Congratulations to Nishini Fernando, Deetya Gogineni, and Justin Wang. The three students were selected as the School District’s top high school juniors in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and were recently awarded one-year scholarships to attend Florida’s top-ranked colleges or universities.
“I plan to go study Astrophysics, become a scientist to aid humanity in exploring that vast new world, and finally become a professor to pass my expertise to the next generation of innovators,” Justin Wang said. “I thought it was a great honor and I am so happy to be in a better position to make an impact and achieve my dreams, but mostly it was official confirmation to myself that all of my hard work paid off.”
Justin is a student at North Fort Myers High School. He found his passion for STEM, particularly outer space, after watching a video about wormholes in elementary School. Nishini and Deetya attend Dunbar High. Nishini credits her parents as her inspiration and her success at science fairs, inventor fairs, and robotics competitions for her interest in STEM. Deetya is focused on science and math, and due to her teaching and tutoring, how they intersect with education.
“It was an amazing experience!” Deetya Gogineni said. “I had a whole bunch of fun and learned a lot at the conference. My time at the conference was jam-packed and didn’t have a single dull moment! One of my favorite parts of it was meeting so many other Juniors from other counties and forming so many new connections!”
As the District’s top juniors in STEM, all three students joined more than one hundred other outstanding STEM students at the 2025 Sunshine State Scholars Conference in Orlando. Less than half were honored with the Florida Prepaid College Foundation that Justin, Deetya, and Nishini received.
“It is an honor to be selected as a top junior in STEM because it is a validation of my hard work, curiosity, and perseverance for all the work done in past years,” Nishini Fernando said. “It is incredibly rewarding to be recognized for something I am so passionate about and motivates me to do more in the future.”
At the conference, the 2025 Sunshine State Scholars and their families connected with Florida’s postsecondary education institutions for sessions about college funding, interactive panel discussions with STEM professionals, and the educational opportunities available in Florida. They also met with STEM-focused employers and engaged in a dynamic “think tank,” tackling challenging Florida issues through problem-solving activities and expert presentations. Each scholar also received a new iPad courtesy of AT&T, and SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment generously provided tickets for a day of fun and leisure.