MCPS has announced that Wheaton High School rising senior Keraud Bika and media specialist Laura Ellis have been selected as part of the 2026 Bezos Scholars Program cohort.
The highly competitive leadership development program selects 12 rising high school seniors from across the United States, pairing each student with an educator from their school. The cohort also includes five students and an educator from the African Leadership Academy in Johannesburg, South Africa. Scholars are chosen based on their commitment to education, demonstrated leadership, willingness to embrace challenges, and desire to create positive change in their communities.
Bika, who attends Wheaton High School in Silver Spring, credits his strong Ethiopian and Christian community for helping shape his faith, confidence, sense of identity, and connection to his cultural roots. He has developed a passion for computer science, particularly coding and web development, and enjoys building projects that challenge him intellectually.
According to the Bezos Scholars Program, Bika is especially committed to helping other students avoid comparing themselves to others and instead recognize that success does not have to follow a single timeline. “Having seen how pressure and comparison can cause doubt, Keraud wants others to understand that there is still time and support available to grow and succeed,” the program noted.
In addition to his academic interests, Bika is active in athletics, extracurricular activities, and leadership and mentorship roles. He said he is excited to use the Bezos Scholars Program as an opportunity to further develop his leadership skills and create meaningful change within his community.
Joining him in the cohort is Wheaton High School media specialist Laura Ellis. Originally from Detroit, Michigan, Ellis has lived in Pennsylvania, Alabama, and Maryland. Her experiences, particularly in Alabama, helped deepen her appreciation for history, dialogue, and social change after meeting icons of the Civil Rights Movement.
Ellis is passionate about reducing polarization and believes meaningful progress can come through sharing meals and engaging in respectful conversations across differences. She holds a minor in Black Studies from Penn State and works to create welcoming and inclusive library spaces that encourage learning, understanding, and connection.
Beyond her role at Wheaton High School, Ellis serves on two boards of trustees, including the Anne Arundel County Public Library system, where she has supported expanded services, new library projects, and initiatives such as the dedication of a Malcolm X wall in Annapolis. She also serves on the Severn Crest HOA Board, helping older residents navigate community needs, safety concerns, and access to resources.
A creative at heart, Ellis enjoys scrapbooking, rug hooking, writing, poetry, and dance. As a Bezos Scholar, she said she is “thrilled to support students as they build leadership skills while continuing to learn alongside them.”
The Bezos Scholars Program provides participants with leadership training, mentorship opportunities, and the chance to design and lead community impact projects while connecting with peers from across the country and around the world.
