Sunjay Chawla: Wendy's High School Heisman Winner {Life}

Happiest of Tuesdays y'all! 
Today we wanted to share the incredible story of Sunjay Chawla, Mississippi's first Wendy's High School Heisman recipient. Sunjay is the type of individual we can all find inspiration in. We are thrilled to be able to share his story with y'all. Keep reading for more! 

         Over a decade ago, Dave Thomas, the founder of the popular fast food restaurant Wendy’s, established the Wendy’s High School Heisman Scholarship in order to celebrate the young adults across America whose academic achievements, drive, and athletic success set them apart from their peers. Sunjay Chawla is undoubtedly deserving of this honor and was recognized as the 2018 Wendy’s High School Heisman Scholarship winner, the first national winner from the state of Mississippi. The Pillow Academy senior is the type of individual who knows no other life but one defined by selfless service, determination, and passion.
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    Sunjay’s parents, Suresh and Gauri Chawla, knew their child was destined for athletic success from the time he was a very young child. “When I first learned how to walk I was dribbling a soccer ball with both feet,” smiles Sunjay. Father and son bonded on the golf course and tennis court, effectively planting the seeds for a love for sport that would grow stronger as Sunjay aged. As a senior in high school, Sunjay is a talented athlete; his abilities allow him to excel at soccer, tennis, and golf. “My greatest accomplishment in sports is not even a big win. I finished third place in our state in golf. Golf is the hardest sport for me, and it was so rewarding to see all the hard work I put into the game pay off during that tournament,” says Sunjay.

   
​        The summer prior to beginning his final year at Pillow Academy, Sunjay attended the Summer Leadership Institute at the Trent Lott Institute of the University of Mississippi. While participating in the program, Sunjay made the decision to take advantage of the resources available to him and get a head start on a long research paper required by his senior year english class.  He decided to research the biases embedded into the standardized test he had just done very well on. “I was surprised by how much information I was able to find. There is a significant amount of evidence that suggests standardized college admittance tests are biased towards women, minorities, and the underprivileged. That research changed how I looked at those tests. I am blessed to be fortunate enough to be able to afford all the resources I needed to do well on the ACT, but many in my community are not so lucky. I wanted to unearth those biases and make them known,” says Sunjay.

   Not content with simply acknowledging the issue, the high school senior was determined to do what he could to help combat the problem in his own community. Sunjay, with the support of his family, began hosting ACT prep courses every Tuesday and Thursday for students at Greenwood High School, a program he referred to as the Shawla ACT Institute. “My goal was to provide my peers with the resources I was fortunate enough to have when preparing for the test. The key to standardized testing is often repetition, but  test prep books that contain practice tests can be really expensive for some people, making taking multiple practice tests cost prohibitive. I figured that I could help these students prepare themselves by administering practice exams and grading them, and reviewing them with the students,” says Sunjay. This level of selflessness is not limited to this project, the teenager also hosts tennis camps, open to children of the entire community. “I have a passion for tennis and I am blessed to be good at it. There is no reason not to spread the joy the game I love brings to those who play it,” smiles Sunjay. During the summers, Sunjay will run drills in Whittington Park with anyone who wants to learn how to play the game.

       It is these acts of service, his academic performance, and his athletic success that made him the perfect candidate to win the Wendy’s National High School Heisman scholarship. His victory might have surprised Sunjay, but made perfect sense to those in his community who know him well. “Winning the Heisman award meant everything to me. I have made a lot of sacrifices to get to where I am. I have missed out on a lot of things because I’m studying or practicing. Winning this award meant so much to me because it reminded me that hard work and sacrifice does pay off. It has motivated me to approach my future with the same amount of determination,” says Sunjay.  Looking forward, Sunjay is sure that community service will remain an integral part of his life. “I am committed to the idea that with great success comes great responsibility to give back to the community. I am so thankful for the community I was lucky enough to be raised in. To know that everyone around me wants me to succeed means so much to me and I am so grateful for the support my community has offered.”

All photographs courtesy of Wendy's High School Heisman. 
To find out more about this honor, please visit the Wendy's High School Heisman website.