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Three Fairfax County Public Schools seniors received scholarships from the Asian Leadership Alliance on Wednesday, June 3, recognizing their academic work and commitment to causes important to the Asian, Pacific Islander and Desi American community.

The recipients are Sophia Shi of Edison High School, who plans to study sociology at the University of Pennsylvania; Elaina Rivers of Hayfield Secondary School, who will pursue nursing at the University of Virginia; and Manas Puri of Lake Braddock Secondary School, who intends to study management science and engineering and computer science at Stanford University.

Shi, a first-generation immigrant, said her culture is central to her identity. She credited her parents’ sacrifices with motivating her to maintain a connection to her heritage despite living far from their homeland.

Rivers emphasized the importance of APIDA community members educating and supporting one another, both locally and abroad.

Puri called for greater APIDA involvement in addressing educational inequity. He said the community’s struggles often go unseen and that some APIDA students grow up believing that seeking help signals weakness or that their needs are not worth raising.

The alliance’s board selected the recipients after reviewing applicants’ resumes, transcripts and recommendation letters. Candidates also submitted a personal essay or video describing a cause meaningful to them and explaining why APIDA participation in that cause matters.

The Asian Leadership Alliance is a certified employee group for FCPS workers.