CASS LAKE — Cass Lake-Bena High School student and Accelerators member Caraira Jensen was recently named a scholarship recipient for the Northern Minnesota Robotics Conference Scholarship Program.
With plans to pursue engineering, Jensen will receive a $500 general scholarship for underrepresented groups, which is available to any student participating in robotics from the NMRC’s service area but awarded specifically to address the needs of underrepresented groups.
Students can pursue any career or area of interest they have during post-secondary education whether it’s a four-year or two-year institution or an industry-standard trade program, a release said.
Jensen wrote about her FIRST Robotics experiences in the essay portion of her scholarship application.
“I had thought about a lot of different careers I could go into, but none stood out. Participating in robotics led me to the field of engineering,” she wrote. “Having hands-on experience and knowledge of engineering through robotics. ... I know the experiences that robotics has given me I can use throughout my whole life.
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“Being a female going into the field of engineering, I know it is going to be tough, but FIRST has given me confidence in my abilities, I know I can do anything I want to.”
Cass Lake-Bena Head Coach Jesse Frost wrote a letter of recommendation for Jensen, stating, “Our boys' build team turns to her expertise for ideas. … She sees what needs to be done, or what aspect of the game needs to be built upon and leads the team to make those changes or learn that skill.“
A second $500 general scholarship was awarded to Alexandria High School student and Mechatronics member Alicia Erickson.
“The NMRC strongly believes that we should not only support our students while in high school but that we should do what we can to ensure that they have lifelong success,” the release added. “We want robotics to have a lasting and positive effect that students find life-changing.”
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