Heather Zidow, a Plano West Senior High School junior, is one of 10 students in Texas awarded a $2,500 scholarship from the Discover Card Tribute Award program.

Heather is the daughter of Ilene and Perry Zidow and sister of Chad, 14, all of Plano. The family are members at Temple Emanu-El in Dallas. Heather says that her success is attributed to hard work and the desire to attain certain goals. She acknowledges that, although she doesn't always get everything she shoots for, she gets positive results most of the time.

Heather has an extensive leadership and volunteer resume, including work at Operation Kindness, helping her family lead Friday services at Golden Acres, teaching Hebrew during Sunday School at Temple Emanu-El and leadership roles with her local chapter of B'nai B'rith.

"My dad is my role model," says Heather. "He's an impressive guy who works hard and is very intelligent." Heather says her parents have never pressured her to make good grades but that she has always been driven to work hard on her own.

This year's winners were selected from a field of 7,500 applicants nationwide and must maintain a minimum 2.75 grade point average to qualify.

The winners in each state go on to compete for nine national scholarships worth $25,000 and are honored at a June ceremony at the Discover Financial Services headquarters in Riverwoods, Ill.

"She is an extremely hard worker and studies a lot, although she is smart. We're very proud of her," says Mrs. Zidow.