SAN ANTONIO – Two students from STEM Early College High School in Harlandale ISD were awarded a scholarship and a paid internship at Amazon, the company announced Tuesday.
Andres Caracheo and Nicholas Farnsworth each received a $40,000 scholarship to study computer science, engineering or a related field at their college of choice or university, as well as a paid internship after their freshman year of college, Amazon said.
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“I didn’t know I was going to get it, but it’s one of the scholarships I really wanted,” Caracheo, a senior said. “Thank you to the whole team, my parents, the whole staff. Y’all are really a big part of this.”
Amazon said the pair were chosen based on a variety of criteria, including their academic achievement, demonstrated leadership, participation in school and community activities, work experience, future goals, and financial need. They are among 43 high school seniors across Texas and 400 total nationwide from underserved communities across the country to receive the scholarships.
“I want to thank everyone who’s been here. Most of the people who have been a humungous impact on my life are standing in this room right now, specifically my mom and my dad, y’all have been a tremendous part of my life. This was the scholarship I was hoping to get. I put a lot of work into it, and every step I’ve taken has been along with friends and people who believed in me,” Farnsworth said.
The company said the scholarship gives the students the opportunity to gain hands-on, practical work experience with mentorship from Amazon leader and receive skills development and mental health resources, access to an emergency grant fund for unexpected financial obligations that might prevent them from attending school and networking opportunities with their peers and Amazon employees.
“Our scholarship recipients’ unwavering dedication to academic excellence and their passion for leveraging technology to uplift communities is truly inspiring,” Victor Reinoso, global director of education philanthropy at Amazon said. “By investing in computer science education for students from historically underrepresented and underserved communities, we’re not only empowering them to pursue rewarding careers but also equipping them with skills to drive innovation that will shape a more equitable and sustainable future for generations to come.”