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Cookstown girl wins $100,000 scholarship

Esha Mahmood, a student at Banting Memorial High School in Alliston, was one of 5,000 candidates who applied for the Loran Scholars Foundation prize
2019-02-15-Esha Mahmood2
Esha Mahmood, 17, won a $100,000 Loran Scholars Foundation prize. Submitted photo

A 17 year old Cookstown girl has won a $100,000 scholarship.

Esha Mahmood, who attends Banting Memorial High School in Alliston, was one of more than 5,000 candidates from across Canada who applied for the Loran Scholars Foundation prize, and one of 35 youth to win this year.

The award factors in academic achievements, but it focuses mainly on character, service and leadership.

“I’m really passionate about youth empowerment,” said Esha.

“I grew up with a lot of community programs. I saw the impact older kids … were having on younger people and that made my experience growing up a lot of fun. Now that I’m older, I really want to give back and be a part of people’s lives.”

Esha has been president of her school’s student council for two years, is a member of Link Crew, which welcomes Grade 9 students, and she helps run a Grade 8 open house.

She has worked on various projects with the community, including youth mental wellness organization jack.org, for which the school organizes annual Colour Runs.

Last year, about 400 people attended the Colour Run fundraiser, and 600 are expected to participate this time, she said.

Esha also took part in the Count Me In global student leadership summit a few years ago, before being hired on to help run it, which she has done for two years now.

As well, Esha is on the speakers bureau for Plan Canada’s Because I am a Girl campaign, which involves speaking at and attending events about women’s issues.

In that role, she also got to see former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama speak at an event in 2017.

“It was a live interview. That is something I will always look back on and think, ‘Wow, I can’t believe I got to see her,’” she said.

As a winner of the Loran scholarship, Esha will get the $100,000 over four years through various programs. This includes up to $10,000 waived for four years of post-secondary education, a $10,000 annual stipend, and $10,000 for summer internships.

As a caveat, she must move out of the province for schooling, and she said she is currently considering the University of British Columbia and Dalhousie University.

The schools are just two of 25 Canadian universities partnered with the Loran Scholars Foundation, so she just needs to choose where she wants to go this fall.

Esha must also attend an orientation expedition in Algonquin Park and annual retreats and forums, and do at least one 12-week internship in a different country, for which she is considering Australia and southeast Asia.

Esha is interested in studying international development, with the goal to work for the United Nations or the government in foreign policy, immigration, or for a non-profit in developing countries.

She said any youth interested in getting involved in their communities should take the leap.

“Just take the risk and put yourself out there,” she said, noting she moved to Cookstown in her first year of high school and did not know anyone. “It was really scary, (but) you make so many friends. You can discover your passion.”


Jenni Dunning

About the Author: Jenni Dunning

Jenni Dunning is a community editor and reporter who covers news in the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury.
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