Hannah Isley is from Stokesdale, North Carolina. She is involved in activities in her community and school. In addition to Journalism, Hannah is interested in public health and helping people, thus she wants a career in which she can combine the three. In her spare time, Hannah bakes until her heart is content. A quiet voice with passion that speak volumes
By Sydney Felder
Hannah Isley is an introverted social humanitarian with a mission to “express her voice” while simultaneously combating her reserved nature and preserving her devout Christian values.
Hailing from the traditional and close- knit town of Stokesdale, North Carolina, Isley proudly but humbly participates in selfless acts ranging from volunteer work at Morehead Hospital in Eden to reporting for her school’s newspaper, the Phoenix Scope.
Hannah’s demeanor is calm; she speaks with subtle smiles and soft speech. However, her shyness quickly disappears when she discusses, very passionately, her love for helping others. Isley’s zeal for helping others can best be described as a “do unto others” attitude, characteristic of her Christian devotion. She opts to “treat people kindly” because she would “want the same in return”. Isley invests herself in each of her tasks whether it be “reading books every third Sunday” to children in her church’s nursery or “filing” and “helping the elderly” at the hospital. She even goes as far as to say the world would be a “disaster” without charity work. She said the main goal of her efforts is to “influence others to help”.
Hannah’s fervor for journalism has acted as a way to for Hannah to immerse herself in her small community and even smaller high school. Though unsure of the origins of her love for journalism and writing, Isley confidently and simply states, “I am writer”, affectionately coined a “Yerd” at her school for her participation on yearbook staff. In addition to having a passion for writing, journalism has also acted as a counselor for Isley. She says, “I have come out of my shell more… Journalism helped.”
Isley’s interests in hobbies traditionally associated with extroverted personalities contrasts greatly with her introverted nature. When asked how she deals with this conflict, she carefully described how she is “shy at first” and chooses rather to “ease in” and “adjust” to her surroundings. Isley said, “school in general” is where this side of her is seen. She chooses to “get a feel of the class and the teacher” and allow herself time to “get comfortable” with surroundings.
Hannah is a Christian girl from a small, southern town in which she says there is “little diversity.” Contrary to what may be assumed of her from this description she has a deep desire for diversity. The most prevalent current event to her is the Charleston shooting in South Carolina. When asked about her views on the subsequent uproar towards her region’s devotion to the rebel flag, she produced a simple and honest answer. Isley rejects the flag. She attributes this belief to her faith and knowledge of the Bible disallowing offense and promoting kindness and compassion. “It’s just not right”, she said.
Hannah Isley is an inspirational character and great contributor, her mantra being: “everybody has a voice and what I do is my way to express my voice”.