The Loran Scholars Foundation offers one of Canada’s most well respected undergraduate awards to students who are recognized for their hard work at school and their involvement in their community to create a better environment around them.
The Loran Organization takes time choosing a worthy recipient for their scholarship. They look for individuals that will make positive contributions in their community for years to come, by looking beyond just academic merit, and seeing the impacts they were able to make in their communities. Through their extensive and nationwide process, they look for three qualities in their finalists: a student that demonstrates a strength of character, a commitment to servicing their community, and excellent leadership skills.
Loran scholarship recipients possess qualities that make them eager to make drastic and positive strides in their communities. They approach adversity and obstacles with courage, perseverance, and innovation. They stray away from the status quo and do what they believe is right, knowing that better futures are within reach. It is important for Loran Scholars to feel comfortable in uncomfortable situations where they need to use decision making skills to provide adequate solutions. Loran scholars often look beyond their own needs and wants and think about what is best for their community. They are dedicated to uplifting their peers, by listening to them and learning from their shared and different experiences. Loran scholars will often never take on difficult tasks by themselves, but rather, understand the importance of teamwork as they will collaborate with their peers to ensure they can improve their community.
Every year, the Loran Scholars foundation selects 90 students to be considered finalists, which is a major accomplishment in itself, as each student is considered a role model in their community. Out of the 5,200 students that applied, Milton District High School’s Zyva Jaffer was picked as one of the 90 finalists.
Through her hard work in all of her classes, being an active participant in class discussions, going the extra mile in all of her assignments, and being a dependable volunteer in her community, Zyva has made it a priority to leave her community better than she found it, which she has more than exceeded. One thing that kept her motivated throughout her high school career was making an impact through her extracurricular endeavours.
Although Zayva has accomplished many impressive achievements in the classroom and in her community, the last four years have not been completely smooth sailing. Just like everyone, Zyva experienced difficult times adapting to post pandemic situations. Specifically, she has been dealing with the challenges of anxiety. She stated, “I sometimes completely blank during tests and it’s been a struggle to keep that under control.”
With added stress of in-person evaluations, from a time where students were able to complete tests from their bedroom whenever they pleased, Zyva has felt the added pressure. She has been able to combat it through mindfulness and putting her wellness above everything else. She said, “I’ve tried practicing mindfulness, which helps me calm down enough to remember most of the information I studied.” Every student will encounter times where they feel helpless and drained, which is why it is imperative for each student to take necessary measures to adequately help themselves, and in turn, help their community, as it can be hard to help others when suffocating from stress and other forms of adversity.
One piece of advice Zyva believes that all grade nines should know is that they should develop the same mindset of creating a better community around them. Although that may seem like a herculean task, especially when you’re entering a brand new school and environment full of new people, she believes that it is important to take this process slow.
To begin, it is important to find your passion and start working in that field through volunteer work early because “it’s much easier to take part in lots of activities in Grade 9 while your course load isn’t too overwhelming.” Volunteering and participating in extracurriculars goes a long way, she says, as “there are lots of students with stellar grades. What distinguishes you will be how you give back to your community, and how you dedicate your high school years to fostering your passions. Universities are increasingly looking for well rounded students, and grades alone cannot determine who is or is not a high achieving individual.” Volunteering and participating in extracurriculars are important in strengthening the community, but it is also a great opportunity for students to connect with likeminded individuals and have a break from academic settings.
Looking forward to her post-secondary endeavours, Zyva is grateful for all of the opportunities and experiences she gained during the past four years. When asked what she will be pursuing next year, she said, “I will be studying chemical engineering. I haven’t accepted my offer yet, but I want to go to the University of Waterloo.” In her future, Zyva aims to make the energy and biotechnology industry more sustainable, accessible, and free of exploitation. This goal was derived from hours spent working in the eco-team at Milton District High School, whether in meetings or hands-on activities, and volunteering with Sustainable Milton. She reflects on the skills she has gained by saying, “creating a sustainable future will require many groups of people to work together to find innovative solutions, so being able to collaborate and compromise will be a valuable skill for me.”
Milton District would like to give the warmest congratulations to Zyva for her accomplishments and wishes her all the best throughout all her future endeavours.
Interview
Q: What was the application process like for the Loran Scholarship, and what motivated you to apply?
A: The application process was quite rigorous. We had to fill out some essay questions, then we had to submit a video interview, then we had live virtual interviews for semi-finals, and finally all 90 finalists were gathered in Toronto for a whole bunch of interviews to select the scholars. I spent quite a lot of time applying for the award, I had to take two whole days just to fill out the essay application. My favourite part of the application process was the final interviews. I got to meet so many great people, and I enjoyed being in a new environment with other like-minded hard working high school students. I was mainly motivated to apply because it’s one of the largest scholarships in Canada, which would help me a lot during post-secondary. Because I decided to apply at the last minute, I thought that I had no shot at getting this far. I thought of it as a practice application, but when I got the notice that I advanced to the next round, it was no longer just practice for me and I got even more motivated to put my best impression forward.
Q: What challenges did you face up until this point in your academic career? How did you overcome them?
A: My biggest challenge in my academic career was definitely dealing with my test anxiety. I sometimes completely blank during tests and it’s been a struggle to keep that under control. I’ve tried practicing mindfulness, which helps me calm down enough to remember most of the information I studied.
Q: This scholarship is all about going beyond the grade system that we have all become accustomed to and instead, rewarding students for their involvement in their community. What advice would you give to a ninth grader entering high school about their priorities?
A: The most important piece of advice that I’d give to a ninth grader is to start joining extracurriculars and volunteering as soon as possible. It’s much easier to take part in lots of activities in Grade 9 so you can find what interests you the most, and narrow down your activities as you get older. Of course, grades are very important, especially for those considering competitive university programs, but there are lots of students with stellar grades. What distinguishes you will be how you give back to your community, and how you dedicate your high school years to fostering your passions. Universities are increasingly looking for well rounded students, and grades alone cannot determine who is or is not a high achieving individual. For me, I discovered in grade 9 that I want to dedicate my life to creating sustainable communities. Trying new activities and focusing on your passions is how you can go really in depth with your impact on the community. While I would put lots of priority on keeping your grades up, I’d give just as much priority to your extracurriculars and community involvement.
Q: What strategies did you use to stay motivated throughout your high school journey?
A: I stayed motivated throughout high school by setting clear goals in mind. I knew I wanted to get into university and I wanted to apply for scholarships. Those two pretty big goals kept my targets fairly straightforward throughout high school, and I consistently tried to maintain the grades and community involvement needed to achieve that. Other motivations I had were that I wanted to make a lasting impact in my high school years before I move onto university. I believe I achieved that through my involvement with the school's eco club, ethics bowl, and my volunteering experience in Sustainable Milton. Besides those overarching goals, I didn’t really have other strategies to stay motivated. I found that keeping my eyes on the finish line helped me to stay focused on what was really important throughout the past four years. On a side note, it was very important for me to take time for myself that didn’t involve school or extracurricular activities so that I didn’t get burnout. Keeping my efforts sustainable was something I took extra care to do, because I wasn’t just doing all of these activities for building up my resume, they were genuinely important to me and I loved participating in them.
Q: Where are you going next year for university and for what program?
A: I will be studying chemical engineering. I haven’t accepted my offer yet, but I want to go to the University of Waterloo.
Q: What are your future plans and goals, and how will the skills you developed in high school help you achieve those goals?
A: I would love to work in either the energy or biotechnology industry. I learned how to remain disciplined throughout high school so that I’m able to complete my work on time. I anticipate that the university workload will be much more difficult, so being able to hold yourself accountable and manage my time wisely will be very helpful in completing my education. My community and extracurricular involvement taught me a lot of transferable skills such as collaboration and critical thinking. Creating a sustainable future will require many groups of people to work together to find innovative solutions, so being able to collaborate and compromise will be a valuable skill for me.
