Fort Worth Student Earns $40K Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship

[FORT WORTH, Texas] -- A senior at Harmony School of Innovation–Fort Worth recently received a life-changing surprise, earning one of the nation’s most competitive STEM scholarships.

Emily Bedolla learned she had been selected for the prestigious Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship during a surprise classroom announcement, a moment that highlighted both her achievement and the strong support of her school community. The award provides up to $40,000 in college funding along with a paid summer internship opportunity at Amazon.

The highly selective scholarship supports students pursuing degrees in computer science and recognizes both academic achievement and financial need. It is awarded to high school seniors who have demonstrated a commitment to computer science through coursework or assessment and plan to pursue a bachelor’s degree in the field.

Emily’s college and career counselor at Harmony School of Innovation–Fort Worth, Mr. Lutfullah Kirkagacli, known to students as Mr. Kirk, said her recognition reflects both her personal drive and character.

“What stands out most about Emily is her refusal to settle,” Kirkagacli said. “She consistently pushes herself to go beyond expectations, always looking for ways to grow, improve, and challenge herself. She approaches her work with diligence and a strong sense of responsibility, showing up every day with purpose and reliability. Even when faced with challenges, she demonstrates patience and resilience, adapting and continuing to move forward. At the same time, she encourages those around her, creating a positive and inclusive environment where others feel supported. That combination of determination, character, and care for others is what makes this recognition especially meaningful.”

“Emily’s success highlights the impact of providing students with early access to STEM opportunities, strong mentorship, and meaningful, real-world learning experiences,” said Harun Karan, area superintendent of Harmony Public Schools–North Texas Secondary. “These experiences prepare our students to excel in college and pursue careers in high-demand fields.”

In addition to this national recognition, Emily has built an impressive record of achievement throughout her high school career. She participated in a competitive summer internship through Harmony’s partnership with Code2College and was also named among 75 Harmony Public Schools students selected as QuestBridge National College Match Finalists for the Class of 2026, a record-breaking milestone for the district.

In addition to financial support, scholarship recipients gain access to a highly competitive industry internship with Amazon, where they work alongside professional software engineering teams to develop real-world projects. Interns contribute to major platforms such as Amazon Web Services, logistics systems, and the company’s retail technology, with many completing the program having deployed production-level code used by Amazon customers. For 2026, Amazon awarded 200 high school seniors with Amazon Future Engineer Scholarships, each valued at up to $40,000 over four years. Since launching in 2019, the program has supported 1,950 students nationwide, providing more than $70 million in scholarships and paid internship opportunities to help students pursue degrees in computer science.

A video of the surprise classroom announcement can be viewed on Harmony School of Innovation Fort Worth’s social media channel.

Harmony Public Schools is a Texas-born, Texas-wide public charter school system with more than 60 campuses serving PreK-Grade 12 students in 23 cities across the state, including Greater Houston, DFW, San Antonio, Austin, El Paso, Waco, Lubbock, Midland-Odessa, Bryan, Beaumont, and the Rio Grande Valley. Harmony’s curriculum places a heavy focus on STEM skills, Character Education, project-based learning, and college readiness.

Harmony Public Schools is currently accepting applications for the 2025-2026 school year for both students and team members.