Santa Barbara County High School Seniors Surprised with $50,000 Scholarships 

Santa Barbara High School senior Shelby Reyes did not expect to cry during her third-period math class on Friday. She took her seat beneath a whiteboard crowded with equations, puzzled by the presence of her principal and other unfamiliar adults. Then she saw her mom — clutching a bouquet of flowers with tears streaming down her cheeks — followed by an oversized, $50,000 check with her name on it. 

The tears came instantly.

Reyes had just been named one of 30 “Edison Scholars,” a distinction awarded each year to students across Southern California Edison’s service area who plan to pursue careers in STEM. Since 2006, Edison International has given out 30 scholarships annually, each worth $50,000, to help students attend college.

It was a carefully orchestrated surprise. Edison representatives, school staff, and friends filled the classroom for the announcement. Her mom had kept it a secret, only telling her to “dress nice” for what she described as a work event. 

“I’m fascinated by cities and structures, and I want to improve cities,” Reyes said through tears afterward. “I just want to make a change in the world.”

She wants to be a civil engineer, she said, and hopes to attend UC Berkeley.

Reyes began as a multilingual student in an English as a Second Language program and gradually found her footing through hard work and mentorship. A local mentorship program in Santa Barbara helped spark her interest in city planning, particularly the challenge of balancing people and nature. 

Inspired in part by her grandfather’s birthplace in Guatemala, she seeks to design infrastructure in less‑developed regions that respects local culture, resources, and the natural environment. 

Reyes’s mom, Jessica Urrea, said watching her daughter achieve this milestone was overwhelming. 

“She’s my pride and joy; she’s my best friend,” she said. “I always knew she was smart and could be whatever she wanted — even coming from ESL. There are no words to describe what I’m feeling right now.”

About an hour earlier, a similar scene unfolded in Carpinteria. 

David Esquivel Belmonte, a senior at Carpinteria High School, was surprised in his school’s library with the same $50,000 scholarship. Like Reyes, he also plans to pursue civil engineering, but for a different reason: to encourage people to detach from the screens that have become ingrained in their daily lives. He seeks to create engaging community spaces to inspire face-to-face connections. 

“Thank you to my friends, my AVID class, and everyone for supporting me,” Belmonte told a crowd of his classmates and teachers. “I’m sure my parents are proud.” 

For both students, the scholarships are more than financial support. They’re a vote of confidence in their ambitions.

“I think for us, it’s really investing in the future,” said Karla Sayles, SCE’s vice president of Local Public Affairs. “We really do believe in the importance and value of STEM education. By investing in STEM, and folks like Shelby, that really does allow us to know they’re going to have an impact on our communities, including here in Santa Barbara.” 

Santa Barbara has a track record of producing Edison Scholars, she said. Since launching the program, Edison International has awarded more than $22 million in scholarships to 850 students.

The requirements include maintaining a 3.0 GPA or higher, demonstrating need for financial assistance, planning to attend college and major in STEM, and living in SCE’s service area. The top 50 finalists are required to submit a short video explaining how they plan to make a difference in their communities with a STEM education.

Many of the “innovative thinkers” who receive these scholarships continue to stay in touch with SCE, sometimes even pursuing internships or careers with the company, Sayles noted.

“At a time when affordability is top of mind, being able to invest in young people and help make their dreams possible — that’s huge,” Sayles said. “It’s really special.”