Pegah Zardoost
Rancho Verde High School 2008
Moreno Valley, CA
NSHSS Student Council
University of California, Berkeley 2012

Staying True to Myself Was the Best Award I Ever Received

As members of the National Society of High School Scholars, it’s no secret that we are not your average student. We’re high-achieving, service-minded, and award-winning; and generally some of us are modest about it. Either way, we work hard and are proud of our accomplishments as individuals and as a community.

Throughout the past year, I had an exciting share of achievements: being accepted to world-class universities; awarded by my state, county, and community; and receiving a coveted scholarship from my university’s alumni association. (“We get it. What’s your point?”) However, none of those achievements would be half as sweet if I had compromised myself to earn them. But I didn’t have to, and neither does anyone else.

The best award I ever received was learning that I can achieve great things by being myself and doing it to the best of my ability. If I can do that while being patient and gracious, the achievements and the right opportunities will present themselves. And if you believe that your true self is capable and deserving of great things, then stay true to yourself. Make sure that your decisions are genuine to your core values and ideals. If something doesn’t feel right, change it. Don’t be afraid of stepping back and realizing that your choice was incorrect so that you can move on, rather than dreading the result of your decision. I am no stranger to changing my course, and I’m all the better for it. In changing my directions, I was able to get closer to realizing where my path is meant to lead after all.

The Alumni Scholarship Leadership Award is one of two scholarships sought out by students accepted to the University of California, Berkeley. These awards are offered by California Alumni Association (CAA). The scholarship hopefuls submit an application and essay, and in the finalist round they interview with two Berkeley alumni in their hometown. This year, I was one of 250 who received these awards, after 10,000 had applied. Monetarily, the award amount is moderate, but it is a great achievement. According to the CAA’s site, “the Alumni Scholarship Leadership Award is one of the most prestigious awards on the Berkeley campus and the largest nonacademic merit scholarship in the country.” After learning that I had earned the award and would be an Alumni Scholar, I was most certainly proud. I felt truly validated that the countless hours I dedicated to being a leader outside of the classroom had paid off. By being honest and doing what I love, I had made an impression on the committee who reviewed my application and the alumni who interviewed me. I will continue to stay true to myself and reap the benefits. I encourage you to do the same because sometimes “good guys” (and “gals”) do finish first.