Meet the Future Shapers: SEUT Scholarship Finalists Leading the Way in Ethical Tech
In a world defined by technology's reach into every aspect of our lives, the voices of future leaders already shaping this path must be heard and elevated early. Today, I'm thrilled to introduce the five exceptional finalists from our first annual Students for Ethical Use of Technology (SEUT) Scholarship Essay Contest.
Selected from over 600 applications nationwide, these five high school students aren't just pondering the future of technology—they're actively shaping it with remarkable insight, creativity, and an unwavering commitment to ethical principles.
Our Distinguished Finalists
Shawn Ray: Breaking Down Algorithmic Barriers
Through 900+ hours of tutoring peers via "Coding With Shawn," Shawn discovered how adaptive learning systems misinterpret ESL students' understanding as knowledge gaps. His response combines technical solutions and advocacy: developing data models that capture student capabilities beyond binary metrics, creating culturally responsive testing through his Code Next LMS project, and organizing "Algorithmic Bias Hackathons" where students audit educational software.
"This systemic blindness extends beyond language barriers," Shawn writes, positioning himself as both developer and activist to bridge technical expertise with human insight.
Annabelle White: Coding for Gender Equity
After being the lone girl in her computer science class, Annabelle founded an elementary Girls Who Code club that has reached over 60 girls across five schools. "When women are not involved in the development of technology, the technology itself fundamentally cannot serve everyone," she asserts.
Annabelle also developed FreePeriodProducts, a crowd-sourced database connecting people to free menstrual products. Despite being told her project was "a waste of time" and that periods were "not an appropriate subject," she persisted. Her project has now reached twelve states and won the Congressional App Challenge.
Varsha Vijay: Data Integrity for Climate Justice
Inspired by an image of a polar bear stranded on melting ice, Varsha set out to use AI for climate solutions. However, her work with wildfire prediction models and 72,000 wildfire records revealed a troubling reality: "Data isn't always as neutral, objective, or useful as we assume."
Varsha discovered how inconsistent reporting and missing data led to predictions that overlooked vulnerable communities. She advocates for ethical data practices that empower local communities, writing: "AI is not an all-powerful solution, nor is data an unquestionable truth. They are tools, only as good as the hands that shape them."
Ariana Bello: Reclaiming Authentic Identity in a Digital World
Ariana tackles how technology reduces our lives into "trackable habits, curated content, and algorithm-fed identities." Through her personal experience and observations of her peers, she names a profound dilemma affecting us all: "In our desire to be seen, we have stopped considering whether we are being truly understood."
As founder of her school's Film Club, Ariana encourages members to analyze how characters in art resist objectification. She also practices digital mindfulness, keeping some creative works private—"Some poems stay folded inside drawers. Some paintings never leave their canvas." She writes, "The issue with technology is not just in wires or codes, it is in the mirror it holds up to us... We are stories and souls not made for display."
Santiago Ortega-Brown: Creating Inclusivity Through Adaptive Technology
Growing up with a family member who faces cognitive challenges, Santiago identified that "the most significant challenge in our current use of technology is not simply access to technology, but access to inclusive technology that serves all learners."
At a camp for students with disabilities, Santiago witnessed adaptive technology's transformative power, from helping a student discover coding through screen-reading software to enabling a child with speech difficulties to share stories using text-to-voice technology.
"Is it ethically wrong for society not to work towards meeting individuals' needs when technology and know-how exist? Yes, it is," Santiago asserts. He plans to pursue biomedical engineering to create systems where "universal accessibility [is] a foundational principle, not a supplemental feature."
Shaping Our Collective Future
What's most impressive about these finalists isn't just their analysis of current ethical challenges in technology; it's their proactive creation of solutions. While many adults are still grappling with the implications of our rapidly evolving digital landscape, these high school students are building frameworks, tools, and communities that embody their ethical values in how they use, shape, and deploy data and technology.
Their essays reveal a sophisticated understanding that ethical technology isn't just about avoiding harm, but actively designing systems that promote justice, access, transparency, and human dignity.
As we witness increasing concerns about AI safety, digital privacy, algorithmic bias, and technology's environmental impact, these young voices offer both hope and direction. They remind us that technology's future isn't predetermined—it will be shaped by the values we prioritize and the voices we amplify.
The SEUT Scholarship recognizes not just academic excellence but action and impact. These finalists aren't waiting for permission to make a difference; they're already creating ripple effects in their communities that we hope will expand into waves of positive change.
As we congratulate these outstanding young leaders, we, the founders of SEUT, recognize our responsibility to support their vision for a future where innovation advances, not undermines, human flourishing.
Stay tuned for announcements about our scholarship recipients and how you can support or join next year's competition!
For more information about the Students for Ethical Use of Technology Scholarship or to learn how you can get involved, visit www.seut.net or contact info@seut.net