On a rainy night on November 11th, there is a dance class taking place in a dance room in the Pinnacle sports complex. Six girls line up equally in three lines to begin practicing their pirouettes and jump across the dance floor. In the middle line stands Isabella Gardner, Revere high school junior and a dancer among other things. While the group of dancers practice elements of ballet and jazz, Gardner tells jokes and energizes the group even through difficult movements. In addition to being a dancer, Gardner is in her school choir, water skis, and has a part in the upcoming school play. 

Rather than wanting the titles from the sports or the recognition that comes with trying many different things, Gardner finds her dedication from human connection. 

Gardner has to balance the multiple activities she does with her school work. She has found many ways to manage her activities, many of which she began at a young age. 

“[Being so busy is] not so bad because they’re all different seasons, so it’s not everything on top of each other,” Gardner said.

During the fall season, Gardner takes on a role in this year’s play. Rehearsals and line-readings take place after school where she meets with her friends to practice for the upcoming play. Along with the play, Gardner’s practices for dance have just begun. 

“I’m at the end of the cheer season, and I just started dancing. I do dance at Spotlight in the Pinnacle gym. I do tap, jazz, hip-hop and ballet,” Gardner said. 

Gardner takes dance classes weekly and has been doing them since she was a child. These dance practices lead to competitions in the winter and eventually a recital at the end of the year. She explained the reason why she has been doing dance for so many years. 

“[I’ve] kind of always had a passion for dancing since I’ve been doing it for so long,” Gardner says. 

Gardner has also been participating in other activities since she was very young. For instance, she has participated in water skiing since she was a baby with her family. As she got older, she eventually joined a team for more challenges than her family outings would provide. 

“Two years ago, I joined an actual team that does shows, performances and goes to competitions. The team is named Chippewa Water Ski Show Team, and it’s really fun,” Gardner said. 

Since her family has been water skiing for so long, they have their own skis and boats. Her family and friends go to Tennessee every summer to water ski and have a good time. Kendall Morrison, whom Gardner has known since seventh grade, watched her water ski and has been friends with her. 

“[We had] mutual friends, and we became best friends sometime in seventh grade, I actually don’t have a specific point [in time when I met her],” Morrison said. 

The two have been friends since then. They are often together in similar activities like choir, specifically choral. More than that, Morrison explains that Gardner has a unique personality. 

“Izzy is a very outgoing person. She does a lot of activities and she is a very active person. She’s very, very uniquely Izzy,” Morrison said. 

Gardner cares for her friends and family and channels her energy in everything that she does. From Morrison’s point of view, Gardner loves to do the activities she’s done since she was a child, but the people around her also motivate her to do what she does. 

“I would say that Izzy is motivated internally, but it also might be external motivation. She wants to do well for herself, but she also wants to do well for other people around her,” Morrison said. 

While Gardner has many friends spanning across everything that she does, she also cares dearly for her family. Gardner has six younger siblings that she helps to take care of. 

“She’s a very good sister. She’s the oldest, so she’s very good to them. That’s one of the external motivations, she has internal motivations too, but it’s not my place to know them,” Morrison said. 

As the eldest sibling, Gardner sets an example and cares and loves each and every one of her younger siblings. Relating to that, Morrison suggests that Gardner values the human connection after the activities, like hanging out with her friends and family. 

“She loves to do theater and musicals, but more than that she likes to hang out with her friends afterwards. I think that’s the bit that matters the most, the human connection, just for the love,” Morrison said. 

While Gardner’s friends cannot have full insight into her internal motivations, they can see her personality shine in everything she does. Not specifically singing or dancing, but how she interacts with others and her influence on others. In all the different environments she’s in, she creates the mood based on her unique personality. Another friend of Gardner’s, Junior Tanis Creveling, explains Gardner’s personality further. The two met in sixth grade during choir class. 

“She’s very goofy and entertaining. She’s just really fun to be around,” Creveling said. 

Like Morrison, Creveling has been friends with Gardner since middle school. In any situation no matter the activity, Gardner uplifts the mood and creates a friendly atmosphere. During rehearsals for the play, she was surrounded by her friends in the front row after her part. In any situation, she raises people’s spirits and livens the mood. Creveling details how this is incorporated into everything she does. 

“Honestly, I don’t know how she does it. She does a lot. I feel like she’s good at making things fun,” Creveling said. 

Rather than begrudgingly completing these activities, Gardner finds ways to motivate herself to keep going while making these things fun. While most people may question how she does it, an activity per season during school, one could look to her personality. While an outsider could not tell what inwardly motivates her, from the impressions of her friends, one can see the impact of her presence in these activities. To be a good role model for her siblings, to be a good friend to anyone that needs it, or to pursue her childhood passions further; she completes it with a bright personality.