Pictured: Sen. Ron Calderon, Asm. Ian Calderon, Sen. Ricardo Lara, Thomas Suarez, Speaker John A. Pérez, Asm. Rudy Salas
Thomas Suarez's fascination with technology began at an early age. When he was nine, he taught himself how to program, which led him to develop apps for the App Store. The first app he published, "Earth Fortune," was quickly followed by his most famous app, "Bustin Jieber," a Justin Bieber whack-a-mole. At 12, Thomas gave a TEDx talk on the subject of kids teaching kids in the world of programming. His talk has been viewed over 3 million times, making it one of the most viewed TEDx talks of all time. Through this exposure, Thomas has inspired young people worldwide to challenge themselves and start programming. Thomas also spearheaded the creation of an App Club, an independent program where students learn to develop apps and share their experiences with like-minded peers.