Congratulations to Alla Ismail Issa, our January 2017 Scholarship Winner
Question: What was your favorite childhood book?
Early into my schooling, my teachers considered the possibility of my being a sociopath. If I were to view myself from their perspective, i.e a student who has no interest in interacting with or even acknowledging her peers, and seems to lack the ability to empathize, I can’t really blame them.
That’s a story for another time, but those years of social isolation were not completely wasted. While my classmates were performing trivial activities such as “playing house” or dressing up, I read. I read everything I could get my hands on. I read old books, new books, books my teachers would confiscate for being “too dense”, books that put reality to shame. I read until my eyes watered. I read until I was able to better connect with fictional characters thrice my age than I ever could with my classmates.
As I turned the pages of one particular book, I found my exact feelings manifested in an unlikely hero. The Tale of Despereaux- I can’t recall the first time I picked the book about the peculiar mouse up(Four? Five years old?), but I must’ve read it at least 25 times. As my classmates avoided me for the umpteenth time, I submerged myself in the tale of a brave mouse, a lovely princess, an unordinary rat, and a Soup-loving Kingdom. See, while most children stories boasted elements of fantasy and promised a “happily ever after,” I always found there was something lacking.
When I read of Despereaux longing for acceptance and for the love of his family, or the heartbroken King of Dor who had banned rats and soup after their role is his Queen’s tragic death, I realized that all of those other stories forgot–sadness and misfortune existed too. Each character was despondent in their own way; it made them undeniably real. How could I not be enraptured by a story with characters who were able to break the chains of despair and social roles and emerge as hopeful and spirited as I dreamt of being? In 276 pages, I discovered it’s okay if you are unhappy, as long as you know that good things come to those who are courageous enough to seek them.
So as I read of how Despereaux’s isolation turned into acceptance, I realized we were one and the same. I am just waiting for my quest.
By: Alla Ismail Issa
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Learn more about Alla Issa
Name: Alla Issa
Current school: Hampton High School
1. Tell us about yourself.
I’m only 17, but I feel like I’ve already seen so much of the world (though not always under the best circumstances). I was born in Brooklyn, New York but moved to my homeland of Palestine shortly after.
My family got stuck there for a few years while the second intifada wreaked havoc in the entire area, but we managed move back to New York, and then to Virginia, where I currently reside. Regardless of my geography, l always remember having a book in my hand and words in my heart. I think this love of reading is what inspired me to go into literature and editing; I want to turn my love of reading into my livelihood.
2. What has been your best experience in school?
Though it has been a wild 4 years (with often more downs than ups), my time in the International
Baccalaureate Program has become the highlight of my academic career. From Inquiry and Theory of
Knowledge to 20th Century World History Topics, the IB curriculum gives me the opportunity to critically think and explore concepts that are usually never mentioned within normal classrooms. I never expected to find myself surrounded by so many revolutionaries within a class of 40 students. I’ve grown to feel a sense of kinship with my fellow IB seniors, and I’m confident that our time here has given us the backbone to be the innovators of our generation.
3. What influenced your choice in major?
I’ve always found solace in fictional worlds, and it was through my love of books that I first discovered publishing. A profession focused on the preparation and distribution of my favorite things, I instantly fell in love with the craft. To me, publishing is more than just getting the books that are most likely to sell out there; its essence revolves around connecting with an author and their characters so much that you know it will speak to the hoi polloi. Ultimately, it seems less like a profession or field of study and more like my destiny (cliché, I know).
4. How do you envision yourself in 5 years?
I’m only a little sorry to say that I will still probably be in school in 5 years’ time. I hope to be in graduate working towards a Master’s Degree in English and Journalism. I also hope to be working at a publishing house or journal. I intend to focus on young adult publishing, but I want to branch out and see what else may spark my interest. Regardless, I know I want to be working with literature, and I am hoping that my activities now will help me break into the industry.
5. What do you hope to learn from your college experience?
I am happy to say that I have been admitted to my dream school, Columbia University in the City of New
York. I can’t wait to surround myself with the intellectuals of my time, and be immersed in all the culture and opportunity that New York City has to offer. I am especially excited for the infamous Core Curriculum that focuses on classical authors, philosophers, and the origins of western civilization.
6. What extracurricular activities do you enjoy?
The majority of my time is divided between my internship, volunteering, my Non-Profit organization, and Editing/Reviewing books for publication. Since I aspire to become an Editor, I submerged myself in the world of publishing early on, beginning to edit and review books on a blog when I was 14. This activity allowed me to gain the experience necessary to become an intern at EntangledTEEN Publishing and dive into the field head-on. It also led me to establishing Books Over Borders in 2015, an
organization dedicated to combating illiteracy in children and teens around the world. Other than those, I also love participating in Scholastic Bowl with my friends, especially since my team has some of the brightest my school has to offer!
