Senior spotlight: Sanna Zaheen

By Leanndra Martinez

Maybe you’ve seen her walking through the halls with her cell phone attached to her ear, maybe you’ve seen her wearing her Academic Decathlon sweater on the day of a competition, maybe you’ve seen her studying quietly before a test. It doesn’t matter where you’ve seen her; the fact of the matter is that you have seen her. Senior Sanna Zaheen is distinguishable in the sea of El Segundo high school students not only because of her serious appearance, but because of the one thing that separates her from every other student at this school: her hijab. While many are trying to blend in with the crowd, Sanna is swimming against the mainstream and is creating an identity all her own.

How many high school students have discovered their sense of self in their religion at so young an age? Few have. Unlike many, Sanna has immersed herself in Islam, a religion that is demanding, but empowering at the same time. Unfortunately, many people have lost touch with the beauty of Islam since September 11, and Sanna is aware of this. “Before I was confused. I knew I was Pakistani and Muslim. After 9/11, Islam became known and I wanted to be more knowledgeable about my own religion,” she said, “I know that I am not a fully perfect Muslim woman, but I am trying to do it. It’s hard to do that in America. I want people to be more tolerant of my religion.” Because of this, Sanna decided to start wearing a hijab during her junior year on her own accord. Although it was initially difficult at school because people would stare, her hijab has given her courage and is something that she wears proudly every day. “It’s my identity. It means respect for myself and shows that I’m not out there to be a physical sex object, but rather someone who holds inner character and strength,” she said. While her family isn’t as religious as she has become, they are still supportive of her decisions and her beliefs.

Before embracing her religion, Sanna was brought up in a diverse family. After the ethnic cleansing in Uganda, Africa, during the 1970s her mother was a refugee and moved to Sweden where she married Sanna’s dad. Sanna was born in Gothenburg, Sweden after going to the United States and then returning to Sweden. The Zaheen family eventually moved back to the United States after Sanna was born. “I’m more culturally knowledgeable and I’ve been affected in so many ways. Because of this, I am more open minded,” she said. After all, who else can boast of the fact that she’s fluent in three languages, Urdu (her mother tongue), Punjabi, Hindi (Indian/Pakistani dialects); can read Arabic from the Quran; and is “not fluent in, but definitely familiar” with Spanish, Svenska and Swahili? Sanna can.

“Sanna's soft spoken, thoughtful and calm, but she's also driven by an inner conviction that really illuminates her from within. While she doesn't force her beliefs on anyone, she doesn't let peer pressure force her to do anything she doesn't believe is right, and I really admire her for her courage and inner strength. Oh, and she's on the Decathlon team, which makes her awesome,” Katharine Ng said.

Sanna may consider herself shy and soft spoken, but she can be the opposite. This other side of her can be seen in her work with Academic Decathlon. This year, she received a perfect score in interview at the Academic Decathlon competition. “Sanna is a joy to be with. She reflects academic excellence and creativity and a strong sense of self. Her dedication to academic decathlon the past two years has provided a role model for the team. I am certain her future will be fulfilling,” said Mrs. Stucken, her AP Literature and academic decathlon teacher. Sanna has been on the team for two years and has gained valuable friendships through the class. Some of her favorite memories have been of the hotel stays with academic decathlon when they go to competitions.

“Being in Academic Decathlon and AP Lit this year has opened me up to a lot more friendships. Marisa, Katharine, Joyce, and Warda have always been there. Since I’m a shy and quiet person, it’s hard to get to know people, but this past couple of months I’ve decided to get more out there,” she said. Although she’s ready to move on from high school, Sanna knows that the high school has become her second home. “Graduation is coming so close and I’m going to be so sad. Being a senior, I’m starting to appreciate what I’ve had,” she said.

After participating in various school activities, Sanna is satisfied with the fact that she did everything in moderation with the right balance of fun and work. “It’s all been an experience,” she said. Aside from AP Lit, Academic Decathlon, and AP Environmental Science, Sanna has also been involved with the girl’s basketball team, Spanish club, Interact, and Key Club. Ultimately, it is the girl’s basketball team that has left her indebted to Dr. Gen. “My goal is to wash Dr. Gen’s car by the end of this year. In the 9^th grade, I sold him a faulty car wash ticket and he never got it washed,” she said. Outside of school, Sanna can be seen “playing basketball with my homies, kicking it, and riding bikes with my favorite cousin Naimah in the rain while eating hot cheetos and drinking a slurpy.

As for her future, it’s “really unsure right now”. Most likely, Sanna will be attending Cal State Long Beach where she plans on being an English major. “I’m not going to stop myself from exploring the other options. I’ll do whatever gives me the most comfort and I’m not going to stress about my major,” she said. While she has been an inspiration, the teachers she has had over the years have been her inspiration. “Mrs. Stucken genuinely cares about her students. She’s been more than a teacher for me, she’s been a friend,” Sanna said. In fact, when asked what her future holds for her, Sanna said, “I can see myself teaching. The strength to inspire is God’s gift and I want to pass it on to others.”

As her name implies (Sanna means praise), she deserves it all. Sanna has exemplified a move way from the norm and wants other people to do the same. She said, “Don’t try too hard. Be yourself, find yourself, believe in your own faith.”