FONTANA – Henry J. Kaiser High School senior Amitoj Lobana – an exceptional 16-year-old student-athlete with a passion for helping others – has been recognized as a 2022 Gates Scholar, an honor awarded to 300 students in the nation.

Lobana, who skipped ahead two grade levels prior to entering Kaiser High, has also earned a full scholarship to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He plans to study computer science and pursue his goal of bringing a better quality of life to underrepresented communities.

“The Gates Scholarship is one of many blessings I have been fortunate to receive,” Lobana said. “I am inspired to demonstrate my gratefulness by pursuing higher graduate studies and returning all I can to the world.”

Lobana follows in the footsteps of his older brother, Jashandeep, a Kaiser High Class of 2019 graduate who received a 2019 Gates Scholarship and is furthering his education at Johns Hopkins University.

Lobana has maintained a 4.95 GPA while juggling extracurriculars that include tennis and cross country, National Honor Society, Key Club, Link Crew and Spanish Club, as well as dedicating his spare time to volunteering in the community – a practice instilled in him by his family.

He has also earned gold medals in science at the county-level Academic Decathlon, silver at the state level, and gold at the national level.

First awarded in 2018, the all-expense-paid Gates Scholarship will be given to 3,000 minority seniors over the course of 10 years, funding the full cost of college not already covered by other financial aid and the expected family contribution determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

To receive the scholarship, students must be Pell Grant-eligible, maintain at least a cumulative weighted 3.3 or better GPA, enroll in a four-year college or university and demonstrate leadership ability and exceptional personal success skills, such as perseverance and service to community.

“Ami is an outstanding student, and his achievements and dedication to helping others serve as an inspiration to all of us in Fontana Unified,” Fontana Unified Superintendent Randal S. Bassett said. “His accolades are well-deserved, and we look forward to seeing what he will continue to accomplish.”

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FUSD_LOBANA_GATES: Kaiser High School senior Amitoj Lobana has been named a 2022 Gates Scholar, a recognition that comes with an all-expense-paid scholarship.