One Port Coquitlam grad who will be attending his school’s drive-through ceremonies this week is going home $80,000 richer.
Parshan Pourbakht will be crammed into the family SUV with dad Morteza, mother Roya and older brother Parham to pick up his diploma and have a socially-distanced graduation in the parking lot at Terry Fox secondary school.
Among his take home perks at the ceremony will be an award for an $80,000 scholarship to attend post-secondary school at Burnaby’s Simon Fraser University in September.
The SFU cash will pay for the 17-year-old’s four-year study of computer sciences and enable him to start his own environmentally-sustainable business one day.
“When I first got the news it was insane. I was freaking out, it was overwhelming,” acknowledged Pourbakht.
He said Terry Fox has been a welcoming place for him since his family criss-crossed Canada after arriving from Iran just over a decade ago.
Moving from school to school in Toronto, Calgary, Burnaby, back to Iran, and then to Port Coquitlam where he attended Kwayquitlum middle school before enrolling at Fox for Grade 9, Pourbakht met a lot of friends, and got involved in several school activities.
From the school’s Link Crew and legacy programs to math tutoring and making and serving breakfast to peers, Pourbakht crammed a lot of experience while also helping others and working to support his family.
“It’s a great school, I made a lot of friends, met a lot of amazing teachers.”
Now that he’s leaving Fox for SFU, Pourbakht said he’s a bit nervous but looking forward to a new experience. His advice for those coming behind him?
“I’d definitely get involved, it’s one of the best things you can do for yourself,” he said.
Pourbakht is also co-valedictorian for this year's grad ceremonies with his friend Jordan Scott.
To find out more about this outgoing fellow and his views on high school, check out Parshan Pourbakht’s valedictorian nomination speech.
