A local high school student who nearly skipped school for a senior tradition instead walked into a life-changing surprise: a $5,000 scholarship.
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Eman Shahid, a graduating student from Lloydminster Comprehensive High School, is one of 12 Saskatchewan youth leaders selected to receive the 2026 Conexus Youth Leadership Award.
Conexus Credit Union distributed a total of $60,000 this year to provincial recipients, recognizing outstanding leadership and community contribution.
Other regional winners included Hadyn Francoeur of St. Walburg and Morgan Eurich of Luseland.
For Shahid, the road to the award culminated in an unexpected confrontation in a school counsellor’s office. A week prior, her counsellor requested a Wednesday meeting, refusing to disclose the reason.
Taylor Weaver – Meridian Source
The timing was less than ideal; Wednesday was the school’s unofficial “senior skip day.” Shahid planned to join her classmates but felt compelled to show up for the mysterious appointment.
“I go on Wednesday, and she’s standing with someone else, and I thought I was in trouble,” Shahid said. “She opens her office door and they’re standing there with the cheque. I get so surprised, I walked backwards and thought I was dreaming. I thought this was a fever dream.”
Shahid admitted she had completely forgotten she applied for the scholarship, as she was overwhelmed with final exams, assignments and essays.
To earn the award, Shahid submitted an essay reflecting her unique perspective on community service, backed by a strong letter of recommendation from a teacher.
Rather than focusing on traditional top-down authority, Shahid’s winning essay argued that true leadership does not always require the spotlight.
“Leadership isn’t someone who just stands at the front of the room and tells me what to do,” Shahid explained. “There’s backseat leaders, as well. They contribute to what we’re doing and they help out. They make everyone feel included.”
Born in the United Kingdom and raised in Lloydminster since the age of four, Shahid credits her love for learning — specifically biology and sciences — for her academic focus.
She is enrolled in the University Transfer Science program at Lakeland College for her first year. Following her time locally, she plans to transfer to either the University of Saskatchewan or the University of Alberta to complete her prerequisites and ultimately pursue a PhD in pharmacy.
Her interest in the field is practical; she already works at the local Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacy in the LloydMall.
The win is a major milestone for Shahid’s family, who moved to Canada from Pakistan. As the oldest of four siblings, she faces high expectations from a global extended family full of doctors and engineers.
Her mother, Arooj Shahid, initially had to push her daughter to apply for the Conexus award. At the time, Eman was hesitant, noting she had already applied for roughly 30 other scholarships.
“Me and my husband said, ‘No, Eman. You need to take this opportunity. You have to.’ So, she wrote an essay. Now, look, she won,” Arooj said, adding that her daughter serves as a vital example for her younger siblings. “I’m really proud of her. She has leader qualities.”
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