A student in Frisco is being honored by the President of the United States for her stellar academic achievements.
"If you have a dream, you can achieve it," says Labiba Udin, a senior at Wakeland High School in Frisco. In addition to being valedictorian of her class, Udin has just been named a 2021 U.S. Presidential Scholar. It's a very prestigious award.
Every year, the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars selects only one boy and one girl from each state for the honor. This year, Udin was named the female scholar from Texas.
"Honestly, I'm still trying to process it," Udin says. "I'm very shocked."
After getting nominated, Udin says she had to write several essays and get a couple of recommendations. She says she was never really expecting to receive the honor.
"Only 6,500 candidates are nominated from across the U.S.," she says. "I was shocked to get nominated. I was shocked when I got the semi-finals notification. It was all just something I was not expecting at all."
Typically, there is a ceremony at the White House where the President himself awards his scholars with a medallion, but because of the pandemic, that isn't happening this year. Instead, the medallions will be sent by mail and a recognition ceremony will be held online.
Still, Udin says she's over the moon.
"I think my parents are probably the most excited people on Earth right now," she says. "And I'm just immensely grateful. I feel so blessed."
After she graduates from Wakeland, Udin will attend Harvard University in the fall. She's planning to study molecular and cellular biology.
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