The Future of STEM: Compton's Elite

The Journey
Hello, my name is Axell Diaz. I am a seventeen-year-old Senior at Compton High School, in Compton, California. I am an Honor Roll student and community enthusiast. I am a young Hispanic teenager seeking to make a change in my community through STEM. Nonetheless. I am a Computer Geek. 

I am seeking funding so I can purchase Computer Equipment and Software. I am currently unable to produce Virtual Reality applications due to my computer not having enough processing power and I do not have access to the funds I need to further my aspirations. I am pursuing a career in Computer Science and I will be graduating from Compton High School in June 2018. I am planning to attend a four-year university in the fall. I have been admitted and offered admission to the California State University of Long Beach, the California State University of Northridge and UC Merced! Moreover, I wish to acquire the necessary funds before I graduate in order to leave behind more effective resources for future students to expand their knowledge of Computer Science and Computer Engineering. These resources are Powerful Computers, Computer Accessories, and Virtual Reality Equipment. I am currently struggling to find the funds to pay for the expenses of college at my future university, therefore I am unable to purchase the needed equipment for my VIrtual Reality Club, other STEM programs and my own computer workstation.

I am on a mission to develop and prepare the future youth of my city to pursue careers in STEM. Since my freshmen year, I have had a prominent interest in engineering. Over the course of almost four years in Compton High School, I have faced the burdens of indirect aid towards my aspirations and I have garnered the strength to create STEM programs from the ground up in order to influence myself and the community greatly. For the past three years, I have been able to balance my academics with being involved prominently in successful clubs and teams. 

I truly appreciate your support and I thank you for taking the time to understand my story. I have a vision that every prospecting STEM student from inner-city communities will eventually have the adequate resources to further prepare themselves for not only college but the actual careers they will pursue in the future.



~ Meeting Dr. Dre was amazing, and he is an idol. He spoke about his journey, fighting against all the odds. His words fuel me to change the world, no matter the obstacles.
Extracurricular Involvement
- Solar Cup Club:
Since freshman year, I have been apart of the Solar Cup Club. This club is composed of approximately 15-25 students who compete in the Solar Cup Competition, which was created by the Metropolitan Water District and is held in Temecula, Riverside County, CA. This competition allows students to construct a sixteen-foot wooden boat equipped with an electrical and mechanical system which in turn is powered by Solar Panels. Of course under a budget set by each schools district. I have been the clubs prominent member since ninth grade and I have earned the position to drive the boat yearly when the competition comes around in May. I have been the driver of the boat for the past two years and I am also in charge of the electrical aspects within the boat such as ensuring the wiring is correct, and the Twenty-four-volt motor system is working at its maximum potential.


~Compton High School Solar Cup 2017, Boat Driver/Skipper Axell Diaz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOovm3EG4_E 

- L.A.S.E.R.S. Robotics Team:
I am a major contributor to the creation and successes of the Compton High School Robotics Team. The robotics team is called L.A.S.E.R.S. ("Land Air Sea Engineering Robotics Students") Each letter represents the disciplines we tend to specialize. My team has garnered numerous accolades in robotics competitions such as in the FIRST Tech Challenge competitions and in VEX robotics. Moreover, our main focus is to showcase our creations to the community and spark interest in the youth so they to can indulge in engineering.

L.A.S.E.R.S. Robots and Recognition(s):



Richard Sherman/Oberto Beef Jerky Football Challenge:
One marvelous achievement was when the Compton High School L.A.S.E.R.S. Robotics team was challenged by former Sea Hawks, all-star cornerback Richard Sherman to a football duel. He challenged us to build a Football shooting robot and have it shoot footballs passed him, all in under a week. We took upon his challenge and the CHS L.A.S.E.R.S. Robotics Team took the win! 

Building the Robot:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dE2ulgWuQvg&list=PLiewfTJ94l5TRbhbmXjjOiRl0Z34Gi-EL&index=1&t=0s 


Competition Day(CHS ROBOTICS VS Richard Sherman:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xj4YO23DsNo&index=2&list=PLiewfTJ94l5TRbhbmXjjOiRl0Z34Gi-EL 

- Infinite Virtual Reality: 
In September of 2016, as a sophomore, I entered a two-day Virtual Reality/Computer Science Competition called the We Are Code Hackathon 2016 and was held in Downey, CA. I was the only Compton Unified School District participant therefore, I was the sole representation of Compton.  None the less, I took the challenge and pursued success and knowledge. Without any prior computer coding experience,  I spent the majority of the 16 hours I had to create a Virtual Reality experience, researching and teaching myself how to code. Miraculously I took 2nd place and earned 500$. I vowed to return the following year and take 1st place. Two months after the competition, in November of 2016, I built my first computer. Through restless work and saving, I managed to obtain the funds to build my own Computer to further my knowledge on creating Virtual Reality and Software for the world to see. Without prior computer building knowledge, I resorted to the internet and studied computer Handbooks and guides. I built it in eight hours. Fast Forward to July of 2017, I have been designated by an internship employer to construct three five thousand dollar high-end computers. I built them in under two Hours each.  I spent my summer teaching my own self how to code, design and produce Virtual Reality applications on my phone. I felt like a Computer Science Prodigy. Come August of 2017, School has resumed and I set out to create a Coding Club(With a focus on Virtual Reality) and I named it Infinite Virtual Reality(Infinite VR).  I garnered twenty-five students and I set out to instruct them on the basics of computer programming and software design. Moreover, In September of 2017, I entered my club into the competition that I previously competed in, which was the We are Code 2017. We designed Virtual Reality Space simulations and depicted the immense amount of ways Virtual Reality can be used in astronaut training and work. We worked diligently and took 1st, 2nd and 3rd place along with $1, 500. Out of hundreds of students, I led my team and showcased the potential of STEM students in Compton. 






I truly appreciate your support and I thank you for taking the time to understand my story. I have a vision that every prospecting STEM student from inner-city communities will soon have the most effective resources to further prepare themselves for not only college but the actual careers they will pursue in the future.