Eight High School Graduates Across LA County Earn $10,000 Milken Scholars Award

Published 07/24/2024 in Program Updates

Written 07/24/2024

2024 class represents Program's 35th anniversary developing "Lifelong Leaders for a Better World"

Eight exceptional high school graduates across Los Angeles County are among the last to join the prestigious 2024 class of Milken Scholars! The scholarship Program, a joint initiative of the Milken Institute and the Milken Family Foundation, honors high school seniors in Los Angeles County, Washington, D.C., and New York City each year with a $10,000 cash prize and lifelong access to college advising, career counseling, internship assistance, community service opportunities, and a fund to help with graduate school applications, unpaid internships, study abroad programs, and other costs associated with their pursuit of a career.

The 2024 Los Angeles Milken Scholars are: 

• Natalie Garcia, Maywood Center for Enriched Studies, Stanford University
• Rayhan Haque, Larchmont Charter School, Columbia University
• Daniel Hong, North Hollywood High School, Rice University
• Charlry Kamara, Leuzinger High School, Emory University
• Anthony Sarceno, Harbor Teacher Preparation Academy, Yale
• Samuel Sosa Sanchez, Alliance Gertz-Ressler High School, UC Berkeley
• Sofia Williams, Mira Costa High School, Stanford University
• Angela Yang, Granada Hills Charter High School, Harvard

Established in 1989 by Mike and Lori Milken, the Milken Scholars Program celebrates its 35th anniversary this year. After completing a rigorous nomination, application and interview process, Milken Scholars are selected based on academic performance, community service, leadership, and their ability to persevere in the face of personal challenges. Past recipients include inaugural poet Amanda Gorman; Ruben Harutunian, treasurer of the board of the Binational Fulbright Commission in Egypt and minister-counselor for public diplomacy at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo; Dr. Joelle Simpson, chief of emergency medicine at Children's National Hospital; and award-winning entrepreneur Emanuel Yekutiel.

"In its 35th year, as the Milken Scholars Program approaches a total of nearly 600 remarkable young men and women representing more than 80 nations, Lori and I never fail to be amazed and gratified by their achievements," said Mike Milken.

This month, the Los Angeles Milken Scholars will be celebrated by the LA Milken Scholars community at an annual Recognition Ceremony. They will also attend a three-day summit in Los Angeles with over 100 Scholars including new Milken Scholars from Washington, D.C., and New York City, as well as undergraduates and alumni facilitators in fields across all industries. Students gain insight and guidance from speakers, panels and activities while discussing the Summit theme "Shaping a Shared Future" and learning more about the support structure they will receive throughout their college careers and beyond. Access to such resources creates a setting that propels these exceptional youth into a position where they can achieve their personal, academic and professional goals and, in the process, become "Lifelong Leaders for a Better World."

Mike and Lori Milken founded the Milken Scholars Program to promote and assist exceptional youth as they navigate the transitions from high school to college and from college to graduate school or the world of work. As of 2024, the program reaches over 575 students representing more than 80 countries of origin since its first 1989 class.

Milken Scholars embody a variety of ages, backgrounds, and academic and professional interests, and attend some of the top colleges and universities in the country. Twenty-five percent were born outside the U.S. and 78% have parents originating from over 80 countries. More than half are first generation in their family to attend college, while 46% are the first person in their family to attend college in the U.S. The class of 2024 is one of the most diverse yet, representing 16 countries spanning North America, Central America, West Africa, Northeast Africa, the Middle East, Western Europe, East Asia, and South Asia.

MEET THE 2024 LOS ANGELES MILKEN SCHOLARS

Natalie Garcia
Stanford University

Natalie Garcia is an expert at seizing life's opportunities. She founded and led the Write On Club at her STEM-focused school, where she developed programming, writing prompts, and created a safe space for students to express themselves and promote positive mental health through creative writing. Noticing a need for more accessible healthcare within her community, Natalie began volunteering at the Humanitaria Clinic, where she shadowed doctors, observed medical evaluations, interviewed a pediatric oncologist, and helped bring healthcare to families in Southeast LA. Her passion for healthcare extended to her school's Red Cross Club and an internship with Curious Cardinals, where she completed a research project about the correlation between fitness and positive mental health. 

Earning awards for outstanding academic achievement and perfect attendance, Natalie left her mark at Maywood Center for Enriched Studies. She is an AP Scholar with Distinction, College Board National Hispanic Recognition Awardee, College Match Los Angeles Awardee, and recipient of both the California Department of Education and Los Angeles Unified School District Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish. She served as Maywood's Class of 2024 board president, the Associated Student Body secretary, and as an active member on the Speech and Debate team.  

Natalie was a competitive athlete on Maywood's varsity cheer team and dance team. Outside of performing, she served as vice president of tutoring for the National Honor Society, where she enthusiastically participated in the Sixth Grade Mentorship Program and received recognition for her outstanding service. Maywood's Interact Club benefited from her membership and assistance with community service activities like food drives, beach cleanups, and LA Marathon volunteer work.  

Natalie will study child development, psychology, and human biology on a premed track at Stanford University. 

Rayhan Haque 
Columbia University

With talents spanning from the classroom to the stage, Rayhan Haque shines as an academic and musical leader. Since the eighth grade, he has been a member of the Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA) Rock Band – performing, mentoring new members, tutoring HOLA students, and serving as a senior guitar player. Academically, Rayhan led his school's award-winning debate team and Humanities Olympiad team as a co-captain and mentor. Through the Los Angeles Metropolitan Debate League, he helped his school become qualified under the National Speech and Debate Association, expanding his team's opportunities to compete in nationally ranked tournaments. 

At Larchmont Charter School, Rayhan was an Honor Roll student and took concurrent classes at Los Angeles City College, where he made the Dean's List. He is a National Merit finalist and was selected as a tutor for an SAT tutoring program hosted by Schoolhouse, Khan Academy, and the College Board. Rayhan tutored through Scholar's Circle and served as founder and co-president of the Book Club. Rayhan continued to impact Larchmont as vice president of the National Honor Society. Excited about a future career in law, he observed criminal and civil court proceedings firsthand during his internship with the Los Angeles Superior Court. 

As a Mayoral Service Awardee and two-time Gold Presidential Service Awardee, Rayhan goes above and beyond for his community. Passionate about sharing his culture, he served as president of Larchmont's South Asian Cultural Organization, where he planned events, celebrated South Asian holidays, and represented Bangladesh at multiple culture fairs. He helped found and lead Larchmont's California Scholarship Federation branch, providing volunteering opportunities to students. A dedicated volunteer at the Islamic Center of Southern California's food pantry, Rayhan headed direct distribution and mentored new volunteers. 

Rayhan will study economics and political science on the prelaw track at Columbia University. 

Daniel Hong
Rice University 

Daniel Hong is a fierce Speech and Debate team co-captain, A-Team Science Bowl member, and Science Olympiad competitor. Case in point: Daniel has placed in several state, regional and national competitions like the National Science and Physics Bowls, the Southern California Science and Chemistry Olympiads, the U.S. Physics Olympiad, the U.S. Biology Olympiad, and more. He has been recognized by Congressman Tony Cardenas and the Los Angeles Unified School District for his accomplishments on his school's Science Bowl team, and even brought home a bronze medal in the International Medicine and Disease Olympiad. What's more, Daniel is the founder and head director of the South Middle Holly-Lake Invitational Tournament, where he manages staff members, handles finances, edits questions, and fundraises for charity. 

A graduate of North Hollywood High School, Daniel is an AP Scholar with Distinction, and Brian and Iris Na Foundation scholarship recipient. At North Hollywood, Daniel served as co-founder of the Physics Club. He co-founded and leads communication efforts for the Tutoring Made Easy nonprofit. Expanding his love of science, he spent a summer as a student researcher for the Summer Science Program in Biochemistry at Indiana University, writing a research paper about a Cdc14 phosphatase inhibitor and presenting it with his peers. 

Daniel takes pride in his Korean heritage. He volunteered as a translator for the Me and Korea nonprofit, and as a student leader at the Korean Church of North Los Angeles, sharing the Korean language, culture, and customs with children. A talented cellist, Daniel is a Youth Philharmonic member at California State University, Northridge, and performs for Alzheimer's and dementia patients in hospice through VITAS Healthcare. His volunteer work extends to Compassion International, where he fundraised for education in Kenya. 

Daniel will study biochemistry on a premed track at Rice University.

Charlry Kamara
Emory University 

After immigrating to the U.S. as a child from West Africa, Charlry Kamara dedicated herself to bringing quality education and healthcare to those in need. As an educational talent search student ambassador for Volunteers of America (VOA), Charlry participated in career workshops, summer academies, college visits and college-readiness student panels. She was a leader in the Girls Build STEM group under VOA, helping young women preregister to vote and empowering them through the Generation Flo menstruation project, assembling period kits and promoting reproductive health education. Furthering her positive influence, Charlry actively engaged in the Tena Health Organization as a CARE student chapter leader, where she helped assemble care kits for the unhoused community. 

In addition to being an AP Scholar with Honor, Thrive Scholar, and Gear Up Scholar, Charlry graduated from Leuzinger High School with the Superintendent's Certificate of Excellence. In her time at Leuzinger, she founded the Health Outreach Club and represented the 2024 class in the Culinary Career Academy Club. She stood out as a leader in the Black Student Union, where she served as president, coordinating meetings, events, fundraisers, and guest speakers. In her spare time, Charlry participated in the Academic Community of Excellence (ACE) program and the Educational Talent Search Group Mentoring Program at Loyola Marymount University, as well as the Educational Talent Search and South Bay Workforce Investment Boards' Invest in Yourself Career Development Program. 

Charlry was an athletic asset at Leuzinger, playing basketball and participating in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. In the community, she often volunteered at Hawthorne City Hall, Westchester Arts and Music Festival, House of Yahweh's donation drive, and as a Mental Health Fair workshop moderator.  

Charlry will study nursing and global health at Emory University and plans a career in healthcare. 

Anthony Sarceno
Yale 

In addition to deepening his education as a first-generation student, Anthony Sarceno is dedicated to supporting the academic and professional endeavors of his peers. As the chief executive officer of Vanguard Scholars, Anthony created an Instagram account to inform students about college, leadership and internship opportunities. After the account gained traction, Anthony mentored students by assisting them in completing scholarship applications and founding their own organizations. He was elected as chairman of the School Site Council (SSC), where he contributed to budgeting Title I funding and advocated for greater educational opportunities. At Panda Bound, Anthony showcased his passion for equitable education as a co-lead of the College Access Coordinator team. 

Anthony graduated from Harbor Teacher Preparation Academy with three associate degrees from Los Angeles Harbor College (LAHC), earning the highest honor possible at LAHC: the President's Distinguished Honors Award. A committed dual-enrollment student, Anthony's degrees have emphases in mathematics and natural sciences, social and behavioral sciences, and arts and humanities. He is a College Board National Hispanic Recognition Awardee, Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America Scholar, and UCLA Riordan Scholar. Through UCLA Riordan Scholars, Anthony served as the lead real estate analyst, lead stock market research analyst, and communications chair committee member. Anthony is a Warren Christopher Scholar and GripTape Challenger awardee.  

Anthony served as vice president of his school's Black Student Union, planning exciting activities for students, celebrating cultural holidays, and promoting inclusivity. He contributed his academic and digital talents as a math and science teacher and social media manager at Bivium and remained actively involved in the community as president of the National Honor Society and of his school's Red Cross Chapter of Future Medical Professionals. 

Anthony will study economics at Yale and plans a career in investment banking, private equity, or consulting. 

Samuel Sosa Sanchez
UC Berkeley 

As co-founder of the Speech and Debate team and the Hack Club at Alliance Gertz Ressler High School, Samuel Sosa Sanchez harnessed his academic talents to lead and provide greater opportunities for his classmates to explore STEM subjects outside of class. He established the Hack Club as a nonprofit, leading hackathons, coding workshops, and web development lessons. As robotics and engineering captain for the Gertz Nerds Club, his leadership served his team well in competitions, earning a "Best Design" Award in NASA's JPL Invention Challenge Regionals. Samuel's love of STEM inspired his self-taught website design skills, and work with elementary students on activities and experiments as a scientific arts teacher assistant with the Heart of Los Angeles. 

Samuel is an AP Scholar with Distinction, QuestBridge College Prep Scholar, and College Board National Hispanic Recognition Awardee. He earned the first Youth Activist Award in Gertz's history for his civic engagement work and outstanding social activism. The IRS recognized Samuel for leading a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Clinic at his school, where he trained peers to provide free tax return preparation to communities in need. He has completed student research internships with Lumiere Education, LA-HIP at The Saban Research Institute of Children's Hospital Los Angeles, and Stanford University's SHTEM Program, where his research was published in the STEM2SHTEM Journal. 

Outside of the classroom, Samuel was a dual athlete in soccer and cross-country, and is active in the community. He is a Gold Presidential Volunteer Service Awardee, UCLA Youth Development Awardee, and was recognized by AmeriCorps for dedicating over 100 hours to public service. He was an education justice team leader at Changeist, where he educated others about financial security, educational policies, and career development.  

Samuel will study computer science at UC Berkeley and plans a career as a bioinformatics analyst.

Sofia Williams
Stanford University 

An advocate for media literacy and press freedom, Mira Costa High School graduate Sofia Williams uses her voice as a catalyst for the truth. She served as editor-in-chief of both the La Vista Newspaper and her school's literary magazine, Papercut. Sofia's commitment to preserving freedom of speech originated during her time as co-director of Teens for Press Freedom, where she and her team members earned the Press Freedom Teaching Award from the International Global Youth and News Media. 

Sofia is a National Merit Commended Scholar, AP Scholar with Distinction, and received both the Johns Hopkins University Book Award and the Brown University Book Award for her outstanding communication skills and desire for intellectual and moral growth. As a student ambassador for PEN America, Sofia gave presentations and hosted a panel on free speech issues, furthering her effort to promote strong media ethics. Active in her school's Sinfonietta Orchestra, she received the Director's Award for demonstrating excellence in musicianship and rose to principal violinist in the Symphony and Chamber Orchestras. 

Sofia serves her community through several organizations like the Institutors Nonprofit, which offers free virtual tutoring sessions to kindergarten through eighth grade students in Los Angeles. She helped bring concerts to the Pasadena community through the POPS nonprofit, and mentored students and expanded their access to music through Music with Meaning. A volunteer for Grass Roots Neighbors, Sofia provided nutritious meals for individuals across Los Angeles. She also interned with the Easy Reader, a local newspaper, where she photographed and reported on community events and local traditions. 

Sofia will study comparative literature and public policy at Stanford University and plans a career in journalism.

Angela Yang
Harvard 

Angela Yang's leadership knows no bounds. Committed to making strides in STEM gender equity, she serves as one of 24 Girl Up Global Teen Advisors and founded and led the Granada Hills Charter High School Girls Who Code Club and GirlsBuild team. Channeling her lifelong passion for mathematics as vice president of Agoura Math Circle, Angela has developed curriculum materials and videos for hundreds of students. Working closely with local government and community leaders, Angela uplifted youth voices and policies as one of 30 representatives on the LA City Youth Council. 

In her endeavors as a writer and orator, Angela has become a New York Times STEM Writing National Awardee, Scholastic Gold Key recipient, and nationally recognized speech tournament champion. Beyond pushing her academic boundaries as a three-time AP Scholar with Distinction and ACT 36'er, Angela placed second in the California Academic Decathlon individual championship with gold medals in math, music, and social science. 

Utilizing her FIRST robotics and hackathon experiences, Angela has channeled her technology background for social good in healthcare and government sectors. She founded and led the American Cancer Society Youth Ambassador Program's Technical Team to use technology to educate the cancer community. Last year, Angela and her Science Team subgroup were recognized by international innovation competitions for creating deMeter, a nutritional analysis device. Last summer, she interned with the LA Mayor's Gang Reduction and Youth Development Office to assist with its website development and data analysis efforts. 

As a Coca-Cola Scholar and the Distinguished Young Woman of LA County and California Runner-Up, Angela has continuously displayed a commitment to excellence in public service and education. 

Angela will study computer science and economics at Harvard and plans to pursue a career interweaving business and government.