Anushka Bist, a graduating student from Oakridge Secondary School, has been announced as a 2026 Loran Scholar – one of only nine students in Ontario to receive this prestigious achievement.

This year, the Loran Scholars Foundation selected 36 exceptional youth from more than 5,400 applicants who have demonstrated they have embraced the challenge of leaving the world better than they found it. As graduating high school and Cégep students, the pursuits and accomplishments of the newest Loran Award recipients are exemplary, but it is their values-driven approach to leading and their dedication to uplifting their communities that distinguish them as Loran Scholars.

Anushka is a highly accomplished Oakridge student and Loran Scholar enrolled in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme. In addition to her many academic achievements, she is involved in a number of extracurricular activities that demonstrate her impressive leadership ability and dedication to civic engagement:

• President of Create For Kids London, a non-profit chapter started by Anushka in 2024 that brings the power of art to children in pediatric care
• Co-president of Oakridge Model UN for two years
• Civics Unplugged Civics Innovators Fellow
• Writer for HerGov Magazine, focussing on issues that disproportionately affect marginalized communities in politics
• Exec at Oakridge Law Society
• Entertainment Lead of the Oakridge Culture Day Committee

Loran Scholars benefit from a four-year, comprehensive leadership-enrichment program, tuition waivers at one of 25 university partners, financial support, and a network of values-driven peers and mentors—unlike anything else offered in this country.

To learn more about the 2026 Loran Scholars and the Loran Award, visit www.loranscholar.ca.

Congratulations Anushka!

About Loran

Loran firmly believes empowering values-driven youth is the key to a brighter future for us all. Looking beyond marks, Loran’s mission is to find young people with character—those who display the courage to push boundaries and challenge the status quo, a commitment to service that improves the lives of others, and who have intrinsic leadership potential. We believe that identifying such promising young people means looking beyond grades to find students with character—those who show courage by pushing boundaries and challenging the status quo; display a commitment to service that improves the lives of others; and demonstrate intrinsic leadership potential.