Panorama Ridge Secondary student named 2021 Loran Scholar
Chidi Okarah was headed to her AP bio test on Friday, March 12 when she got the call.
"I went to a corner of the school, all my friends were around me, and the woman on the phone said, 'We're proud to announce you're a 2021 Loran Scholar,'" recalled the Grade 12 Panorama Ridge Secondary student.
"I started screaming and so did everyone around me. We were all sharing in the moment, but then a second later, I hear in my ear, 'But you can't tell anyone,'" she added with a laugh. "I had to do some damage control and keep quiet for the next two weeks - it definitely tested my patience."
Okarah is the latest student from the Surrey School District to be named a Loran Scholar, one of up to 36 students across the country who are chosen each year to receive a scholarship worth $100,000. The foundation recognizes promising young Canadians based on integrity, courage, compassion, grit and a high level of personal autonomy.
Okarah was recognized for her work as the environmental coordinator on the BC Youth Council, making efforts to reduce single-use plastics in her community, including local restaurants. She was also recognized for engaging other youth as a student council executive, furthering African culture and cultural identity with the African Stages Association of BC, and her involvement in various Model United Nations Conferences.
"I was super interested in public policy and social justice, so I attended my first Model UN conference as a delegate and from there I was hooked," she said. "I really like discussing major topics in the world and trying to find solutions."
Asked about what inspires her to participate in so many organizations, Okarah said it's simply part of her nature.
"I really love seeing youth taking action and doing things to better their community, and I realized all the activities I was doing were conduits for me to empower youth to take action in their communities and get real work done on issues that they care about," she said. "I'd never before realized that youth could do those things."
With only a few months left before graduation, Okarah is looking ahead to post-secondary. She has figured out what she wants to do, it's just a matter of where.
"With Loran, they would like us to explore some new provinces in Canada, so I'm really hoping for McMaster, but I'm also thinking about McGill or U of Alberta," she said. "I'm pursuing an undergraduate degree either in nursing or health science, and I'd love to maybe attend med school after that. I've always wanted to work in healthcare, and the people at Loran are just amazing with so much support guiding me through the whole process."
Congratulations to 2021 Loran Scholar Chidi Okarah!
