Last week, top high school students in the UAE were pleasantly surprised to receive a call from the Dubai Media Office, informing them that they would be receiving a special royal gift.
A Royal Recognition
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, honored the top students for the academic year 2023-2024 with thousands of dirhams in cash and an inspirational message. Engraved on the box containing the prize was the message, “We are proud of you and we bet on you.”
One of the recipients, Alia Hassan, plans to use her cash prize to buy a car. Aspiring to study physics at Khalifa University, she expressed her shock at being a topper. “I was delightfully shocked,” she said. Her English teacher, Aziza Al Ghafri, was not surprised, noting, “I always saw her as a second teacher in the class.”
Student Reactions
Maryam Al Zaabi, another top student, shared her feelings of responsibility upon receiving the gift with the message, “We bet on you.” She remarked, “I hope I am worthy of this trust.”
Last week, the Dubai Media Office contacted the students to inform them of the impending royal gifts. A certificate signed by Sheikh Mohammed congratulated the students, their families, and the country for their achievements.
Maryam was deeply touched by the gesture. “Yesterday, the wise leadership told us not to worry, and today we are the ones who tell you so,” she said.
A Reward for Hard Work
Mayed Al Hamoudi from Al Fujairah Institute of Applied Technology was not surprised by the recognition, having meticulously planned and worked hard over the years. The gift, however, was a pleasant surprise that he said would support his academic journey in the medical field.
Waleed Al Asadi from International School Abu Dhabi intends to invest his prize money in studying human medicine. “I expected to be one of the toppers as it had been my goal all these years,” he said.
For Abdullah Mohammed, the prize marked the culmination of years of hard work. He aspires to specialize in cardiac surgery. His mother revealed that Abdullah had always been among the top students, following in the footsteps of his elder brother.
Future Aspirations
The students expressed their gratitude for the recognition and shared their future plans. Alyazia Al Shamsi, who scored 99 percent and aims to study engineering, expressed her ambitions beyond the UAE. “After I won the Emirates Skills Competition, I aspire to win the WorldSkills one,” she said. “I want to present my beloved country in the last stage of the competition.”
