2 Cerritos Students To Receive $10K Scholarships

CERRITOS, CA — Two Cerritos students were selected to receive a $10,000 scholarship as part of the 2019 Milken Scholars program, it was announced Friday. Jiangda Zhao and Oluwamayowa Jolayemi were among 16 students from Los Angeles chosen for the 2019 scholarship program after a rigorous nomination, application and interview process by The Milken Scholars, a joint initiative of the Milken Institute and the Milken Family Foundation, the Milken Scholars press release said.

Milken Scholars are selected based on academic performance, community service, leadership and their ability to persevere in the face of personal challenges; the program is open to college-bound high school students in Los Angeles County, New York City and Washington, D.C.

Here is what the Milkin Scholars had to say about Gretchen Whitney High School student Jiangda Zhao:

"Jiangda (J.D.) Zhao just finished high school, but he already runs a company exploring the cutting edge of blockchain technology. The valedictorian at Gretchen Whitney High School in Cerritos, J.D. co-founded CryptoHash LLC in his garage with two friends. They spent a hot summer coding, raising funds, vetting sponsors and hunting for server components on eBay. J.D. installed a remote management system and eventually rented a warehouse for the noisy 1,000-plus servers, contributing to the global blockchain network. J.D. published a paper in an international journal on ways to improve the scalability and efficiency of the blockchain system.

J.D. is a National AP Scholar, National Merit Scholarship Finalist and Coca-Cola Semifinalist. He received the Congressional Award Silver Medal, won several medals at the United States Physics Olympiad, and captained the team that reached the finals of the National Science Bowl at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. As co-head programmer of the robotics team, J.D. led software development; the team went on to win the THINK Award. At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), J.D. learned to train neural networks in the Beaver Works Summer Institute, designed a neural image captioner as an aid for people with visual impairments at the Lincoln Laboratory, and submitted a research proposal on multi-party machine learning to MIT’s THINK Foundation.
J.D. taught programming at robotics camp, led demonstrations at Science Night, and helped peers prepare for math and science competitions as director of science for the STEM Club. He taught senior citizens about social networking at the Pat Nixon Senior Center, mentored younger students in the Big Buddy Little Buddy program, and served as a teaching assistant for English and calculus classes.

J.D. will study computer science and economics at Yale and plans a career in science."

Here is what the Milkin Scholars had to say about Richard Gahr High School student Oluwamayowa Jolayemi:

"Oluwamayowa (Mayowa) Jolayemi is working hard to make her community a better place. After attending the Aspen Ideas Festival as a Bezos Scholar, she returned to Richard Gahr High School in Cerritos ready to tackle the lack of minority representation in the school’s AP classes, academic programs and college preparation activities. Mayowa drafted plans for her “Track Program,” met with school officials and received a grant to develop the program. Working with California State Assemblymember Cristina Garcia in the Young Legislators Program, Mayowa visited local businesses to understand the effects of municipal government on their operations and presented her own legislation during a mock floor session at the California State Capitol.

Mayowa is an AP Scholar with Honor, graduated as Gahr’s valedictorian and earned the City of Cerritos Proclamation for Leadership. The undersecretary of Model United Nations, Mayowa led discussions of international issues like refugee crises and clean water, earning multiple commendations. The president of Gahr’s Associated Student Body (ASB), Mayowa facilitated weekly meetings, created a calendar, approved events and budgets, and oversaw beach cleanups and food distribution on Skid Row. She ran social media campaigns to spread awareness about service opportunities for the California State Federation and earned both the Owl and Lamp Pin honors.

As a fellow with Earthwatch Ignite, Mayowa researched the effects of climate change on the nesting and birthing habits of owls. The student representative for the ABC Unified School District’s Finance and Audit Committee, she provided a student perspective on the district’s allocation of funding and resources. Mayowa volunteered at the Cerritos Library, mentored Gahr’s incoming students to help them transition to high school, and tutored fellow students in math. Active in her church, Mayowa facilitated community outreach projects and planned a mission trip to Mexico to establish a Vacation Bible School.

Mayowa will study economics and math at Harvard and plans a career in public policy."

The other 2019 Los Angeles Milken Scholars are:

• Christian Alexander, Hawthorne Mathematics and Science Academy (Washington University in St. Louis)
• Paul Bingaman, Jr., The Buckley School (Harvard)
• Stephanie Castaneda Perez, Harbor Teacher Preparatory Academy (Stanford)
• Esteban Flores, South Gate High School (University of California, Berkeley)
• Haesung Jee, Grover Cleveland Charter High School (Harvard)
• Oluwamayowa "Mayowa" Jolayemi, Richard Gahr High School (Harvard)
• Hangyul "Lyna" Kim, North Hollywood High School (Stanford)
• Ronen Lee, North Hollywood High School (University of California, Berkeley)
• Brianny Martinez, South Gate High School (Stanford)
• Yunhee "Eunice" Park, Oakwood Secondary School (Yale)
• Marcos Perez, North Hollywood High School (California Institute of Technology)
• Brigitte Rodriguez, Downtown Magnets High School (University of Southern California)
• Justin Yeh, Glen A. Wilson High School (Harvey Mudd College)
• Jiangda "J.D." Zhao, Gretchen Whitney High School (Yale)

Mike and Lori Milken founded the Milken Scholars Program to promote and assist young adults as they navigate transitioning from high school to college, and from college to graduate school or the world of work. Recipients receive a $10,000 scholarship, "but more importantly they gain a lifelong support system that includes ongoing career-related counseling, assistance in securing internships, opportunities for community service, and a fund to assist their pursuit of post-undergraduate career goals," the press release said.

"In the nearly three decades since Lori and I co-founded the Milken Scholars program, these leaders of tomorrow have consistently inspired us by their achievements, leadership and dedication to service," said Milken Institute Chairman Mike Milken. "This year’s class of outstanding Washington, D.C. Scholars is no exception. In welcoming them to the Milken Scholars family, we are confident they can change the world."

The Los Angeles Milken Scholars will attend a four-day summit from August 1-4 in Los Angeles with more than 100 Scholars including new recipients, undergraduates and alumni facilitators.