his enthusiasm and understanding for the students, I don't think I would [have enjoyed] it as much," John shares. In web programming, he learned to build websites from the ground up. Functional, clean, visually appealing. In cybersecurity, the stakes felt higher. He studied the pillars of defense: security, availability, integrity. They were not just students, he says, they were training to be digital "soldiers in cyberspace" standing guard against all threats. There is something exhilarating, he has found, about using technology as a shield rather than just a tool. That is what excites him about cybersecurity, the idea he can protect, defend, and make the digital world a little safer.
During a five-month internship, John discovered something unexpected. He loves giving old tech a second chance at life. Refurbishing laptops and devices became therapeutic, until one gaming laptop decided to test him. The thing was completely dead. Stubborn. He cycled through every trick he knew. Unplugging and replugging. Swapping out parts for newer components. Practically begging it to show signs of life. Nothing. Every part looked fine, which made the whole situation even more infuriating. So he did what any determined person would do. He performed full-on tech surgery. He disassembled that laptop down to its bones, meticulously cleaning each component and even removing the screen entirely. He still could not pinpoint the culprit, but he did not mind. There is something satisfying about taking things apart and piecing them back together for him. It is like solving a three-dimensional puzzle with real stakes. When he finally reassembled everything and hit the power button, the laptop hummed to life. Victory. Except not quite. The screen was completely shot, rendering the whole machine useless. It ended up in the recycling pile anyway. But he was not defeated. Before this, he had only disassembled a handful of laptops with mixed results. This time, he had successfully been able to pull one apart, build it back up, and have it turn on. The laptop did not survive, but his confidence did. Sometimes growth looks like a broken screen and a hard-won lesson.
What inspires John to give back is simple. He wants to see things improve in his community. His local elementary school is a case in point. The building, he says, looked like "the same gray looking building" and needed to show more life. So one summer, he and his brother decided to do something about it. They helped build a garden at the school, bringing their cousin along. They started shoveling for hours. It was tiring, but they kept going. Every week, they would move on to adding something new. After about a year, the garden was finished, and it was, in his words, "beautiful and different." The school brings kids out there to look around and relax. John has volunteered at other elementary schools, where he noticed how different the resources were. Huge libraries. Clean, spacious hallways. Nicer classrooms. It made him want to help his local school catch up. He helps set up events and gets called in during the summer. He has also volunteered to help students with reading. At a church toy drive, he worked alongside friends, helping set up and keeping the children entertained with coloring activities. Seeing people happy, knowing that an event he helped create brought them together, made it all worth it. Helping his community brings John a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction, knowing he can make a difference by taking action.
Balancing his schedule has not been easy. John attends the Center for Advanced Learning for half of his school day, and the two schedules overlapped with his honors Pre-Calculus class at Reynolds High School. His teacher, Andrea Hernandez, describes it as a distinct disadvantage, but she was impressed by his perseverance. He showed up punctual and prepared. He asked questions when he had them, and if he needed more help, he came before or after school to get it. He worked well on his own and just as well in a group. Hernandez writes that he made a conscious effort to develop time management skills and discipline, and that his work ethic and determination to truly understand the material ensured his success. Hernandez notes that he has taken advantage of many opportunities at Reynolds High School and has used them to grow into the confident person he is today. She is confident he will reach any goal he sets for himself, both personal and educational.
At Reynolds High School, John is a member of Raider 2 Raider, a student-led academic support program. He is also part of Greater Than, an organization that supports students and families in thriving through school, college, and career, and of Latino Network's Escalera program, an intensive year-round college-preparation initiative for Reynolds students. John plans to study cybersecurity with a minor in game development at Portland State University, Mt. Hood Community College, or DigiPen Institute of Technology. He has spent years taking things apart to understand how they work. Now he wants to help keep them safe.
Yellow Region
Please select a recipient name to read their bio.
GOLD - Nathan Zermeno
Major: Computer Systems Engineering
High School: Peoria High School
Hometown: Peoria, AZ
Nobody appointed Nathan Zermeno the family IT department. The job just fell to him. His parents spoke Spanish as their first language. He understood English better. So when a computer acted up or a new device arrived in a box full of instructions no one else could read, he was the one who figured it out. No training. No certifications. Just trial, error, and the kind of patience you develop when the person waiting for you to fix the thing is also the person who made you dinner. Technology, he learned, is not really about the machine. It is about the person on the other side of it, squinting at a screen, hoping someone can make it make sense. He learned it watching his parents wait while he translated an error message into something they could understand. By the time he reached MET Professional Academy, half the job was already second nature.
At MET Professional Academy, the work got harder, and Nathan liked it that way. The program introduced him to IT and cybersecurity through hands-on projects, not just lectures. He learned how networks operate, how to configure routers and switches, how to diagnose the kinds of failures that take entire systems offline. He earned multiple IT certifications. What had once been guesswork was now verified skill. In 2025, he was named MET Technology 1 Student of the Year and MET Professional Academy Student of the Quarter. But the recognition mattered less than what he was learning alongside the technical work. Communication and teamwork, he realized, are just as important as knowing how the systems run.
The Peoria Unified School District (PUSD) needed every laptop in the district reimaged before the school year started. Nathan was on the team they trusted to do it. The assignment was massive. His team had to image over 30,000 laptops to Windows 11 for the entire district. They were a small team with a short deadline. Every machine had to be cleaned, updated, and tested before it could go back to a student or teacher. At first, the scale of it was overwhelming. But they built a system. They refined the workflow, tightened their communication, and the work started to move. They finished ahead of schedule. "It wasn't just about knowing how computers work," Nathan says, "but about adapting, staying calm under pressure, and leading by example." When the school year started, students had reliable devices in their hands, devices his team had prepared. He calls it his proudest accomplishment in technology. Mike Treguboff, PUSD's Director of Network Operations, saw it too. He describes Nathan as someone who approached every task with professionalism and enthusiasm, who grasped new concepts quickly and applied them well. Nathan asked insightful questions, contributed meaningfully, and earned his place on the team. "These qualities," Treguboff writes, "made him a valued part of our department.”
A second internship took Nathan into healthcare. At Denova Collaborative Health, he worked the IT Help Desk, serving as the first line of support for therapists and medical staff. He resolved more than 300 tickets. Each one was a person who could not do their job until he fixed what was broken. "Seeing how my skills helped others," he says, "made me realize that I want to build my career in information technology.”
Before he has even graduated, Nathan is working at industry scale. His team at Jaguar Land Rover is building an app for the company's Test Operations Facility, designed to help test drivers log vehicle data and manage tasks more efficiently. He helps design the layout, test features, and make sure everything works smoothly and is easy to use. Working at this level has taught him about teamwork, problem-solving, and how to communicate ideas clearly. Working with Jaguar Land Rover, he says, has shown him how rewarding it is to create something that makes someone else's job easier.
At Heritage STEM Night, Nathan got to be on the other side of the screen, helping younger students learn about technology. He showed them how the machines work, walked them through coding activities, answered their questions. Their wonder took him back. He had been that kid once, leaning into a screen, discovering what it could do. It felt good, he says, to inspire them the way others once inspired him. He has also taken part in neighborhood cleanups to keep his community safe and welcoming. "Giving back does not always have to be big or complicated," he says. "It is about using your time and skills to make things better for others.”
Nathan has seen the digital divide up close. In his community, many families, especially those from low-income or non-English-speaking backgrounds, cannot afford reliable devices or internet service. Students fall behind. Parents want to help but do not have the tools or knowledge. To tackle this, he proposes free or low-cost technology classes in both English and Spanish, covering basic computer skills, online safety, and tools for school and work. He envisions partnerships between schools, organizations, and businesses to provide affordable devices and WiFi access. And he wants to be part of it. He would like to volunteer teaching basic tech skills and helping families get set up. Making technology accessible, he believes, would help more people learn, find jobs, and stay connected. It would strengthen the whole community.
Somewhere between the internships and the industry projects, Nathan still goes to class. He has earned the Gold Bar High Class Rank Index twice, in 2024 and 2025, a recognition that places him among the top students in his class. Peoria High School knows him beyond the IT lab. He plays volleyball, participates in Robotics Club, and is a member of both DECA and Future Business Leaders of America.
Nathan plans to study computer systems engineering at Arizona State University, the University of Arizona, or Grand Canyon University. He enjoys working through technical challenges, finding solutions, and helping people understand the systems they rely on every day. He wants to continue learning and growing in IT, to take on larger responsibilities and keep improving the technology that supports workplaces and communities. Treguboff, who watched him work up close, recognizes his potential. Nathan has, he writes, "the drive, curiosity, and character that we look for in future leaders in the field of technology and engineering."
High School: Peoria High School
Hometown: Peoria, AZ
Nobody appointed Nathan Zermeno the family IT department. The job just fell to him. His parents spoke Spanish as their first language. He understood English better. So when a computer acted up or a new device arrived in a box full of instructions no one else could read, he was the one who figured it out. No training. No certifications. Just trial, error, and the kind of patience you develop when the person waiting for you to fix the thing is also the person who made you dinner. Technology, he learned, is not really about the machine. It is about the person on the other side of it, squinting at a screen, hoping someone can make it make sense. He learned it watching his parents wait while he translated an error message into something they could understand. By the time he reached MET Professional Academy, half the job was already second nature.
At MET Professional Academy, the work got harder, and Nathan liked it that way. The program introduced him to IT and cybersecurity through hands-on projects, not just lectures. He learned how networks operate, how to configure routers and switches, how to diagnose the kinds of failures that take entire systems offline. He earned multiple IT certifications. What had once been guesswork was now verified skill. In 2025, he was named MET Technology 1 Student of the Year and MET Professional Academy Student of the Quarter. But the recognition mattered less than what he was learning alongside the technical work. Communication and teamwork, he realized, are just as important as knowing how the systems run.
The Peoria Unified School District (PUSD) needed every laptop in the district reimaged before the school year started. Nathan was on the team they trusted to do it. The assignment was massive. His team had to image over 30,000 laptops to Windows 11 for the entire district. They were a small team with a short deadline. Every machine had to be cleaned, updated, and tested before it could go back to a student or teacher. At first, the scale of it was overwhelming. But they built a system. They refined the workflow, tightened their communication, and the work started to move. They finished ahead of schedule. "It wasn't just about knowing how computers work," Nathan says, "but about adapting, staying calm under pressure, and leading by example." When the school year started, students had reliable devices in their hands, devices his team had prepared. He calls it his proudest accomplishment in technology. Mike Treguboff, PUSD's Director of Network Operations, saw it too. He describes Nathan as someone who approached every task with professionalism and enthusiasm, who grasped new concepts quickly and applied them well. Nathan asked insightful questions, contributed meaningfully, and earned his place on the team. "These qualities," Treguboff writes, "made him a valued part of our department.”
A second internship took Nathan into healthcare. At Denova Collaborative Health, he worked the IT Help Desk, serving as the first line of support for therapists and medical staff. He resolved more than 300 tickets. Each one was a person who could not do their job until he fixed what was broken. "Seeing how my skills helped others," he says, "made me realize that I want to build my career in information technology.”
Before he has even graduated, Nathan is working at industry scale. His team at Jaguar Land Rover is building an app for the company's Test Operations Facility, designed to help test drivers log vehicle data and manage tasks more efficiently. He helps design the layout, test features, and make sure everything works smoothly and is easy to use. Working at this level has taught him about teamwork, problem-solving, and how to communicate ideas clearly. Working with Jaguar Land Rover, he says, has shown him how rewarding it is to create something that makes someone else's job easier.
At Heritage STEM Night, Nathan got to be on the other side of the screen, helping younger students learn about technology. He showed them how the machines work, walked them through coding activities, answered their questions. Their wonder took him back. He had been that kid once, leaning into a screen, discovering what it could do. It felt good, he says, to inspire them the way others once inspired him. He has also taken part in neighborhood cleanups to keep his community safe and welcoming. "Giving back does not always have to be big or complicated," he says. "It is about using your time and skills to make things better for others.”
Nathan has seen the digital divide up close. In his community, many families, especially those from low-income or non-English-speaking backgrounds, cannot afford reliable devices or internet service. Students fall behind. Parents want to help but do not have the tools or knowledge. To tackle this, he proposes free or low-cost technology classes in both English and Spanish, covering basic computer skills, online safety, and tools for school and work. He envisions partnerships between schools, organizations, and businesses to provide affordable devices and WiFi access. And he wants to be part of it. He would like to volunteer teaching basic tech skills and helping families get set up. Making technology accessible, he believes, would help more people learn, find jobs, and stay connected. It would strengthen the whole community.
Somewhere between the internships and the industry projects, Nathan still goes to class. He has earned the Gold Bar High Class Rank Index twice, in 2024 and 2025, a recognition that places him among the top students in his class. Peoria High School knows him beyond the IT lab. He plays volleyball, participates in Robotics Club, and is a member of both DECA and Future Business Leaders of America.
Nathan plans to study computer systems engineering at Arizona State University, the University of Arizona, or Grand Canyon University. He enjoys working through technical challenges, finding solutions, and helping people understand the systems they rely on every day. He wants to continue learning and growing in IT, to take on larger responsibilities and keep improving the technology that supports workplaces and communities. Treguboff, who watched him work up close, recognizes his potential. Nathan has, he writes, "the drive, curiosity, and character that we look for in future leaders in the field of technology and engineering."
SILVER - Alessandra Vermeys
Major: Electrical Engineering with a minor in Computer Engineering
High School: St. John Paul II Catholic High School
Hometown: Litchfield Park, AZ
When Alessandra Vermeys started at St. John Paul II Catholic High School, there was no robotics team. No club. No leftover equipment in a closet. Nothing. A teacher decided to change that her freshman year. He gathered a handful of students, handed them snap circuits, and started from zero. Alessandra learned everything from him. How electricity moves, how components connect, how circuits work and why. They scraped together whatever the school could spare and built with what they had. When it came time to choose a president, nobody had to think twice. She took the role seriously, writing agendas and growing the team one member at a time. She was reelected sophomore year, and again junior year. By then, the team had a budget and enough momentum to compete, which qualified them as an official sport. They made it to quarterfinals. Now a senior, she runs a program with both JV and Varsity squads. "The robotics team is like my family," she says, "and I'm very proud to have built the team into what we are today.”
When Alessandra was little, she would pick up a shaker toy and turn it over slowly, again and again, listening for the moment the sound happened. Her mother still remembers this. She wanted to find where the sound came from. She wanted to know. As she got older, she found bigger things to take apart. She once disassembled her Nintendo Switch and both Joy-Cons to swap out the housing. The new color was part of it. But mostly she wanted to see how the pieces fit together, how the whole thing worked. "To me, engineering has always been about both curiosity and problem-solving," she writes. "The desire to know how things work, and the ability to come up with creative workarounds to various obstacles." Her family never told her to stop. They let her keep going.
The girl who cracked open a Nintendo Switch now studies circuits in a classroom, calculating voltage and current and resistance on paper, then measuring the real thing to see how close she got. Theory, then proof. Over the years, summer programs let her keep building. At the University of San Diego, she attended TryEngineering through the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. At Arizona State University (ASU), she took part in Underwater Robotics and See@ASU. At Camp Invention, she attended first as a camper and later returned as an intern. Along the way, she built a glider and flew it, soldered her own circuit, constructed a hydraulic arm, coded a robot, assembled a pneumatic artificial muscle, and designed a paper bridge from a single sheet that could hold as much weight as possible. The underwater robotics competition at ASU put all of it to the test. Her team designed a robot from scratch and piloted it through underwater tasks, placing third overall. The only teams that beat them were adults with more time and more resources. The team behind them was from a college.
Alessandra has been in student government since fourth grade, running for a seat every year one was available. By sophomore year, she joined the Servant Leadership Association, her high school's student government, and earned a place on the Executive Committee, a smaller group that weighs the bigger decisions before bringing them to everyone else. The association meets twice a week to plan and execute the events that shape the school year, from Prom and Homecoming to patron saint feast days and spirit weeks. Alessandra is part of the team that makes them happen. "The Student Government is important to me because it's an effective and realistic way to make a difference in our school community," she writes, "improving student life and developing camaraderie among more of our peers.”
Her family raised her to give back. They gave blood, donated to the church, showed up when people needed help, and made sure Alessandra understood why it mattered. When she was old enough, they pushed her toward Service Club. She is grateful they did. It introduced her to community service through projects like Feed My Starving Children, moving boxes for the school, and painting trees in the neighborhood. "I fell in love with doing things that helped other people and my community," she says. Since then, her involvement has expanded. She joined the National Honor Society for more opportunities to serve. As a Teacher's Assistant for dance classes, she works with children as young as two, spotting them through stretches and steadying them through moves their legs do not trust yet. She has also interned for a teacher, handling copies, reorganizing materials, and helping plan lessons. Summers, she works at a camp for younger kids, filling whatever role needs filling.
Alessandra knows what it feels like to struggle alone. Through elementary, middle, and high school, she carried her problems quietly, afraid of being a burden. Father Kevin, the chaplain at St. John Paul II Catholic High School, reached out to her during one of those harder moments. He became her confidant, and his advice still helps her manage stress today. She tries to offer something similar to the children in her dance classes. She does not always know what is happening in their homes or why one child is loud on Monday and withdrawn by Wednesday. She cannot always explain the tears or the outbursts. But she can be present. She can show them the world holds some warmth. She remembers what it felt like to be the only girl in a room full of boys during robotics, so when a boy in her dance class feels out of place among girls, she knows how to meet him with kindness. "I want to be the bright face that lightens a sour day," she writes. "I want to make changes that make lives easier, whether people are aware or not." If she could fix one thing in her community, it would be better access to counselors who reach out to students instead of waiting for them to walk through an office door. More of them would open up, she believes. More would find consolation.
Steven Paul Melessa, her math and science teacher, writes that Alessandra has demonstrated mastery across mathematics and physics, exceeding expectations in both the classroom and the lab. She has been recognized through the Collegeboard National School Recognition Program and the Collegeboard National Hispanic Recognition Program, and her school has honored her with the Freshman Science Award, Freshman Religion Award, Freshman Ethics Award, and Sophomore Ethics Award. Beyond academics, she sings in her school's Chamber Choir and in her parish choir, and she is a member of the Creative Writing Club.
Alessandra plans to study electrical engineering with a minor in computer engineering at Arizona State University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or the University of Notre Dame. She believes technology has the power to improve lives when it is built and used with intention, and she wants her work to be part of that. "Technology can be a net positive for society when used appropriately," she writes, "and I intend to do just that."
High School: St. John Paul II Catholic High School
Hometown: Litchfield Park, AZ
When Alessandra Vermeys started at St. John Paul II Catholic High School, there was no robotics team. No club. No leftover equipment in a closet. Nothing. A teacher decided to change that her freshman year. He gathered a handful of students, handed them snap circuits, and started from zero. Alessandra learned everything from him. How electricity moves, how components connect, how circuits work and why. They scraped together whatever the school could spare and built with what they had. When it came time to choose a president, nobody had to think twice. She took the role seriously, writing agendas and growing the team one member at a time. She was reelected sophomore year, and again junior year. By then, the team had a budget and enough momentum to compete, which qualified them as an official sport. They made it to quarterfinals. Now a senior, she runs a program with both JV and Varsity squads. "The robotics team is like my family," she says, "and I'm very proud to have built the team into what we are today.”
When Alessandra was little, she would pick up a shaker toy and turn it over slowly, again and again, listening for the moment the sound happened. Her mother still remembers this. She wanted to find where the sound came from. She wanted to know. As she got older, she found bigger things to take apart. She once disassembled her Nintendo Switch and both Joy-Cons to swap out the housing. The new color was part of it. But mostly she wanted to see how the pieces fit together, how the whole thing worked. "To me, engineering has always been about both curiosity and problem-solving," she writes. "The desire to know how things work, and the ability to come up with creative workarounds to various obstacles." Her family never told her to stop. They let her keep going.
The girl who cracked open a Nintendo Switch now studies circuits in a classroom, calculating voltage and current and resistance on paper, then measuring the real thing to see how close she got. Theory, then proof. Over the years, summer programs let her keep building. At the University of San Diego, she attended TryEngineering through the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. At Arizona State University (ASU), she took part in Underwater Robotics and See@ASU. At Camp Invention, she attended first as a camper and later returned as an intern. Along the way, she built a glider and flew it, soldered her own circuit, constructed a hydraulic arm, coded a robot, assembled a pneumatic artificial muscle, and designed a paper bridge from a single sheet that could hold as much weight as possible. The underwater robotics competition at ASU put all of it to the test. Her team designed a robot from scratch and piloted it through underwater tasks, placing third overall. The only teams that beat them were adults with more time and more resources. The team behind them was from a college.
Alessandra has been in student government since fourth grade, running for a seat every year one was available. By sophomore year, she joined the Servant Leadership Association, her high school's student government, and earned a place on the Executive Committee, a smaller group that weighs the bigger decisions before bringing them to everyone else. The association meets twice a week to plan and execute the events that shape the school year, from Prom and Homecoming to patron saint feast days and spirit weeks. Alessandra is part of the team that makes them happen. "The Student Government is important to me because it's an effective and realistic way to make a difference in our school community," she writes, "improving student life and developing camaraderie among more of our peers.”
Her family raised her to give back. They gave blood, donated to the church, showed up when people needed help, and made sure Alessandra understood why it mattered. When she was old enough, they pushed her toward Service Club. She is grateful they did. It introduced her to community service through projects like Feed My Starving Children, moving boxes for the school, and painting trees in the neighborhood. "I fell in love with doing things that helped other people and my community," she says. Since then, her involvement has expanded. She joined the National Honor Society for more opportunities to serve. As a Teacher's Assistant for dance classes, she works with children as young as two, spotting them through stretches and steadying them through moves their legs do not trust yet. She has also interned for a teacher, handling copies, reorganizing materials, and helping plan lessons. Summers, she works at a camp for younger kids, filling whatever role needs filling.
Alessandra knows what it feels like to struggle alone. Through elementary, middle, and high school, she carried her problems quietly, afraid of being a burden. Father Kevin, the chaplain at St. John Paul II Catholic High School, reached out to her during one of those harder moments. He became her confidant, and his advice still helps her manage stress today. She tries to offer something similar to the children in her dance classes. She does not always know what is happening in their homes or why one child is loud on Monday and withdrawn by Wednesday. She cannot always explain the tears or the outbursts. But she can be present. She can show them the world holds some warmth. She remembers what it felt like to be the only girl in a room full of boys during robotics, so when a boy in her dance class feels out of place among girls, she knows how to meet him with kindness. "I want to be the bright face that lightens a sour day," she writes. "I want to make changes that make lives easier, whether people are aware or not." If she could fix one thing in her community, it would be better access to counselors who reach out to students instead of waiting for them to walk through an office door. More of them would open up, she believes. More would find consolation.
Steven Paul Melessa, her math and science teacher, writes that Alessandra has demonstrated mastery across mathematics and physics, exceeding expectations in both the classroom and the lab. She has been recognized through the Collegeboard National School Recognition Program and the Collegeboard National Hispanic Recognition Program, and her school has honored her with the Freshman Science Award, Freshman Religion Award, Freshman Ethics Award, and Sophomore Ethics Award. Beyond academics, she sings in her school's Chamber Choir and in her parish choir, and she is a member of the Creative Writing Club.
Alessandra plans to study electrical engineering with a minor in computer engineering at Arizona State University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or the University of Notre Dame. She believes technology has the power to improve lives when it is built and used with intention, and she wants her work to be part of that. "Technology can be a net positive for society when used appropriately," she writes, "and I intend to do just that."
BRONZE - Ella Romero
Major: Electrical Engineering with a minor in Mathematics
High School: Tonopah Valley High School
Hometown: Tonopah, AZ
Ella Romero is the reason Tonopah Valley High School has an FBLA Software Development chapter. She founded it her sophomore year, and in two years as president, she has doubled the number of students building competition robots, filled every leadership role with active members, and led her team in designing a finance app. Tonopah is a small town west of Phoenix where students do not always have the same access to STEM programs that larger schools offer. Ella saw what her school was missing and got to work. She introduced younger students to the club, organized meetings, and developed fundraisers to cover the cost of materials. She learned to listen to her members and encouraged them to take on leadership of their own. In 2025, she earned Student of the Year for her leadership and work with her chapter. She calls it her proudest accomplishment in the category. "It reflected not only my own growth, but the success of everyone I led," she shares. "True leadership in STEM isn't just about solving problems," she says. "It's about empowering others to innovate with you.”
Ella competed at the Arizona State FBLA competition and placed in the top 10 for computer applications. She prepares members for their own competitions, supports classmates in their studies, and tutors peers outside the classroom. One of her favorite parts of the work is volunteering at freshman nights, where her club runs robot and app demonstrations for incoming students. She watches kids play games her team created, their faces lighting up when they pass a level, and then walks them through what they can learn at each stage of the program. Her club advisor, C. Simons, describes her as someone who leads by example. "She is the first to volunteer, compete, or take on new challenges," Simons writes, "always with the goal of bringing back her experiences to mentor and inspire younger members." Her leadership, Simons adds, is defined by "integrity, humility, and genuine care for her peers.”
Ella came to technology on her own terms, coding websites and building robots. Her coursework in physics, math, and computer-aided robotics gave her more to build on. In her sophomore year, she was accepted into Maricopa County's ACE program, through which she has earned 18 college credits and expects to graduate with 25. The program's workshops introduced her to different pathways into STEM and how to find resources along the way. What keeps her going is watching others grow too. "For me," she says, "it's not just about building things. It's about building possibilities.”
Ella is Mexican American, raised by her family with the values of hard work, creativity, and perseverance. She has put all three to use in every STEM challenge and leadership role she has taken on. Ella has seen how teachers from different backgrounds can change how a student thinks and what they believe is possible. In middle school, a science teacher from Lagos showed her how to approach problems through logic and experimentation. In high school, a South Asian math teacher encouraged her to believe that students like her belonged in advanced STEM classes. Different perspectives, she learned, open doors that might otherwise stay closed. "Innovation comes from inclusion," Ella writes. "The best solutions are built when people with different backgrounds work together.”
Ella was taught that true strength comes from helping others. Her parents reminded her, no matter how busy life gets, there is always time to give back. "Service is not an obligation," she says. "It's a privilege." She volunteers through her church in youth programs, food drives, and community events. One of her most meaningful experiences was helping organize a Christmas donation drive for families in need. She coordinated volunteers, sorted gifts, and handed them out. Even small acts of kindness, she reflects, can make a difference. Through FBLA, she also coordinates service projects that bring her interest in technology together with her commitment to community. "Sharing knowledge can be one of the most meaningful forms of service," she writes, "because it inspires others to believe in their own potential.”
Looking at her own community, Ella sees students with curiosity but not always the resources to follow it. To help close that gap, she proposes partnerships between rural schools and nearby universities to bring workshops to towns like Tonopah, where students could learn to build model bridges, try coding for the first time, and meet college students in STEM. "I believe that growing up in a small town shouldn't limit someone's dreams," she writes. "By investing in early STEM education and creating opportunities for hands-on learning, Tonopah can inspire its next generation of innovators and show students that their ideas can reach far beyond where they started.”
Ella plans to study electrical engineering with a minor in mathematics at Arizona State University, the University of Arizona, or Northern Arizona University. "Helping others is how I define purpose," she says. "My goal is to continue serving wherever I go, through engineering, through faith, and through compassion.”
High School: Tonopah Valley High School
Hometown: Tonopah, AZ
Ella Romero is the reason Tonopah Valley High School has an FBLA Software Development chapter. She founded it her sophomore year, and in two years as president, she has doubled the number of students building competition robots, filled every leadership role with active members, and led her team in designing a finance app. Tonopah is a small town west of Phoenix where students do not always have the same access to STEM programs that larger schools offer. Ella saw what her school was missing and got to work. She introduced younger students to the club, organized meetings, and developed fundraisers to cover the cost of materials. She learned to listen to her members and encouraged them to take on leadership of their own. In 2025, she earned Student of the Year for her leadership and work with her chapter. She calls it her proudest accomplishment in the category. "It reflected not only my own growth, but the success of everyone I led," she shares. "True leadership in STEM isn't just about solving problems," she says. "It's about empowering others to innovate with you.”
Ella competed at the Arizona State FBLA competition and placed in the top 10 for computer applications. She prepares members for their own competitions, supports classmates in their studies, and tutors peers outside the classroom. One of her favorite parts of the work is volunteering at freshman nights, where her club runs robot and app demonstrations for incoming students. She watches kids play games her team created, their faces lighting up when they pass a level, and then walks them through what they can learn at each stage of the program. Her club advisor, C. Simons, describes her as someone who leads by example. "She is the first to volunteer, compete, or take on new challenges," Simons writes, "always with the goal of bringing back her experiences to mentor and inspire younger members." Her leadership, Simons adds, is defined by "integrity, humility, and genuine care for her peers.”
Ella came to technology on her own terms, coding websites and building robots. Her coursework in physics, math, and computer-aided robotics gave her more to build on. In her sophomore year, she was accepted into Maricopa County's ACE program, through which she has earned 18 college credits and expects to graduate with 25. The program's workshops introduced her to different pathways into STEM and how to find resources along the way. What keeps her going is watching others grow too. "For me," she says, "it's not just about building things. It's about building possibilities.”
Ella is Mexican American, raised by her family with the values of hard work, creativity, and perseverance. She has put all three to use in every STEM challenge and leadership role she has taken on. Ella has seen how teachers from different backgrounds can change how a student thinks and what they believe is possible. In middle school, a science teacher from Lagos showed her how to approach problems through logic and experimentation. In high school, a South Asian math teacher encouraged her to believe that students like her belonged in advanced STEM classes. Different perspectives, she learned, open doors that might otherwise stay closed. "Innovation comes from inclusion," Ella writes. "The best solutions are built when people with different backgrounds work together.”
Ella was taught that true strength comes from helping others. Her parents reminded her, no matter how busy life gets, there is always time to give back. "Service is not an obligation," she says. "It's a privilege." She volunteers through her church in youth programs, food drives, and community events. One of her most meaningful experiences was helping organize a Christmas donation drive for families in need. She coordinated volunteers, sorted gifts, and handed them out. Even small acts of kindness, she reflects, can make a difference. Through FBLA, she also coordinates service projects that bring her interest in technology together with her commitment to community. "Sharing knowledge can be one of the most meaningful forms of service," she writes, "because it inspires others to believe in their own potential.”
Looking at her own community, Ella sees students with curiosity but not always the resources to follow it. To help close that gap, she proposes partnerships between rural schools and nearby universities to bring workshops to towns like Tonopah, where students could learn to build model bridges, try coding for the first time, and meet college students in STEM. "I believe that growing up in a small town shouldn't limit someone's dreams," she writes. "By investing in early STEM education and creating opportunities for hands-on learning, Tonopah can inspire its next generation of innovators and show students that their ideas can reach far beyond where they started.”
Ella plans to study electrical engineering with a minor in mathematics at Arizona State University, the University of Arizona, or Northern Arizona University. "Helping others is how I define purpose," she says. "My goal is to continue serving wherever I go, through engineering, through faith, and through compassion.”