Samar Al Ansari Award for Analytical and Critical Thinking-2017

Parents, Teachers, Students, and Honored guests, good morning.

It is an honor to stand before you today to talk about the Samar Al Ansari Award in Economics.

Samar was an example of a well-rounded student. She excelled both academically and in extracurricular activities, and was an important member of the Honor Society. She was engaged in school activities, and had outstanding contribution to school life.

In her personal statement that is posted on the blog that Samar’s mother started in 2006, Samar wrote about her experience at the previous year’s Bahrain Model United Nations Conference. She talked about how badly she wants to pass her resolution over the issue of alternative energy sources. She wrote “As I began to speak to the other delegates present, I instinctively grabbed a white board marker and began to draw a direct application of economic theory, the externality graph... I began to see more and more heads begin to nod in approval. To my ecstasy and delight, the resolution was passed… I have always seen the link between economics and politics, but at that moment, I realized that economics is the key to cooperation between nations.”

After reading that part of Samar’s personal statement, I realized for the first time the extent of Samar’s passion about the subject. I realized that her perspective is something I wish to be able to adopt as an Economics student myself, and that her instant in depth analysis of a real life from an economic perspective is not very common.

  

In loving memory of Samar’s passion for Economics, Samar’s Family established, in accordance with the school, an annual Economics award that is given to a grade 12 student who excels at the subject. The recipient of the award must be outstanding at critically analyzing and applying economic concepts and theories, and evaluating their functions. He or she are able to determine when and if the theoretical knowledge taught in class is applicable in real life situations. All of which are skills that are useful beyond getting good grades in school.

We are proud to present the winner of the 2017 Samar Al Ansari Award: Natalie Hanna