You Made It Possible: Samohi Senior Excels in Engineering

Since she was a toddler, Katie Richards has loved to build things. When Katie got to Samohi, she enrolled in Project Lead the Way, the four-year engineering program partially funded by your donations, where she got to design and build a variety of projects, from circuits to hydrogen-powered cars.

Katie was recently called to the principal’s office. She thought she must have filled out an absence form incorrectly. But, when she got there, she was greeted by cameras, balloons, her mom and grandparents, and the CEO of Edison International, who was holding a scholarship check for $40,000.

Katie is one of only 30 students in Southern California to receive this scholarship this year. She won it for her creation (with some of her classmates) of a physical sensor that measures temperature, static electricity levels and sound around electrical wires, to quickly detect potential brush fires.

Congratulations, Katie, and thank you, donors for supporting engineering at Samohi!