Local high school Senior Jonathan Jeong is a proud recipient of a $50,000 scholarship from Southern California Edison (SCE). This highly sought-after scholarship, which is presented annually by Edison International, is granted to just 30 exceptional high school seniors throughout Southern California who demonstrate a deep passion for pursuing careers in the fields of STEM which includes science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Jonathan, is a Senior at Oak Hills High School and resides in Phelan and is attending the University of California, Berkeley, this fall majoring in Computer Science. Representatives from Southern California Edison (SCE) arrived at Oak Hills High School in March to surprise Jonathan on campus and announce he had been selected as a 2025 Edison Scholar.

The prestigious scholarship not only recognizes academic excellence but also a strong commitment to using STEM to make a positive impact and for Jeong, that impact centers on the world of cybersecurity.

According to Edison’s website, Jonathan interned at his school district’s IT department, where he witnessed a Russian ransomware attack that disrupted thousands of students’ education and highlighted digital vulnerabilities. This troubling experience not only fueled his passion for cybersecurity but also underscored the urgent need for skilled professionals to protect communities from similar cyber threats.

With global cyber threats on the rise, costing billions of dollars annually and threatening critical systems, Jeong is determined to be part of the next generation of cybersecurity leaders, and by furthering his education in computer science, he seeks to secure our digital world and support his community.

The list of this year’s 2025 Edison Scholars is posted on their website at https://energized.edison.com/2025-edison-scholars.