In a remarkable acknowledgment of commitment, intelligence and community impact, recent SOAR High School graduate Photini Qarmout has been named a 2025 Milken Scholar — one of only 20 students selected nationwide.
Qarmout, a 2025 Antelope Valley Press Future Leader, will attend Claremont McKenna College this fall to study neuroscience and public health policy.
She is the first student from SOAR High School to receive this prestigious honor. The award includes a $10,000 scholarship and provides lifelong access to a collaborative network of support, mentorship, and professional opportunities.
Established by the Milken Family Foundation, the Milken Scholars program identifies and supports exceptional young leaders — students who demonstrate excellence in academics, leadership and community service. Thousands of students are nominated each year, but only a select few are chosen, making the process highly competitive.
Selection includes multiple application rounds, interviews and evaluations, with only a few finalists ultimately recognized for their potential to make significant contributions to their fields and communities.
Qarmout’s path to becoming a Milken Scholar was anything but simple.
“The process to apply was definitely a time investment,” she said. “You have to be nominated for it. I accepted the nomination and filled out the application, made it to a second round and sent more information. Then I made it to an interview round where you really get to share what makes you you, and what you put your heart into.”
Maria Galindo, SOAR’s Pupil Services technician and Class of 2025 advisor, nominated Qarmout for her academic excellence, leadership and dedication to service.
“Her compassion for others is really what sticks out,” Galindo said.
Like Galindo, teacher and ASB advisor Sabrina Jobb notes that Qarmout is one of those students who embodies everything that a leader should exemplify.
“We emphasize being a STAR on our campus and Photini shines brightest,” she said, adding she not only served as ASB president but also developed a nonprofit, was chosen as a LEDA student and served in several leadership roles throughout SOAR and the community.
Qarmout plans to use her scholarship to support her long-term educational goals.
“I’m truly excited to be able to put it towards paying for my medical school applications in the next four years,” she shared.
She hopes to pursue a career in healthcare, with an interest in neuroscience and surgery, and is driven by a desire to give back to her community.
Beyond academics, Qarmout has already made a tangible impact. In fall 2024, the former ASB President founded the STEM Spark Foundation, a nonprofit initiative that grew from a community impact project she developed during a summer institute at Princeton University through the Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America program.
The STEM Spark Foundation aims to ignite curiosity and enthusiasm for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) among students in the Antelope Valley, where math and science proficiency rates are currently below 10%.
Earlier this year, the foundation hosted its first-ever STEM Spark Festival, marking a major milestone in its outreach. The festival consisted of student-run rooms: Coding, Lego Building, How to Understand Facial Expressions & Body Language, Prosthetic Design, Robotics Workshop, Slime Making Polymers + Molecular Shape Building, DNA Extraction Lab, Chemistry of Cooking, Math Escape Room, Candy Models + DNA, Soap Bubbles and Bridge Building Competition.
More than 100 students ranging in age from 4 to 18 from throughout the Antelope Valley attended the festival at the Lancaster Community Center. It was a coordinated effort between her foundation and the Lancaster Community Center.
With the support of local sponsors and resources she hopes to access through the Milken Institute network, Qarmout plans to expand her efforts by offering after-school programs, school-day events, and scholarships for high school seniors.
“The Milken Institute believes in building a better future, and that idea aligns seamlessly with the mission and vision of STEM Spark Foundation and its role in the Antelope Valley,” Qarmout said.
Those interested in supporting or following the foundation’s work can find it on Instagram at @stem_spark_.
By BELLAROSE DIAMOND Special to the Valley Press
