The Saskatoon Board of Education’s winner of the 2023 Award of Excellence, chosen out of around 28,000 students in the Saskatoon Public Schools Division is an individual who excels academically, through her fundraising efforts and her many interests including playing bass guitar in a band.

Banin Arjmand was born in Pakistan after her family fled from Afhanistan. They returned to Afghanistan and then came to Canada in the fall of 2021. She entered Grade 11 at Nutana Collegiate the next year.

A news release from Saskatoon Public Schools says Banin has delivered many presentations to students and staff and to a nursing student cohort about refugee experiences. She organized a fundraiser after a school in Afghanistan was bombed and was involved in many extracurricular activities during her high school years. Banin is now pursuing a degree in international studies at USask, and hopes to attend law school and join an international aid organization.

Each year, the winner of the Award of Excellence receives $5,000 and a medal.