Long before James heard of mechanical engineering, he was creating makeshift solutions any way he could.

At just 7 years old, James didn’t fully understand his father’s back injury — only that walking was too painful and the family didn’t have money for a wheelchair or walker. So, he and his sisters did the only thing they could, rolling out a rug, so their dad could crawl across the floor. That image never left James.

“I didn’t have the words for it back then,” said James, a senior at Diamond Bar High School. “But I remember thinking, ‘Why is a rug our only option?’ Since then, I've dreamed of making more affordable, usable assistive technology, so that no family has to improvise when a loved one is pain.”

That dream is now within closer reach for James, who was recently awarded a $50,000 scholarship from Edison International to support his college education. The recognition is part of Edison Scholars, a program that awards scholarships each year to 30 high school seniors who plan to study science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) in college and have demonstrated financial need.

An unsuspecting James was tuning his saxophone during band class when he was surprised with the award. Instead of the sound of music, it was the cheers from his family, peers and teachers that filled the room.

“It’s so important for students to become well-rounded individuals and have freedom to explore what catches their attention,” said Steve Acciani, a band teacher at the high school. “James sets a great example of what that can look like.”

Ranked first in his graduating class of over 650 students, James’ ambition spills into nearly every corner of his life. At school, he mentors students through clubs like Science Olympiad, Math Club and Robotics. When he gets home, James creates educational YouTube videos that break down a range of topics from math proofs to U.S. history.

“I’ve seen my brother spend a lot of late nights on robotics, filming or college applications,” said his sister, Susanna. “He’s always worked so hard and I’m excited to see what he’ll do in college.”

But James isn’t waiting for college to gain experience in mechanical engineering. He and his capstone project team are already in the process of designing a personalized assistive device for a community member with osteoarthritis.

“I want to design solutions that adapt to people — not the other way around — and make them affordable enough that families don’t have to settle,” said James.

His father, Hunter, has since recovered from his injury and was there to watch his son receive the much-deserved recognition.

“After my back injury, I didn’t think about it too much, so I never imagined the impression it made on James,” Hunter said. “What’s always mattered most to our family is that James does what he’s passionate about, and we’re so grateful he can do that.”

Several top universities have already accepted James’ application, and he’s awaiting more decisions before making his final choice.

“I want to build better solutions for families,” James said, “because no family’s best option should be a rug.”

For more information on Edison International’s commitment to giving back, visit edison.com/community.