13 CPS students receive $40,000 college scholarships from Amazon
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Amazon surprised 13 Chicago Public Schools students Tuesday with $40,000 scholarships to computer science or engineering degrees at colleges or universities of their choice.
CPS representatives and Amazon community partners celebrated the Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship recipients at Amazon Corporate Tuesday. The CPS students who received the scholarships make up 13 out of 400 nationwide.
They will also get the option of a paid internship with Amazon between their freshman and sophomore years of college.
"At Chicago Public Schools, we like to say: 'The Best Are with CPS,' and today's announcement makes it clear that isn't just a saying, it's a fact," CPS chief executive officer Pedro Martinez said in a news release. "Our students are among the best and the brightest in the nation, and I could not be more excited to offer my heartfelt congratulations to this amazing group of CPS students and Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship recipients. They, their families, their teachers, and the entire CPS school community can be proud of their outstanding achievement."
The scholarship recipients are:
- Ayesha Abdiel, of George Westinghouse College Prep in East Garfield Park
- Kathryn Harper, of William Jones College Preparatory High School in the South Loop
- Daniel Castro, of William Jones College Preparatory High School
- Rena Li, of William Jones College Preparatory High School
- Shantiah Watt, of William Jones College Preparatory High School
- Alessandra Romero, of William Jones College Preparatory High School
- Yaneli Cervantes, of William Jones College Preparatory High School
- Winifred Ofori-Manu, of Kenwood Academy High School in Kenwood
- Justis Walker, of Lane Technical College Prep in Roscoe Village
- Stephanie Vega, of Noble Street College Prep in West Town
- Eryn Osei, of Whitney M. Young Magnet High School on the Near West Side
- Cindy Ambriz, of World Language High School on the Near West Side
- Laila Turner, of Lindblom Math & Science Academy in West Englewood.