Elevating Education One Robot at a Time

Adoniya Paul is a senior at Sato Academy of Math & Science who has accepted an offer to attend the prestigious California Institute of Technology to study mechanical engineering this fall. She will be the first African American from the Long Beach Unified School District to attend Caltech.

It's an accomplishment made even more remarkable considering her background. Growing up in a one-bedroom, one-bath duplex with six siblings, she remembers her mother and father waking up before dawn to clean up debris from illegal activity in the neighborhood the night before so the children wouldn't see it on their way to school.

"There's a problem for people who look like me or have led similar lives to me, and that's a lack of educational resources and experiences," Adoniya said. "The distinct lack of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education leads children to be uninvolved and disinterested. And interest is the true key to unlocking potential and encouraging learning."

VIDEO: The surprise presentation of Adoniya Paul's Edison Scholar award.

Encouraging education was never a problem in Adoniya's family, and she wanted to spread that desire for knowledge to others. As co-captain of her school-sponsored robotics team, she has mentored younger students and seen the impact robotics can have on learners with little or no engineering experience who become tasked with helping to create a competition-ready robot in about two months.

"They improve their organizational skills, people skills, technical skills and literally any communicative skill you can think of. Most importantly, they learn to think about their impact a little more. They expand their horizons and have bigger goals in what they can do for the community and the people around them," Adoniya said.

In a surprise ceremony at her school, Adoniya learned today that she won a $50,000 Edison scholarship to help with the cost of her education at Caltech. Edison International awards scholarships each year to 30 high school seniors who plan to study STEM in college and have demonstrated financial need. Jill Anderson, Southern California Edison executive vice president and chief operating officer, presented Paul with the honor during her engineering design and development class.

Among those attending the Edison Scholar presentation at Sato Academy of Math and Science were (l-r) Jill Anderson, SCE executive vice president and chief operating officer, parents Jermaine and Mari Paul, with their daughter Adoniya, and Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson.

"I am thrilled for Adoniya. I have a degree in mechanical engineering, so I know firsthand the value of a STEM education," Anderson said. "We need more women and students from diverse backgrounds in science, technology, engineering and math, and I am very encouraged that Adoniya wants to spread that message to others."

"This really means a lot to me. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for all my teachers, family members and all the people who have supported me." Adoniya said. "It doesn't feel like a me accomplishment. It feels like me and everyone who has been behind me."

Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson joined the ceremony to present her with a certificate recognizing her outstanding academic achievements. "Adoniya is a trailblazer as the first African American student from Long Beach Unified to attend Caltech and we are incredibly proud of her," Richardson said. "She is inspiring every student who will follow in her footsteps. We look forward to hearing about her future success."

Jill Anderson, SCE executive vice president and chief operating officer, places an Edison Scholar medal around Adoniya Paul's neck as Adoniya's mother, Mari Paul, looks on.

After the award ceremony, Adoniya was eager to return to class and continue working on her senior project: designing a cold compression sleeve that better regulates temperature so it doesn't burn the skin of athletes and patients recovering from injury.

"She is just intelligent and beautiful and works really hard from early in the morning to late at night," said Jermaine Paul, Adoniya's father. "I haven't seen that drive in too many people."

For more information about the Edison Scholars Program, visit on.edison.com/2024scholars.