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Christina-Taylor Green Scholarship winner heading to DC

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Posted 7:46 AM 6/22/2012 : Winner of Christina-Taylor Green scholarship heading to DC

TUCSON- This weekend the winner of the 2012 Christina-Taylor Green Memorial Scholarship will head to Washington, DC, where she'll be the youngest of 50 participants at a women's political workshop.

At age 11, Zyanya Figueroa knows how to keep busy. 

"I was in student council, I was the president and editor of the school newspaper and I really enjoy music a lot," Figueroa says. 

Figueroa who's entering into 7th grade at Thorndale Elementary in Marana, also plays the flute, takes piano lessons and like a lot of kids her age, she enjoys one other activity. "Just pretty much being annoying to my older brother, that's another hobby," Figueroa says with a smile.

She likes to joke, but ask Figueroa's 6th grade teacher, Jeanette Pagel, and she'll tell you it's a case of work hard, play hard. 

"I never have to worry about getting her homework in, her projects are always exemplary and she's a fantastic role model for the other students," Pagel says.

That discipline helped Figueroa win the 2012 Christina-Taylor Green Memorial Scholarship.  It honors the youngest victim of the January 8th shooting. "I think I'm kind of just like her," Figueroa says.

Like Christina-Taylor Green, Figueroa also has political aspirations. "I'm going to try when I'm older to be the President of the United States," Figueroa says.

The scholarship gives her a chance to participate in a program with young women from across the country, all learning about what it takes to become a political leader. "She's going to be one of those people that once she sets her mind to something, she's going to do it," Pagel says. 

The trip will be another chance for Figueroa to prove herself and through it all, she'll carry with her a simple piece of advice. "Just be yourself," Figueroa says. "That's all that matters."

Figueroa will head to DC on Sunday.  The program runs Monday-Saturday of next week.

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