North Allegheny Senior Wins Annual Words to Be Heard Scholarship Contest

Edgar Snyder & Associates is pleased to announce the winners of the firm's 10th annual "Words to Be Heard" contest, which tasks graduating western Pennsylvania seniors with creating a presentation that would discourage their peers from dangerous driving behaviors.

Mehrnaz Tiv, a North Allegheny High School senior, won second place for a video she created that personalized the dangers of underage drinking and driving. She'll receive a $5,000 scholarship.

She said she wanted to create a message that showed young people that their decision to drink and drive can affect more than just their own lives—it could also affect their friends and loved ones. "As a young adult, people can state the statistics, but that doesn’t hit home," Tiv said.

Tiv is a member of the Key Club, National Honor Society, and wind ensemble. She also participated in her high school's drama productions, acting in two plays and serving as a student director for four others. Tiv will attend New York University in the fall, where she plans to major in dramatic writing.

"The winners of our annual scholarship contest represent to me the best and the brightest students in western Pennsylvania," Attorney Edgar Snyder said. "Every year, I'm blown away by their ability to communicate the dangers of distracted and drunk driving to their peers in a way that's relatable and gets them to listen—which can sometimes be a challenge to the adults."

Other winners include:

• Carrie Smith, who will graduate this year from Indiana Area Senior High School, won the grand prize and will receive a $10,000 scholarship. She plans to study biology at West Chester University in the fall.
• Zhiere J. Patmon, a senior at Washington High School won third-place for a heart-wrenching video he created about the dangers of distracted driving. He plans to study political science at Howard University in Washington, D.C., and will receive a $2,500 scholarship.