Bel Air High School senior Janie Montenegro has earned admission to Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, through the QuestBridge National College Match Scholarship, receiving a full four-year scholarship.
Janie has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to STEM, leadership, and service throughout her high school career. She participated in the Upward Bound program at the University of Texas at El Paso, where she was mentored by mechanical and software engineers and computer science professionals. Through this program, she attended workshops in cybersecurity, soldering, social engineering, and metallurgy. Janie plans to major in Engineering Science and Computer Science at Smith College.
In addition to her academic achievements, Janie co-founded the Speech and Debate Club at Bel Air High School during her junior year, leading the team to qualify for the National Speech and Debate Association in its first year of competition. She is a three-time Texas Forensic Association gold medalist and placed in the Top 25 at the state competition during her first appearance. She also serves as Secretary of the Technology Student Association, earning Top 10 state placements for two consecutive years at the Fort Worth conference.
Janie is a member of the National Honor Society and has received numerous recognitions, including the National Hispanic Recognition Award, AP Scholar with Honors, Top School Recognition from College Board, and designation as a 2025 QuestBridge College Prep Scholar. She also represented West Texas at the 2024 LULAC Washington Youth Leadership Seminar, where only 50 students nationwide were selected to participate.
Her commitment to service is equally impressive. Since her freshman year, Janie has volunteered with organizations such as Ronald McDonald House, Holy Family, El Pasoans Fighting Hunger, Dame La Mano, and local domestic violence shelters. She has also served her church as a Junior Catechist and volunteered during the summer for Vacation Bible School, supporting elementary students. Additionally, Janie has been involved in theatre throughout all four years of high school and received an All-Star Cast award at the UIL competition last spring.
With a passion for innovation, community engagement, and academic excellence, Janie looks forward to embracing the opportunities at Smith College while continuing to pursue her goals in engineering and computer science.