Abrar Shahin wears a hijab as part of her Muslim beliefs. She's always been comfortable honoring her religion, but was especially proud to realize her entire high school class was accepting of her choice when they voted her "Best Dressed."

"My hijab is my crown," Abrar said in an interview with Seventeen. "While wearing it, I feel safe and confident with myself." Still, her peers' recognition is an exciting development.

"As a young Muslim American woman, it makes me happy to know that I come from an accepting and open minded generation," she added. "My sister graduated from the same high school as me 10 years ago, and she says that she would have never imagined winning this award."

Courtesy of Abrar Shahin

Abrar was shocked to win, and hopes that her superlative can garner further acceptance in schools where such an honor might still seem unimaginable.

"Coming from a class of 800 people it was such an honor winning the award as a young Muslim women," she told Buzzfeed. "I just want to let every girl out there know that they shouldn’t be afraid to express themselves through their style," she said. "Nothing is more beautiful than a girl that stands up for what she believes in."

Courtesy of Abrar Shahin

Head over to Seventeen for the full interview, and then read our piece on how hijabs in the context of Islamophobia.

Related: This Fencer Just Made History For Being the First U.S. Athlete to Wear a Hijab in the Olympics