Isabel Perez-Vega, NHMU Employee, Recognized As American Graduate Champion

She's worked with us for nearly seven years, and now Isabel Perez-Vega has been recognized as the amazing leader and mentor that she is. 

 

She began participating in the Natural History of Utah’s Youth Teaching Youth (YTY) program – a peer mentoring and science enrichment program – as a seventh grader at Glendale Middle School, where the student body is one of the state’s most ethnically diverse and economically challenged.  She volunteered many hours after school to learn the science and to practice the teaching skills she would use traveling to schools and leading fourth grade students in hands-on science activities using museum materials. In high school, Perez-Vega helped to mentor scores of middle school students so that they could help fourth grade students become confident scientists as she did when she was at Glendale. During her tenure in YTY, Perez-Vega volunteered over 400 hours for the Museum. 

 

Perez-Vega educating some young museum visitors about butterflies. © NHMU.

 

Perez-Vega became the first high school graduate in her family and is on her way to becoming a college graduate, too. She credits our YTY program in this journey. "When I started out in ninth grade, college was not a possibility," Perez-Vega admits. "Then I came into [Youth Teaching Youth], and I feel it really changed me.”

 

And we are thrilled that Perez-Vega has now been recognized as an American Graduate Champion by a national Corporation for Public Broadcasting initiative called American Graduate: Let's Make it Happen. Her story will be shared across the U.S. as part of the Stories of Champions project. Yearly, public broadcasting stations share stories of these inspiring people on American Graduate Day (airing locally on UEN-TV on Saturday, September 17 from noon to 4 p.m.). Here is a look at Perez-Vega's story:

 

 

Perez-Vega is now a nursing student at the University of Utah. She is also an NHMU employee, teaching summer camps, leading science-themed birthday parties, and supervising and instructing teen assistants. In her first year of college, she presented at the premier annual national conference for science museum professionals, helping attendees understand why youth involvement in museums is so important.

 

Needless to say, we are hugely impressed with Perez-Vega. "I’ve always been amazed by Isabel’s maturity and leadership," raves Linda Aaron, Youth Development Programs Coordinator.  "We knew we could ask just about anything of her and she’d exceed our expectations. Watching her confidently present – as an 18-year-old – to museum professionals from all over the country at the ASTC conference in Albuquerque is one of my favorite memories."

 

 

Perez-Vega (third from left) and other senior participants in the YTY Program, 2013. © NHMU.

 

Perez-Vega’s story about the role mentorship has played in her success will be celebrated Thursday, September 15, 2016 at the American Graduate Stories of Champions Dinner at Ashton Gardens in Lehi. During the dinner, more than 30 Utahns who have been nominated by peers and community members will be recognized as American Graduate Champions. Read the full announcement on the Utah Education Network website.

 

We have loved working with her for the past nine years (including her time as a middle schooler), and we look forward to many more. Congratulations, Isabel!

 

Perez-Vega on a YTY field trip to Bryce Canyon. © NHMU.