Leila Safi has truly helped the world. Earning the Sterling Scholar Business and Marketing award was only the tip of the iceberg in things she’s participated in. Not only does she enjoy reading, hiking and camping – she’s also volunteered at Primary Children’s hospital, peer court, Wasatch Community Gardens and United in Service for Humanity.

She was born in Afghanistan, and came to America when she was three years old. Pashto is her primary language, and English her second. On top of that, she can also read and write in Arabic, she understands Urdu, and knows some Spanish. She’s surely a talented girl, reaching out to many different things and opportunities, such as the Sterling Scholar award.

“The Sterling Scholar experience has been very pleasant,” Safi said. “I have learned that challenging myself proves to be worthy in the end.”

It’s certainly a skill that most high school students have a hard time with, choosing to do what they’re good and comfortable with rather than going outside of the box and doing something extraordinary like Safi has. It will help not only with her college life, but Safi has said that it will help with challenging herself in the future, which will most likely lead to good things in her future.

Safi certainly has ideas that will lead into good things for our world. She described a product that she was hoping to invent in the future, one that will certainly benefit Utahans. An air filter, to help with the pollution in the air which is leading to health issues, and other problems in nature.

“Not only will this help with our air here in Utah,” Safi said, “But it could also help with third world countries who struggle with maintaining overall health.”

An idea that, if produced, will certainly help all over the world.

She’s certainly got the spirit to make a great change, known for her bright and charming personality, her easy ability to make friends and she is not one to give in easily. She has all the talents for anything she could hope to achieve.

“If she sets her mind to something,” her parents Hafiz and Shafiquah Safi said, “she will make sure to get it done.”

A skill that has benefited her here in the Sterling Scholar experience, and will certainly benefit her in the future.

“She’s hardworking,” her parents say, “and it’s paying off.”

With the Sterling Scholar, it certainly is. Earning this scholarship will lead her into a good college certainly, and Safi said that it has helped her to learn not to doubt herself. Not doubting herself and knowing that she could do this, was what helped her achieve this award, and with this, she will hopefully better the world.