Senior Spotlight: Myah Wright’s Journey of Confidence, Achievement Leads to UC Berkeley

For Highland High School senior Myah Wright, college will be the next step in a journey of self-discovery that has already shaped much of her high school experience. A first-generation college student, Wright will attend the University of California, Berkeley this fall to study mechanical engineering after becoming one of just a few students nationwide to receive the highly competitive Gates Scholarship.

The scholarship, which covers the full cost of attendance for recipients, marked a life-changing milestone for Wright and her family by removing the financial burden of college and opening the door to opportunities that once felt out of reach.

Wright credits a crucial moment during her sophomore year that introduced her to the scholarship opportunity. During an event called Pizza with the Principal, a former student spoke about receiving the Gates Scholarship, something that immediately piqued Wright’s interest.

“I was really inspired by her,” Wright said. “She was also African American, a member of Young Women in Leadership, and she made me realize, ‘Wow, if she can do it, so can I!’”

From that moment on, Wright became determined to pursue the scholarship, and one day become a Gates Scholar herself.

“I literally stalked that scholarship application until I was a senior and eligible,” Wright said with a laugh.

That sense of connection continued into the interview process, as Wright immediately related to the interviewer, who was also an African American woman raised by a single mother.

“I felt like the interview couldn’t have gone any better because we related so well,” Wright said.
Now as a recipient of the Gates Scholarship, Wright said she feels more confident about the opportunities ahead.

This fall, she will begin studying mechanical engineering at UC Berkeley, a major she has dreamed of pursuing since she was young.

“I’ve always wanted to be an engineer,” Wright said.

Raised by a single mother, Wright grew up closely connected to her Mexican heritage and spent much of her childhood watching her grandfather work as a welder and carpenter designer.

“My grandpa was always working on various projects and activities, like woodworking in his backyard,” Wright said. “He really inspired me to think outside the box, utilize critical thinking and problem solving skills, and use my creative side to create things.”

Outside of academics, Wright has immersed herself in a wide range of extracurricular activities and leadership roles throughout high school, from mock trial and theater to coding and community outreach. As Vice President of Coding Club, Wright and other students are currently working on creating a website for a local thrift store after recognizing the business lacked an online presence.

Wright said she hopes her accomplishments show her younger twin siblings what is possible.

“We didn’t really have the resources,” Wright said. “However, I’ve shown them that we can find the resources to strive for a better future for ourselves. I feel like with my example, they can really know that we are capable of doing great things!”

She said much of that motivation comes from watching her mother.

“She’s such a strong woman,” Wright said. “She raised three kids on her own, and watching her work so hard shaped who I am as a person and the kind of leader I want to be.”

But alongside her academic accomplishments, Wright said she has also grown more confident in herself and her identity.

As President of the Young Women Empowered for Leadership club at Highland High School, Wright said she has become more intentional about exploring the African American side of her identity, something she did not grow up around as much while being raised primarily by her mother and surrounded by her Mexican heritage.

One experience that especially resonated with her was during a school field trip to UCLA, where a speaker discussed the importance of confidence and self-identity.

“That really stuck with me,” Wright said. “I used to straighten my hair a lot, and get perms often.”

Over time, Wright said she began embracing her natural hair, particularly after noticing similar patterns in her younger sister.

“I was really scared because I wasn’t comfortable with how I looked at first, but now it’s my favorite hairstyle ever!”

As Wright prepares to leave for UC Berkeley this fall, she is excited not only for the academic opportunities ahead, but also for the independence that comes with starting a new chapter.

“I feel like I’m going to explore myself entirely — not just where I come from, but everything else too: what I like, what I don’t like, who I am without anybody around me that I know,” she said. “I don’t think there’s going to be a drastic change, but we’ll see. Time will tell.”