Ever since she was little, Valerie has been obsessed with science. In third grade, her school offered a robotics club where students could code LEGO robots — since then, she’s been hooked.

“I loved that,” Valerie said. “I never wanted to go to my other classes; I only wanted to work with the robots. I think that’s when my passion for STEM really started.”

Now, as she prepares to graduate high school and head to college in the fall, her passion has only grown, shifting to the sky. She plans to pursue a degree in astronautical engineering, using space innovation to help solve earthly problems.

As one of this year’s Edison Scholars, Valerie was awarded a $50,000 scholarship — money she says will allow her to achieve her goals and pick the university that feels right for her, without financial limitations.

“I was scared about how expensive college is; not only tuition, but books and room and board. Now, with this money I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders,” she said. “It feels like freedom, knowing I can now choose whatever school I want and not have to stress.”

Valerie is one of 30 students across Southern California Edison’s service area to receive the STEM-focused scholarship in 2026 — and only the second student from Northview High School to win it since the program’s launch in 2006.

“Our theme for this school year is ‘The Gold Standard,’ which means putting in the hard work every day to show the world what you are made of,” said Leo Magallon, principal of Northview High School. “I always tell my students, ‘Si, se puede,’ and Valerie is someone who embodies that to the fullest extent. We are super proud she is earning this recognition.”

After moving to Mexico as a baby, Valerie came back to the U.S. when she was just 5 years old. In an unfamiliar new home, learning an unfamiliar language, school started out as a challenge. But it's that difficulty that helped her develop the skills she credits for where she is today.

“Being away from my family in Mexico and being around such a strange language — that hurt for a while. But getting through it fueled my passion and determination to go after what I want, no matter what,” said Valerie.

And what she wants is ultimately to help people. Even in 2026, with technology more advanced than ever, there are still billions of people without access to necessities, like clean water — a fact she hopes her research will change.

“Everything is so interconnected,” said Valerie. “Building a rocket to fix things on earth sounds crazy but it's actually very effective. There are so many people in the world without clean water, I want to build something that can help fix that.”

While she knows exactly what she wants to study, the “where” is still up in the air. But with several acceptance letters rolling in and a newfound sense of financial freedom, there’s no wrong answer.

“I never thought I would be selected for this scholarship. I still can’t believe it. So, for anyone else that doesn't think they can do it — you can. Be yourself and apply. It could change your life.”

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