Levi C. Maaia, PhD, scholarship committee chair (left) and Brian Milburn, foundation president and CEO (middle) presented Kenneth Smith (right) with a scholarship award on behalf of the Santa Barbara Wireless Foundation at the Santa Barbara Courthouse.
May 29, 2026 – SANTA BARBARA, Calif.
The Santa Barbara Wireless Foundation is pleased to announce the recipient of its annual $1,000 scholarship, awarded to an outstanding local high school graduate who plans to pursue higher education in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM).
Kenneth Smith, a senior at Valley Christian Academy, was selected as the 2026 recipient. Smith is graduating with a 4.0 GPA and plans to study chemical engineering at Oregon State University in the fall.
Smith holds the Amateur Extra class radio callsign AA7KS. He is an active student on campus and in the community and has been a member of the Satellite Amateur Radio Club W6AB for more than three years. He restarted Northern Santa Barbara County Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) in Santa Maria and acted as the organization’s emergency coordinator. He is involved in the Boy Scouts, Troop 91 of Orcutt, helping with the coordination and execution of the yearly Boy Scout Jamboree-on-the-Air event. He also enjoys playing tenor saxophone in his school band.
“This scholarship will help me attend Oregon State University, which is an extremely highly rated school for chemistry and chemical engineering,” said Smith. “I will have access to high quality education and training as an engineer, while still being close enough to fulfill my responsibilities in taking care of my parents’ farm for them.”
We look for students who have the potential to turn technical skills into service for their community,” said Brian Milburn, the president and CEO of the Santa Barbara Wireless Foundation. “Kenneth doesn’t just show that potential, he’s already acted on it. We’re proud to support his pathway into higher education.”
Smith is the latest recipient of this scholarship, which is awarded annually. Applicants must be graduating high school seniors in Santa Barbara, Ventura or San Luis Obispo counties who plan to study a STEM field in higher education. Applicants should have an excellent academic record. While not requirements, preference is given to applicants who hold an active FCC amateur radio license.
Donations to the scholarship fund and applications by members of the class of 2027 may be submitted at scholarships.sbwireless.org.
The Santa Barbara Wireless Foundation is a nonprofit, public benefit organization that develops and supports wireless telecommunications technologies in support of public safety, emergency communications, community service, and scientific research in the Santa Barbara region. The foundation supports local amateur radio activities and services through the Santa Barbara Amateur Radio Club. More information can be found at www.sbwireless.org and www.sbarc.org.
