Investing in the Future: FPL Surprises Hialeah Student with $20,000 Scholarship

For young people dreaming of careers in science, technology and engineering, access to educational opportunities can provide the support that transforms years of hard work into a promising future. For one Hialeah student, that support arrived with balloons, confetti and a surprise his family will not soon forget.

Gregory Smith, a recent graduate of MAST Academy who is headed to Columbia University, arrived home to find his family waiting with unexpected news: Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) had awarded him a $20,000 robotics scholarship recognizing his outstanding achievements and involvement in local robotics competitions.

The scholarship represents more than an academic honor. Programs like this can help ease the financial pressure families face when paying for college while encouraging talented students to continue pursuing STEM fields — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — that will help shape tomorrow’s workforce.

“I’m going to be able to cover everything that I was worried about,” Smith said after receiving the scholarship. He explained that his family had attended a financial aid meeting that same morning to work through the final financial details of attending college. Now, he said, those remaining expenses will be covered.

Smith was selected not only for his achievements in robotics but also for his leadership and commitment to helping others succeed. His emphasis on collaboration, teamwork and problem-solving helped distinguish him throughout his robotics experience.

This fall, Smith will take those skills to Columbia University, where he plans to study Biomedical Engineering with a focus on Nanotechnology.

The scholarship is part of FPL’s broader commitment to supporting STEM education and preparing the next generation of innovators. Through educational initiatives and community programs, the company continues to create opportunities that can connect students with careers in technology, engineering and other high-demand fields.

That investment is particularly meaningful because today’s students will become the engineers, scientists, researchers and innovators developing many of the technologies, medical advances, energy solutions and ideas that will shape the decades ahead.

For Smith, the $20,000 scholarship means beginning his next academic chapter with one less financial concern. For the community, his story illustrates what can happen when organizations invest directly in young talent.

More information about FPL’s educational programs is available at FPL.com/Education.