As the president of Lend-a-hand, as well as the social action and economic development club, senior Isabella Acosta is committed to helping underserved communities in the Dallas area. She has also been involved in on-campus activities such as National Honor Society and Lads and Lassies.
Senior Lends A Hand
Lend-a-hand founder gets involved in community
On the outside, senior Isabella Acosta is like any teenage girl, laughing and sipping coffee with her friends, but her drive to help her community is what sets her apart.
Acosta is the founder and president of the Lend-a-hand club, whose mission is to aid disadvantaged communities through donations, drives and other service activities.
“Community service is very important to me,” she said. “Lend-a-hand has given me a way to find service and involve others in community service.”
The group works mostly in the Dallas and Vickery Meadows area and with the Wilkinson’s Center. However, they hope to expand their aid to other organizations in the future.
“We are trying to expand to encompass more because, honestly, any community service is going to be beneficial to our world,” Acosta said.
Lend-a-hand is not the only club she is involved with at school. Acosta is co-president of the social action and economic development club, part of the equality Club, president of the debate team, soprano section leader for the Lads and Lassies and secretary for National Honor Society.
The social action and economic development club’s members tutor underdeveloped students in south Dallas and help them get internships.
Additionally, the equality club’s purpose is to promote diversity and inclusion awareness within the school.
“It’s basically just to ensure that people have a place to talk about what they need and to make sure that everything is fair for all students,” Acosta said.
Students in the club also attend sounding board meetings in order to stay involved with what’s going on at higher levels.
As a member of the varsity choir, Acosta makes an effort to support the Lads and Lassies even if she is not performing in a concert.
“I go to concerts for members that made region or pre-area, and I try to support the choral program in that way,” she said.
Acosta’s involvement in so many different clubs helps her understand the importance and value of being inclusive and kind to different types of people.
“I think that inclusivity is especially important right now just because of all of the polarization of ideals, beliefs and opinions,” Acosta said.
She believes that making change on a global scale begins at the school level.
“In such a complex society, we are going to need to be able to make bonds with different types of people and include as many opinions and different points of view as we can and collaborate and participate in different activities,” she said.
Past that, she believes inclusivity is a simple act of kindness anyone can practice.
“It’s the best way to better the world through involvement, kindness and a smile,” Acosta said. “Be that person that anyone can come to. Make that effort to reach out to someone new or just be an open person.”