MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2019 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Jordan, Jackson (11th), Simmons (13th), Simmons (12th), Norwood, Blackmon, Barnett, Chassaniol, Dearing, Jackson (32nd), Watson
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING SUNJAY CHAWLA OF GREENWOOD AS THE FIRST MISSISSIPPI HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT TO WIN THE WENDY'S NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL HEISMAN AWARD.
WHEREAS, from an applicant pool of the top 42,000 high school scholar-athletes graduating with the Class of 2019, Sunjay Chawla of Greenwood, Mississippi, was named Wendy's High School Heisman National Winner in the award's 25th year. He attended the National Heisman Award Ceremony in New York on December 8, 2018, attended the "Ringing of the Bell" at Wall Street with the college Heisman Finalists, and was recognized by ESPN on National Television for being the Top Student Athlete in the country; and
WHEREAS, Sunjay was the first Mississippi high school student to ever win the National High School Heisman Award. He is also the only Mississippi resident to ever win a College or High School Heisman Award; and
WHEREAS, Sunjay is a high school senior in Greenwood, Mississippi, and excels in soccer, tennis and golf. He has won four-straight State Tennis Championships in Singles, scored the game-winning goal in the State Championship Soccer Game in 2017, and came in third in the state at the State Golf Championships in May 2018; and
WHEREAS, as a sophomore and junior, he was named All-Conference in Soccer for MAIS Academy AAAA Division II. Sunjay has led the team in scoring for three years and holds the record for most goals in a game, most goals in a season, and most goals in a career. Sunjay also won four-straight MAIS Academy AAAA State Championship titles in Tennis Singles while serving as Captain on his school team, which won three-straight State Championships. He is an accomplished two-handicap golfer who finished in third place at the Academy AAAA Division II State Golf Championship; and
WHEREAS, Sunjay has excelled in community service in Greenwood. He created the Chawla ACT Institute at Greenwood High School to provide tutoring and study manuals for underprivileged youth to prepare for ACT Testing. Sunjay is also very active in scouting. For his Eagle Scout project, he built a community tennis wall where beginners can hit tennis balls for free at a public facility to learn the basics of the sport. Then, he helped launch the Love Tennis Club for Beginners, and spent more than 100 hours providing complimentary youth tennis lessons to underprivileged children; and
WHEREAS, in his application Sunjay said, "It was one of the most fulfilling experiences I've ever had, and I realized that volunteering and helping others is as fun as winning a State Championship." Sunjay continued about his community service project, "I hope one day that a student from the club wins a State Championship. That would make me most proud"; and
WHEREAS, Sunjay is first in his class at Pillow Academy with a 4.9 grade point average. Further, he scored a 212 on his PSAT and was recognized with a commendable recognition by the administrators of the National Merit Scholarship program. Between this recognition and the 34 he achieved on the ACT, he is in the top 1% academically of all students in America for the Class of 2019; and
WHEREAS, Sunjay plans to attend a Division 1 university to study Banking and Finance and pursue either an MBA or a Master's in Accounting. He looks forward to a long-term entrepreneurial role, perhaps as a CEO. His desire is to come back to the Mississippi Delta and work as CEO of a for-profit company and a nonprofit company focused on improving opportunities for underprivileged kids in the Delta; and
WHEREAS, Sunjay is the son of Suresh and Gauri Chawla of Greenwood, and is the older brother to 15-year old Dia Chawla. His grandfather, the late Dr. V.K. Chawla, was honored on the floor of the Mississippi State Senate in 2008 for his contribution to the education community and the economic community of the Delta. Upon his passing, Dr. Chawla was honored for his life achievement on the floor of the United States House of Representatives by United States Congressman Bennie Thompson; and
WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we join the citizens of Greenwood, Mississippi, in recognizing a student athlete whose national award has brought honor to his high school, his family, his community and to the State of Mississippi:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate Sunjay Chula of Greenwood as the first Mississippi high school student to win the Wendy's National High School Heisman Award, and extend our best wishes to Sunjay and his family on this high honor.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Sunjay Chawla and his family, forwarded to Principal Kenneth Pulley, the School Board of Greenwood High School, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.