KPRC 2 and American Furniture Warehouse are surprising 20 deserving high school seniors with scholarships in 2022. All students selected for scholarships have been nominated by their high schools.
The seventh $2,500 scholarship winner of the year is Adrian Saenz who is ranked fourth in his class at Spring High School. Saenz has maintained remarkable grades amid great adversity.
In the summer before his senior year, he was diagnosed with cancer. He credits the passion he has for music for helping him through it. Saenz has played in a jazz band and a brass band he created with friends. He’s also been involved in marching band and varsity band.
“Playing music with others is a joy I often cannot describe and heals the soul,” wrote Saenz in his scholarship essay. “This love I had developed for music got me through the hard times. Whether it was playing the piano or learning about drums, I would be able to distract myself from my own suffering and be grateful for what I had.”
Saenz finished chemotherapy in November and has since remained cancer-free.
“Music provided a safe haven for me which further ignited my passion for it, leading me to a choice for a career in the musical field,” wrote Saenz.
You can see the scholarship surprise for Saenz in the video player at the top of this article.