Niles Wilson, a 12th grade student at St. Francis High School in La Cañada, was one of nine Los Angeles County students named a 2013 Carson Scholar. He is among 58 west coast students to receive the 2013 Carson Scholar title. The west coast honorees were recognized at a Carson Scholars Fund awards ceremony hosted by Union Bank in April and held at the California Science Center, Loker Conference Center. Dr. Benjamin Carson gave the keynote address and presented the awards.

The Carson Scholars Fund was founded in 1994 by Johns Hopkins pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Carson and his wife Candy. Each year, the Carson Scholars Fund recognizes and rewards students in grades four through 12 who earn the highest level of academic achievement and display strong humanitarian qualities with $1,000 college scholarship awards.  The students also receive a medal, a certificate and a trophy for their school.