Two students from Surrey high schools have been shortlisted for a prestigious scholarship worth a whopping $100,000.
Daisy Bains from Kwantlen Park Secondary and Anisha Prahallad from Fleetwood Park Secondary are waiting for news in February to arrive on whether the two of 90 candidates selected for the Loran scholarship are finalists.
The two are feeling "grateful" to have reached this stage and say they could not have done it without the support of their families, friends and school staff.
Chosen nationwide from more than 6,000 applications for the highly sought-after prize, Bains and Prahallad were chosen through semifinal interviews where they showcased their "strength of character, a deep commitment to service and exceptional leadership potential," reads a post on Surrey Schools' website.
When Bains received the phone call giving her the news, she almost didn't answer the call.
"I didn't recognize the number so I was about to not pick up," she said laughing.
"I started crying because it was such a big opportunity for me. The moment I found out I went out of my room and jumped into my dad's arms and my sister's arms, and then I called my mom at work and she was so proud, too."
For Prahallad, the moment was shocking and exhilarating, she said.
"I immediately called my parents to share the news, and their excitement made the moment even more special."
The two Surrey students engage in plenty of leadership and volunteer work to foster community.
For the Fleetwood Park student, that means being chief and deputy commander of her Air Cadets team of more than 300.
"In this role, I teach lessons on leadership, aviation, and military drill while mentoring my peers and helping them develop their confidence and skills," Prahallad described.
Additionally, the teen has been learning Sanskrit for the last three years and even wrote a children's book in English and Sanskrit "with the aim of revitalizing the language and encouraging younger generations to embrace their cultural identities. This project is close to my heart as it brings my love for storytelling, art, and cultural preservation together."
Bains also has a deep interest in culture and identity, with helping create a BIPOC student association at Kwantlen Park and organizing a Giddha dance team, a folk dance that women perform originating in Punjab.
With initial thoughts of, "What if this doesn't work out? What if there's not enough people who want to do it?" the apprehension quickly faded for Bains who is happy she pushed through.
"We built this community and I think the most important thing I got from this is confidence and being unapologetically me," she said.
If chosen as two of the recipients next month, Prahallad and Bains would receive $100,000 over four years, consisting of an annual stipend and a tuition waiver from 25 university partners, opportunities for one-on-one mentorship, annual trips, up to $14,000 for summer work experience and more.
Both students described having the financial and mentorship help as "life-changing" for their post-secondary careers
If the Surrey students are not chosen to be a Loran Scholar, the finalists will still be able to receive $6,000 to be used at any Canadian university.
"Congratulations and best of luck, Anisha and Daisy!" Surrey Schools states.
