By Khalida Sarwari
Campbell’s Matthew Schroeder, a student at St. Francis High School in Mountain View, was one of 19 local seniors honored this week at the California State Capitol with a Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarship.
He is one of 185 California high school seniors to win the $1,000 scholarship in the company’s annual program, which recognizes students who strive to achieve their potential, are involved in their schools, are catalysts for positive change in their communities and serve as role models for their fellow students.
Each student was nominated for the stipend by their school principal or counselor. The recipients were chosen based on demonstrated service in their local community and leadership ability as well as a GPA of at least 2.8.
Matthew, 17, was one of 19 to receive the award in Santa Clara County, said Melissa Vincelet, a spokeswoman for Comcast.
“I was contacted by the counseling department, and they said, ‘We’re picking you for this award because we think you model it the best out of all the other students,'” Matthew said.
The Campbell resident is a recent graduate of St. Francis High, a private Catholic school in Mountain View, where he was involved in Bric Brothers, an all-boys service group, and was on the varsity soccer team in his senior year.
Outside of school, he has completed nearly 300 hours of volunteer service. From the sixth grade to his sophomore year, Matthew coached a team of kids with disabilities, such as autism, in Cupertino as part of the American Youth Soccer Organization. He coached a team of kids from the seventh to 10th grade for the Just 4 Kicks summer camp at the Campbell Community Center.
He said he draws on the message of the Jesuits for motivation.
“They’re education- and service-oriented,” he said.
Matthew will use the scholarship money toward his tuition at Seattle University, where he plans to study environmental policy. With that degree, he’ll go into environmental law or politics, he said.
In the meantime, he’s focusing on helping with the upcoming Relay for Life fundraiser, which he has been a part of for the last six years.
Matthew was a guest of honor during a noontime ceremony on June 14 at the State Capitol in Sacramento. He attended the ceremony with his parents and 14-year-old sister, Meghan, a sophomore at St. Francis.
The event was also attended by education leaders and elected officials.
“It’s a grad-style ceremony and an opportunity not only to recognize the students, but in California, where education is an important part of our economy, it’s an opportunity to put education on the steps of the capitol as well,” said Vincelet.
