Family History Speaks To Isabelle White

History has deep roots in all families, with each having an ancestor who has a story worth telling. But for Isabelle White, she lives for these stories, dating all the way back with her family in Europe. This love for history and the world led her to stories of tragedy and trauma.

White’s is originally from Europe and was forced to flee during the Holocaust, with many eventually settling in Israel while others came to the United States for sanctuary.

“You grow up hearing these stories,” White said. “You talk to my family’s parents who were in concentration camps and how the history is with us.”

Her love of history fueled White to become Highland’s Sterling Scholar in social sciences. An honor that is personal because of her family history.

In the 1930s, White’s family was in Eastern Europe. About half fled to the United States, ending up in Utah because they could afford to buy land. But they did not forget the war. To help, they made bullets and sent them back to Jewish resistant groups in the East.

Her family history holds something special for her. She was intrigued enough that it took her all the way to Israel, where she studied abroad for a couple of months. However, this was no simple school trip. During the beginning of her stay, there were missile strikes all across the region due to a conflict between neighboring nations.

It was a different type of school and is now a big moment in her personal history.

“We were backpacking one day, and we had to get on the ground because there were missiles overhead,” White said.

Being the Sterling Scholar for social sciences seems like it was meant to be.

For White, high school is just the beginning of her future. With already having her associate’s degree, she plans on going to get her bachelors with hopes of going to law school. Studying abroad is also on her list for the college experience.

With her packed schedule, she still makes time for her family, helping her brother out at any time possible.

“She is honestly quite the perfect sister, even though she is always busy with her job and school and homework,” White’s brother Max said. “She still would always make some time for me if I needed help with homework.”

It is clear that her family is important to her, from her brother to those who lived decades ago. She has a connection to every one of them.

But now it is White’s turn to create her own history.