Nine brilliant young minds, a dream in the drawer and a challenge to the last vote. They are the finalists of the "Antonello Pinna" scholarship for scholastic merit 2024, the recognition, conceived by the internationally renowned scientist from Oristano, Graziano Pinna, and dedicated to the memory of his brother, which every year rewards scholastic excellence and human value.
The scholarship was established by Pinna after receiving recognition from the mayor of Oristano, Guido Tendas, La Stella D'Argento – Oristanesi nel mondo 2016. An award as a "sign of "give back" for my Sardinian community, where I was educated. An award that honors the memory of my older brother and that, at the same time, represents a contribution for young students, an incentive that can inspire them", said Graziano Pinna.
Graziano Pinna's initiative is therefore nothing more than a way to give something back to his city, but also to invest in those who, with talent and determination, want to change the world .
Tonight at 6 pm, live on Zoom, we will find out who will take home the title of best student of the year, along with a check for 3,000 or 1,000 euros and a special mention for extraordinary merits. But who are these kids?
Six girls, three boys, all between 19 and 20 years old, all with an impressive CV: Andrea Zoncu, Angelica Ferri, Giulia Militello, Gabriele Aru, Matilde Aramu, Federica Serpi, Giulia Scanu, Carlo Zoccheddu and Sofia Cabras.
They come from Oristano, Cagliari and small towns in the province such as Siamaggiore, Riola, Santa Giusta and Ula Tirso . Five come from the Mariano IV high school in Arborea and four from the De Castro classical high school. But above all, they have an impressive academic record: six of them obtained their high school diploma with 100 cum laude, the other three with 100 full marks.
But that's not all. To get to the finals they had to demonstrate much more: commitment to volunteering, passion for their future and solid values.
«All the candidates this year too, honoured us with their questions and moved us with their dedication to study and their many interests, from sports to music, from art to the study of languages», said Pinna, «it was a privilege to know their talent, their tenacity and their determination in pursuing their goals, not only for their personal growth, but also with the desire to contribute to the improvement of Sardinia and to put themselves at the service of others, both through their studies and with experiences abroad».
A high-level commission composed of internationally renowned experts will decide who deserves the most : Alberta Lai, director of the Italian Cultural Institute in San Francisco, Marcello Alecci, professor of Bio-Medical Physics and Bio-Engineering at the University of L'Aquila, Marco Gargiulo, professor of Italian Linguistics and Culture at the University of Bergen, Manuela Coccu, winner of the award in 2020 and currently a medical student.
It will be their job to evaluate who, among these nine talents, most deserves to take home the 2024 Merit Award.
"The vision of the future that emerged from their letters and conversations confirmed how these new Sardinian generations represent a concrete promise for a better tomorrow," he concluded. "Their ambition, their desire to explore and their spirit of initiative are signs of great hope."
