Class of 2017 Spotlight: Edison Scholarship Paves Way to The Ivy League for Garfield High Graduate

As originally published May 16,2017 in: LAUSD Daily/Los Angeles Unified School District

The goal of L.A. Unified is to provide students with the knowledge and skills to graduate prepared for college, career and life. As we near the end of the school year, we are featuring stories about some of the outstanding members of the Class of 2017.

Garfield Senior High graduate Armani Aguiar will be heading across the country in the fall to Princeton University, an Ivy League pathway lined with landmarks pointing the way toward a high-tech career.

Garfield High graduate Armani Aguiar plans to major in computer science at Princeton University.

It was in middle school that Aguiar first got interested in computers, his enthusiasm becoming a passion as he entered high school, enrolled in Garfield’s computer science magnet and realized the impact he could make on the world.

“Technology helps society create wondrous things to make our lives easier, such as modern medicine, life support systems and mobile devices,” he said.

Aguiar plans to major in computer science at Princeton, becoming the first member of his family to attend college. His goals will be supported by a $40,000 scholarship, one of 30 awarded by Edison International to high school seniors who plan to pursue studies in science, technology, engineering or math. The graduates were selected from more than 1,200 applicants for the Edison Scholars program.

“Through their pursuit of science, technology, engineering and math, we believe these students will make important contributions to our communities and society,” said Pedro Pizarro, president and CEO of Edison International. “We are proud to support them.”

Aguiar said the four-year scholarship will allow him to focus on his studies rather than worrying about how he’s going to pay for school.

“This scholarship just gave me financial stability and made sure I’m going to have a future where I won’t have to worry about money,” he said.

At Princeton, Armani looks forward to meeting people from various backgrounds and cultures to reach new heights in his education and future career goals.

“I hope to evolve society economically, socially and culturally through technology, creative thinking and self-awareness,” he said. “By traveling the world to gain new knowledge and perspectives, I can better understand the complex world I live in to one day lead my own tech company dedicated to solving issues plaguing the globe.”

Aguiar also plans to return to his community to inspire others and share his knowledge.

“I want to come back to my community to educate others through my experiences in different aspects of society and give them more opportunities to achieve their dreams,” he said.

Principal Mario Cantu said the entire Garfield family is proud of Aguiar’s accomplishments.

“Armani is an exemplary student proudly representing his community and Garfield High,” Cantu said. “Without a doubt, he will succeed and exceed his dreams.”

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