A Sammamish High School student who immigrated to the United States when he was young and worked an after-school job to help support his family is the first recipient of a new scholarship created by Sammamish alumni for first-generation college students.

Graduating senior Navkirat Dehar stood out for his hard work ethic, scholarship organizer Daniel Blau said.

“We felt [Dehar] best represented the spirit of Sammamish in his hard work and activity in the community,” Blau said. “It should be noted this was a very difficult decision as every student who applied was impressive in their own right.”

An avid reader and aspiring writer who immigrated to the U.S. at a young age, Navi has made ample use of his imagination and leaderships skills. He tutored children with autism, spearheaded an environmental club that began an on-campus garden and produced many skillful graphic designs. Meanwhile, Navi worked as a grocery clerk to help support his family while managing to obtain a 3.9 GPA.

The Sammamish X scholarship was given by a committee of alumni who had connected after attending class reunions. It included Becca Miller, Helen Wong and Alex Lofton from the Class of 2003, Drew Archer and Ross Buchanan from the Class of 2004, and Blau, Laura Sanders, Ariana De Lena, Christina Hunsberger and Winston Lofton from the Class of 2005.

Blau said he and Winston Lofton were inspired to create the scholarship program when hearding about the number of first generation college students at their alma matter.

Approximately 40 percent of Sammamish students will be the first in their family to attend college, according to the Sammamish PTSA and Sammamish Totems Enrichment and Program Support. A study by the Partnership for 21st Century Learning put the number of first generation college students at almost half of Sammamish’s student body.

The group wanted to start a tradition for students who are the first in their family to get a high education, as well as being leaders in the school and the community. While the first-generation aspect was the “X factor” of the scholarship, the group also wanted to pick a student who cared about the school in all aspects.

Thanks to the ample donations the organization received, two other Sammamish students received smaller scholarships. Jesus Garcia and Emma Tim each received $500 from the Sammamish X fund.

Garcia stood out for his drive and focus, as well as his involvement in the community. He is an active leader in the Latino H.E.A.T. program where he creates spaces for young people to remember and celebrate their Latino heritage. He has also been active on- and off-campus in the graphic design world and placed highly in regional competitions.

“His incredible drive and focus stands out to people who have known him for years and people who meet him for the first time,” one of his letters of recommendation read.

A classroom aid, Emma Tim is going to college to become an educator. She has a commitment to learning and one letter of recommendation noted that she “learns and prepares because it it important to her, not because it will raise her grades (which are always stellar anyway).”

Tim’s love of learning carried over to her involvement in Sammamish’s theater program, where she took on different roles over the years such as acting, producing and designing productions.

For more information and opportunities to donate, visit SammamishX.org.