The Kiwanis Club of Cedar Park awards a Sophomore of the Year award for a sophomore at each of the five LISD High Schools every year since the 1980’s. This year’s Sophomore of the Year award went to Ilina Bozhkova.

“I felt really honored to win the award,” Bozhkova said. “It’s a great way to get scholarship and I really feel lucky to have been chosen.”

Students that are interested write about themselves, how they use leadership skills, what they’re involved in and how they have given back to their community. Then judges at the Kiwanis Club pick the students they feel are most deserving of the award.

“I work in my church nursery as well as volunteer as part of the jury for the Cedar Park Municipal Teen Court,” Bozhkova said. “My favorite part about community service is knowing that it’s serving other and helping someone’s life be a little easier.”

The Kiwanis Club has three main goals with the program. To recognize and develop leadership potential commencing with high school sophomores, and to encourage and prepare the next generation of civic and corporate leadership for America’s future, to help sophomores gain experience in applying for scholarships and to educate people in the schools and communities about the Kiwanis organization.

“My personal belief is that what these students have accomplished in their brief lives is the important factor here,” Kiwanis Club Board of Director Jan Duggan said. “Not only the winners, but almost all applicants have accomplished wonderful things in their and other people’s lives. We are constantly amazed at how much these young people are able to accomplish outside of their scholastic activities.”