Nine years in, the Spark Scholarships still do exactly what they were built to do: find the technologist in young people who might not have seen it in themselves yet.
This year, we awarded 16 scholarships to students ages 8 to 26 at our Code Savvy Celebrate event on May 17 at Silverwood Great Hall in St. Anthony, Minnesota. From a 3rd grader building her first app to a college student presenting AI research and competing in hackathons across the country, this year’s recipients prove that the spark looks different on everyone, and that’s exactly the point.
Awards ranged from $500 to $1,250 across four age categories. We also recognized Faheema Mohamed Prem Navaz with the Rebecca Award, which honors a student who embodies the spirit of Code Savvy founder Rebecca Schatz, and Ismail Yusuf with the Spark Spirit Award, given to someone who actively promotes inclusion, learning, and a passion for technology in others.
Read their words below. We think you’ll feel it too.
Congratulations to the 2026 Spark Scholarship winners! 🔥
Ages 8-11
Nirvi Gandi
“Sometimes things don’t work the first time, but I keep trying and learning from my mistakes. That makes me feel really really happy when I finally figure something out!”
Maram Fakih
“I made a game [at Code Explorers]. I am good at making games. I want to be better at it!”
Sreshta Thumbeti
“I created an app to help [people] learn defense in case they get bullied. Helping the world be a better place.”
Ages 12-14
Hemani Saanvi Alapati
“Being a part of Code Savvy sparked my interest in technology by showing that with technology, we can solve real life problems that people face everyday.”
Isabella Garry
“Code Savvy gave me the courage to believe that even I, a 12-year-old, have the power to change how people think about the environment.”
Qiyun (Anna) Zhou
“Before Code Savvy, I could not even fathom creating a website but now I am confident in creating them.”
Aleksander Osmolski
“During my journey with technology I have realized that I really like the creativity and logic of coding. I enjoy the challenge of finding a solution when a program doesn’t work right away.”
Aveesha Sircilla
“Coding really interests me overall because unlike other hobbies, it literally forces you to try again and again until you get the ideal final outcome for an app or project.”
Claire Flynn
“Technovation Girls helped me develop a love for technology in different ways. I have learned how to code, use various platforms, identify problems, and solve them using the technology available to me.”
Srighra Sirna
“When I first joined Technovation and stepped into the world of coding, I was skeptical and unsure of what to expect. But the more I coded and worked with others, the more I realized how much I enjoyed pushing myself and learning new skills.”
Claire Bourn
“Technovation has helped me improve my coding skills. I have learned how to adapt better to new platforms of coding and design.”
Ages 15-18
Afsa Shaik
“Technovation has first shown me I was a problem solver; someone who digs into errors instead of giving up.”
Aisha Shaik
“Code Savvy not only provided the resources for me to discover technology, but through their programs, I figured out I was capable of things I believed only highly qualified people could do.”
Faheema Mohamed Prem Navaz
“I learned that coding is not just about building software; it’s about designing solutions that can improve lives, whether in healthcare, environmental sustainability, or education.”
Ages 19-26
Ismail Yusuf
“Being part of an environment where people supported and uplifted each other had a lasting impact on me. Since then, I have carried that forward by mentoring others and contributing to collaborative, supportive spaces in tech.”
Bethany Brown
“Mentoring through Code Savvy, combined with my experience as a computer science tutor, has shown me that I want to incorporate both development and education into my future career.”