A fantastic double achievement for a St Helen’s student

Published by St Helen's School on Monday 19th of October 2026

We are very proud to share that a St Helen’s student has won first prize in the Zonta London Young Woman in Leadership and Public Affairs Award 2026. Surveen, in Year 13, received the award this summer and she shares her experience of the Zonta prize below.

Surveen has also been shortlisted and commended for her Law entry into the prestigious John Locke Institute Global Essay Competition.  Her essay addresses the question ‘To what extent should criminal sentencing take into account the effect on the perpetrator’s family?’

As well as making us incredibly proud as a school, achievements such as these, are such a wonderful inspiration for our younger girls.

By Surveen, Year 13

I am deeply honoured to have been awarded first prize in this year’s Zonta London Young Woman in Leadership/Public Affairs Award.

Zonta is a global initiative that celebrates young women who advance the status of women worldwide through active service and advocacy. This journey provided me with the wonderful opportunity to reflect on the importance of selfless service in our wider community, and the challenges that young women face today. In my application, I shared my commitment to everyday actions through my ongoing service at the Gurdwara where I teach younger children how to play the harmonium as well as regularly joining Gurdwara members to prepare and deliver food to a homeless shelter.

In my application, I also reflected on the how the constant pressure on young women and girls to present themselves as perfect creates a confidence gap, often holding girls back from stepping into leadership. To me, overcoming this starts with creating spaces where young women feel supported rather than judged.

The standout moment of this experience was being invited to attend one of Zonta’s monthly club dinners, where I was presented with my award and had the opportunity to speak to the members about my background and leadership journey. During the evening, I listened to members share their firsthand experience from the Zonta International Convention in Vancouver, which outlined the major global decisions and future initiatives of the club. Being welcomed so warmly by such dedicated advocates and learning about their international impact was very inspiring, increasing my commitment to community service moving forward.