Isela is a junior who is well liked by peers; she was one of 12
student finalists for California Board of Education
representative
Morgan Hill – Isela Banuelos has been shaping the Sobrato High School’s culture since its inception during her freshman year.
Now the 17-year-old junior has been named Student of the Year by the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce and will be honored on Feb. 2 at the chamber’s annual “Salute Morgan Hill” awards dinner.
“She’s truly one of those special students you come across,” said Sobrato’s Associated Student Body (ASB) Director Marla Carroll. “They’re all special, but Isela is very gifted in her ability to organize, her insight with people, her social sense. Overall, she’s an amazing person, she’s someone you say ‘she’s going to make it in life’ about.”
Carroll said one of the most telling instances of Isela’s leadership capabilities was a survey she conducted in her ASB leadership classes.
“Last year when I interviewed 80 of the leadership kids, I asked them who they thought was a student role model; Isela was on top of everyone’s list,” she said. “She is well-respected but also well-liked. She’s someone who talks about getting a job done, and then she gets it done.”
Isela’s high school philosophy is to enjoy its benefits and not stress over challenges.
“I think you just have to persevere, because things will happen, but things will get better,” she said. “It’s a whole different level compared to middle school. Socially, you’re challenged, the whole high school thing is major. And then you have people stressing themselves out because they get a B- or A-; it will get better. You have to just make the best of it. You’re only there for four years, then you’re off to college. You can’t go back.”
Both Carroll and Sobrato Principal Rich Knapp described Isela as “wise beyond her years.”
“A good way to describe her is really together,” Knapp said. “She’s spinning a lot of plates and she keeps them all up in the air … I think she is a tremendous role model for females and for Hispanics. She has the drive and the desire to be successful. When I look at her impact on the school, she has been actively involved in developing the culture of the school, in making sure all segments of the student body are involved.”
Isela recently spent a long weekend in Sacramento as one of 12 finalists for the position of student representative for the California Board of Education. The finalists were picked from a pool of more than 150 applicants. After a second elimination, she was one of seven (two applicants tied), but didn’t make the final elimination, the top three. Nevertheless, she was pleased that she got as far as she did.
“It was just a great experience,” she said. “It was very exciting, and just a little bit nerve-wracking, being around all those people who are so driven, so dedicated to what they do. And just setting foot in the building, being there with the state Board of Education, that was awesome.”
Carroll gave Isela the application for the representative position, she said.
“She told me, ‘I think you would be perfect for this, why don’t you apply,’ ” Isela said. “I did, but I really didn’t know what would happen. I don’t think it crossed my mind that I would be on of the 12 selected to go to Sacramento.”
During the conference, Isela said, she attended workshops and met with members of the state board to share views on education. She also had time to socialize.
“I learned a lot going to Sacramento, and I make some friendships, it was a great opportunity for connecting with people,” she said. “One of the other finalists, Monica, she and I are continuing to keep in touch … After coming back from the conference, I think I’m a lot more appreciative of what we have available in Morgan Hill, in our school district. I think we are doing a good job of tending to the needs of English learners. A girl from LA who lives in an area with a high population of non-native speakers said the help available for them wasn’t well-publicized. It makes me appreciate how Morgan Hill is able to address the needs of EL students.”
When she finishes at Sobrato next year, Isela hopes to attend UCLA, Stanford University or UC-Berkeley and study psychology or sociology, then go on to get her doctoral degree. At some point, she said, she hopes to travel to Africa to help the people there.
In the little bit of spare time she has, Isela likes to hang out with family and friends, she said, maybe go to the movies. She loves to spend time with her younger brother, Armando, 9, and her baby niece.
But she describes her mother as her “hero.”
“She’s a housekeeper, her job’s pretty hard and doesn’t pay very well, but she does it for her family,” she said. “She’s so supportive, she sacrifices to give us the best. She tried to teach herself English so she could help me academically when I was younger. She’s just incredible, all that she’s done for us. I know that she has helped me to be my best.”
Isela has been involved with many community and school organizations. She has served as chair, vice-chair and board member of the city’s Youth Advisory Committee (YAC), logistics coordinator for the YAC fashion show, chair of the Teen Center grand opening, chair of the Roofless Outdoor Teen Band Concert, volunteer coordinator for the Senior Citizen Ball, chair of the Skate Park Fundraiser Events, chair of the Cultural Dance Show, the Morgan Hill representative of Project Cornerstone, a Morgan Hill representative to the League of California Cities, head coordinator of Open Mic-Night, co-captain of the girls varsity tennis team, an active member of the California Scholarship Federation Club, secretary of the Associated Student Government, chair of the Battle of the Bands, an active member of the Amnesty International Club, vice president of the Interact Club and president of the MEChA Club.
Marilyn Dubil covers education and law enforcement for The Times. Reach her at (408) 779-4106 ext. 202 or at md****@mo*************.com.
