Isabelle Vernalia:
$1,000 Third Place
Isabelle Vernalila is a 2019 high school graduate who will be studying at Regis College this fall where she hopes to major in education. She is the daughter of two Bradford graduates and as such has been surrounded by the “Surgo Ut Prosim” motto for her entire life.
Her teachers say she is a “energetic and charismatic student who can always be counted on to step up to the plate”. She happily helps wherever she is needed giving tours to incoming freshman and teaching anti-bullying education programs at the district’s three elementary schools. She is a four-year member of SADD/Project Purple and is currently serving as Vice President of her school’s chapter. Within these organizations Isabelle has promoted being your best self, being substance free, creating PSA videos about bullying, addiction and making good choices. She has also been a member of the GSA and No One Walks Alone- a group focused on eliminating stigmas about mental health issues. She is also a member of the Gender Equality NOW club promoting numerous feminists and discussing cutest events that are topics of interest. She also hosted a March for our Lives walkout on her campus in 2018.
Isabelle has been very involved in theatre both in and out of school and has recently been inducted into the Merrimack Valley Playwrights. One of her works was elected for the Cannon Theater’s 10 Minute Play Festival last spring. No stranger to the other arts, Isabelle is also a dance student who has served as a teaching assistant for a middle school hip hop class and is a member of her school’s honors chamber singers. She also holds a position on the Chorus Board.
Through her church Isabelle has also volunteered at Easter Egg Hunts, soup kitchens, neighborhood block parties, Operation Christmas Child, Rise Against Hunger and the Anne Marie House Shelter. She also volunteered to be an elementary crew leader for vacation bible school. Through all of this volunteering Isabelle discovered her love of teaching and decided to focus her future career in education. She hopes to use education to be important to others, shaping the future to make an impact no matter how big or small. Isabelle is sponsored by her parents Lynda Blair Vernalia ’91 and Drew Vernalia ’93.
