First place at a science competition. She was competing against college students.
Three-time "Most Promising Young Pianist"  winner in a national music competition.
Laureate Honors and a National Merit Commended Student.

Meet Sarine Shahmirian.

A senior at a California high school, Sarine demonstrates excellence and passion in academics, arts, and other achievements, and the Discus Awards recognize Sarine for her remarkable accomplishments inside and outside the classroom.

Sarine is the winner of the February 2010 Discus Scholarship, a scholarship presented to one select Discus Award winner every month of the school year. From among hundreds of Discus Awards winners and accomplishments in 10 attribute categories, a panel of judges has chosen Sarine as the recipient of the $2,000 college scholarship.

The Discus Awards, a high school awards program honoring students who excel in and out of the classroom, look beyond grades, scores, and win-loss records and recognize students for their multi-dimensional talents and passions.

Sarine is displaying her diverse range of talents, and the Discus Awards are honored to shine the spotlight on her.

		Academics
		“I have taken the most rigorous curriculum at my high school since the ninth grade, including more honors-level and Advanced Placement (AP) courses than anyone else in my graduating class. I have received A's in every single one of my classes so far and have the highest cumulative GPA in my grade.” She’s been named the "Most Outstanding French and Math Student" at her high school for three years in a row.  Not only does Sarine take on the toughest challenges, she excels in every one.

		Arts
		“I have competed in classical piano performance for the past ten years. I was awarded with high honors at the Music Teachers’ Association of California (MTAC) Glendale Branch Contemporary and Bach Festivals in 2007 and 2008.” Sarine has received tremendous accolades from many performance evaluators, including the judges at a national music competition.  However, her passion for music and the countless number of hours she's spent practicing are the real reasons she is such an amazing pianist.

		Other Achievements
		“Last August, I presented my research at the AAAS Pacific Division meeting and received “First Place” in the Biochemistry section and the division-wide “Presidents’ Award” for best paper, although I was the only high school student competing against many university students and post-docs.” As a student at the prestigious Southern California Academy of Sciences (SCAS), Sarine was awarded a research grant to work at an organic chemistry lab at California State University, Northridge.  Earlier this month, she represented SCAS at the American Junior Academy of Sciences (AJAS) national conference.  Sarine has demonstrated her aptitude for science, and has demonstrated her devotion to continuing her pursuit of excellence.

Learn more about Sarine Shahmirian and other Discus Award winners