Luis Sanchez, a high-achieving Firebaugh High School senior with a passion for how science and technology can change the world, has been named a 2022 Edison Scholar, receiving a $40,000 scholarship from Edison International to support his college education.
Sanchez, who is among 30 students in Southern California to receive the scholarship this year, credits his achievements to the support he received from his family and mentors.
“My family encourages me to do all that I can do to further my education,” Sanchez said. “I’m happy to win such a competitive scholarship, and I’m also relieved -- it is a huge financial help.”
Sanchez has maintained his 4.6 GPA while serving as Firebaugh’s volleyball team captain, participating in extracurriculars and taking Advanced Placement courses such as AP Computer Science and AP Calculus.
Sanchez is also a member of Firebaugh’s Project Lead The Way (PLTW) program, which has allowed him to discover and explore his passion for engineering. He is also part of the Mathematics, Engineering and Science Achievement team, where students work on challenging projects that use math, coding and design to build objects such as gliders and launchers, ultimately leading up to a competition at UC Irvine at the end of each year.
Sanchez’s experience in the MIT Online Science, Technology and Engineering Community (MOSTEC) Program, which is a six month long interactive program that gives young students the opportunity to explore the world of STEM, helped inspire him to pursue his interests in the field.
Sanchez will major in electrical engineering technology at Stanford University in the fall. He hopes to develop innovative renewable technologies to help fight climate change in his future career. Sanchez also said he wants to help communities much like his own and provide other students who have a passion for STEM with opportunities and resources.
Edison International has contributed millions of dollars in scholarships to students pursuing careers in the STEM field annually since 2006, creating a path to success for nearly 800 students since the program’s launch.
“We are extremely proud of Luis and his accomplishments,” Superintendent Dr. Gudiel Crosthwaite said. "He has a very bright future ahead of him, as many of our students do. We are honored to have him as a member of Lynwood Unified and look forward to seeing the great things he achieves in the future.”