JUNO BEACH, Fla. (June 8, 2020) — Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) has awarded Boca Raton student Corbin “C.J.” Weir a $20,000 scholarship through the company’s charitable arm, the NextEra Energy Foundation. Weir, 18, will receive $5,000 annually for four years to assist him throughout his college career. This scholarship, of which Weir is the fifth annual recipient, is part of FPL’s longstanding commitment to ensuring students have access to effective robotics programs to drive engagement in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) curricula.
“At FPL, we’re committed to investing in STEM and robotics education because we believe these activities prepare today’s students for exciting and well-paying jobs in the future. Students who participate on robotics teams not only learn engineering, they also learn about teamwork, creativity and other vital skills to thrive in tomorrow’s competitive work environment,” said Pamela Rauch, vice president of external affairs and economic development for FPL. “FPL’s commitment is widespread, from sponsoring robotics teams throughout the state to identifying and supporting stellar students, like C.J., in our effort to build the next generation of leaders, thinkers and innovators.”
Involved with robotics since his freshman year at American Heritage High School, Weir has used his experience to teach at-risk children engineering basics through the Police Athletic League and founded a program showing local senior citizens how to use smart phones and laptops. In the fall, Weir will be attending the University of Florida where he plans to major in electrical engineering with a special focus on artificial intelligence, nanotechnology and machine learning.
“FIRST robotics has been a huge part of my life and has provided so many opportunities for me, including exposure to many different types of engineering and even applying for this scholarship. Through collaboration with others on my robotics team, not only have I explored and refined my engineering passion, I have learned I love to teach. I feel inspired to help others and to change the world,” said Weir. “Going to college is a huge expense so it is incredible to me that I was selected for this scholarship.”
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About Florida Power & Light Company:
Florida Power & Light Company is the largest energy company in the United States as measured by retail electricity produced and sold, serving more than 5 million customer accounts or an estimated 10 million+ people across the state of Florida. FPL’s typical 1,000-kWh residential customer bill is approximately 30% lower than the latest national average and among the lowest in the U.S. FPL’s service reliability is better than 99.98%, and its highly fuel-efficient power plant fleet is one of the cleanest among all electric companies nationwide. The company was recognized in 2019 as one of the most trusted U.S. electric utilities by Escalent for the sixth consecutive year. A leading Florida employer with approximately 8,900 employees, FPL is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Florida-based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE), a clean energy company widely recognized for its efforts in sustainability, ethics and diversity, and has been ranked No. 1 in the electric and gas utilities industry in Fortune’s 2020 list of “World’s Most Admired Companies.” NextEra Energy is also the parent company of Gulf Power Company, which serves more than 470,000 customers in eight counties throughout northwest Florida, and NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, which, together with its affiliated entities, is the world’s largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun and a world leader in battery storage. For more information about NextEra Energy companies, visit these websites: www.NextEraEnergy.com, www.FPL.com, www.GulfPower.com, www.NextEraEnergyResources.com.