Mira Costa Graduate Earns $10,000 Milken Scholars Award

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — The Milken Family Foundation awarded a $10,000 cash prize to a Mira Costa High School graduate headed for Stanford University for her accomplishments during high school.

Sofia Williams served as editor-in-chief of both the La Vista Newspaper and Mira Costa's literary magazine Papercut. She also served as co-director for Teens for Press Freedom, where she and her team members earned the Press Freedom Teaching Award from the International Global Youth and News Media.

"An advocate for media literacy and press freedom, Mira Costa High School graduate Sofia Williams uses her voice as a catalyst for the truth," the Milken Family Foundation said.

Sofia will study comparative literature and public policy at Stanford University and plans a career in journalism.

The Milken Scholars Program was established in 1989 by Mike and Lori Milken to celebrate students with excellent academic performance, community service, leadership, and perseverance. The program recognizes students from Los Angeles County, Washington D.C. and New York City.

"In its 35th year, as the Milken Scholars Program approaches a total of nearly 600 remarkable young men and women representing more than 80 nations, Lori and I never fail to be amazed and gratified by their achievements,” said Mike Milken.