WATSONVILLE — Someday, Ceiba College Preparatory Academy 10th-grader Eduardo De León hopes to study computer science at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and forge a path for himself in the field of educational technology.
While he still has two years left before he begins that journey, De León will get a jump-start on his goal in June, when he will travel to Boston as a Delegate of the Congress of Future Science and Technology Leaders.
There, he will meet such tech-world luminaries as Robert Metcalfe, inventor of the Ethernet, and Buzz Aldrin, who was one of two people to first land on the moon. In addition, De León will meet Amy Hess, the executive director of FBI’s Science and Technology Branch, whom he described as a personal hero.
He will join students from across the country, who will hear Nobel Laureates and National Medal of Science recipients talk about scientific research, and get advice from deans of the world’s top tech universities.
The event is an honors-only program for high school students who want to study science, technology, engineering or mathematics.
“This is a crucial time in America when we need more nimble-minded and creative scientists and technologists who are even better prepared for a future that is changing exponentially,” said Richard Rossi, executive director of the National Academy of Future Scientists and Technologists. “Focused, bright and determined students like Eduardo De León are our future and he deserves all the mentoring and guidance we can give him.”
De León earned a slot for the trip after his teachers nominated him for an academic achievement award from the National Academy of Future Scientists and Technologists.
“It was a surprise to learn that I was nominated, and an even bigger surprise to learn that I was selected,” he said.
De León said he has always been fascinated with computers and technology. He currently has plans to start a tech team at his school, through which he hopes to help his teachers and peers better utilize the available technology.
He said he helps his fellow students with their Chromebook computers in his free time, a service that started out as a favor to friends and has grown so much that teachers and administrators seek out his services.
“I work closely with our Director of Learning Technology, and the two of us are starting up a Student Tech Cadre in the upcoming quarter,” he said.
To afford the trip across the country, De León turned to a fundraising website, through which he raised $2,000. He will go with his mother and brother, the three treating it as a family vacation.
He will also visit MIT, “to get a sense of the place.”
“I feel honored,” he said. “I think it’s going to bring a lot more opportunities for me.”
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For information, visit www.scitechleaders.com.
