Isla Bonahoom is a 13-year-old 7th grader at Voss Middle School and is a girl of many interests and talents. She has lived in Fair Oaks since 2016 and has been in Boerne ISD schools since kindergarten. She attended Fair Oaks Elementary and now attends Voss Middle School. Ambitious and self disciplined, Isla started 7th grade this year with the goal of participating in all available sports! So far she’s been a member of the Cross Country and Volleyball teams, and is a manager for the basketball team. She has plans to participate on the Track team, AND is a member of the swim team every summer! Soccer is her true passion, though; she has been a soccer player since the age of 4. Her ultimate sporting goal this year is to make the Voss soccer team.

Her journey in soccer hasn’t always been a smooth one, however. She remembers that “when COVID hit I took a pause from playing, so when I came back, I was pretty far behind the other players. So, when I tried out for select, I was lucky to even make the bottom team. All my friends were on the higher ranked team, which was hard. But my parents encouraged me to keep working hard at my soccer skills, even though I wasn’t with my friends. I took their advice and worked really hard. By the next tryouts I was able to rejoin my friends on the select team!”

Isla isn’t just interested in trying every sport, though. She is also a high achieving straight A student with a special interest in math and has won the Voss Mathematician award. Additionally, Isla gives back to her community as a member of the National Charity League, where she learns leadership skills and philanthropy. She has also played the violin since the age of 9, initially with the Hill Country Youth orchestra and now in the advanced orchestra at Voss.

Isla was unable to name just one person who serves as a role model for her. Instead, she said her friends and family are her role models. “Each person has a great quality or attribute about them making them a great role model; every day I hope to be a little bit like all of them to become the greatest person I can be.”

Isla hopes to make a positive impact on the world but isn’t yet sure where her future path will lead. “I hope to be seen as a good role model and do something to help the world and make it a better place. I’m not sure what that will be, but I’m sure I will find something in the future!”

Isla’s advice to other young people is “to always pursue your dreams and never give up even when it seems that you have hit rock bottom; keep going and persevere through any challenges. In the end you will be so proud of all you have achieved with your hard work. Also, read a lot of books... books are a great escape and expand your mind.”