Ella Grant is a caring, hardworking, and determined student here at Tantasqua. Grant has been in the district since kindergarten at Burgess Elementary School, and now she’s made it to her senior year. As part of Tantasqua’s academic division, Grant is taking AP Statistics, Psychology, AP Music Theory, and Band this semester. She is also interning at the Junior High in the science department. Grant’s desire to be an intern in the department stems from both her favorite subject and her favorite class, where she enjoys “learning about why people act the way they do and how the brain works…and [her] fascination with how things work” in general. Grant has been able to pick her classes based off of her interests, and she’s met her favorite teachers while at Tantasqua: Mr. Dunkum, Mrs. Foley, and Mr. Walsh. 

Outside of academics, Grant participates in several extracurriculars. She is on the National Honor Society’s executive board. When asked about her thoughts on NHS, Grant replied, “At its core, NHS isn’t just about getting good grades, it’s also about giving back to your community. The whole service aspect of NHS is what I truly love about it the most. Having the opportunity to help out the community and know I’m putting some good into the world is really nice. That’s what drew me to the parliamentarian position, whose primary focus is on collecting and managing service hours for all members of NHS.”

Grant is also an excellent field hockey player, and her tenacious goalie skills have earned her a spot on Tantasqua’s field hockey team, where she has made many impressive saves this season already.

Her senior year is not only filled with academics and extracurriculars, but also with plans for the future. Grant would ideally like to become a middle or high school teacher, or another career in science that can include working with kids. She is currently looking at schools that offer degrees aimed towards her dream profession, such as University of Maine at Farmington and the University of New England. However, while her senior year has been “pretty crazy so far,” it does also have driving perks! Grant got her license a week before the school year began and making the most of her freedom now.

Due to constantly being busy and keeping her schedule packed, it’s important to find ways to relax. Grant’s favorite way to de-stress is to hang out with her friends and those she cares about. “I just always find it so relaxing to let loose and spend time goofing around with my friends,” Grant describes. In fact, in reflection, she exclaimed that if she could be an inanimate object, she would be a stuffed animal so she could “just be soft and comfy and have a really relaxing life.” Grant also loves listening to music to relax and, depending on her mood, listens to all different kinds with no favored genre. She also enjoys playing the drums herself and finds comfort in Italian cuisine, having grown up in an Italian family. 

With her generous personality, worth ethic, and drive, Grant is sure to achieve great things in her future. She is an outstanding individual, and Tantasqua has been lucky to have her.