Posted: 7/15/2024

The Bezos Scholars Program announced its 20th cohort of Bezos Scholars, a talented group of rising high school seniors and educators. The 2024 scholars include Angelica Mejia, a student at John I. Leonard High School, and Carla Rodas-Piña, a teacher at the school.

Bezos Scholars is a year-long leadership development program where participants work with their communities to design and implement a Community Change Project. The program provides support to scholars, helping them produce real-world projects intended to create positive change. Scholars are chosen based on their intellectual curiosity and commitment to education, demonstrated leadership and community engagement, as well as their readiness and capacity to engage in the program.

“I’m overjoyed to be a Bezos Scholar because I want to create bonds with those passionate about helping their communities and developing solutions to tackle issues we face as a nation,” Mejia said.

Mejia organized a program that provided free menstrual products for her school community. She also conducted voter education and registration drives to inform students about the importance of voting. She received mentorship and guidance from her educator scholar, Ms. Rodas-Piña. 

Mejia and Rodas-Piña are now part of a diverse and accomplished cohort community of students and educators who engage in more than 45 hours of virtual leadership skill-building sessions and earn $1,000 in funding to launch their projects. Students also receive free personalized college advising and have access to unique opportunities offered through the Scholar Alum Network, upon program completion.

The topics and themes of Bezos Scholar projects are as diverse as the Scholars themselves and designed to align their passions with an existing community need. Since the program’s inception in 2005, Bezos Scholars have launched 215 projects, and there are more than 465 alums in the network of Scholars.