As long as she could remember, sports have played a major role in Isabella Abohasen’s life. They not only got her into shape physically, but shaped her mentally and emotionally into the person that she’s become today. On account of this, choosing her Silver Knight topic, Athletics, was a no-brainer. Her end goal remains to help kids experience the same love and desire that she did through athletics.
“When I was choosing a service project I knew I wanted to help other kids receive the same benefits I did and find the same passion I did,” comments Abohasen.
The Silver Knight program and their awards give recognition to seniors throughout Miami-Dade, Broward, and Monroe County. With numerous categories to be nominated for, ranging from arts and drama to mathematics and science, the program allows students to be praised for their exceptional academic achievements and outstanding community service.
Students are individually selected after going through a rigorous process of submitting applications and participating in interviews with independent judges, all while maintaining a minimum 3.2 unweighted GPA and showcasing strong leadership skills.
Aboshasen has participated in a plethora of organizations outside of what she’s done for the Silver Knights Program. Whilst juggling being on the water polo and swim team, Abohasen participates in numerous clubs: Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), Science National Honor Society (SNHS), Speech and Debate, National Honor Society (NHS), National English Honor Society (NEHS), Student Athletes Association, and Forza Stefano.
During her high school water polo career, she was nominated and granted the title of Rookie of the Year during her first season, and defensive MVP for her 2024-2025 season. She also volunteers for numerous organizations, including the Boys and Girls Club, Feeding America, Make-the-Play basketball summer camp, and singing at her church.
Discovering the program through an acquaintance, it didn’t take long for her to realize that she was the perfect person to put up with the task.
“I heard about Silver Knights from my best friend’s older sister Valerie Glen. She was a nominee for the class of 2024,” states Aboshasen. “By then I was already volunteering and starting to form a plan for my project. She inspired me to go for it and display my passion for the public.”
Going into the program, Abohasen knew that it would be a great deal of work, however this did not cause her to freight, and instead further encouraged her to challenge herself with the hefty task.
Abohasen’s project was creating a donation drive where new and used athletic equipment could be donated to the Boys and Girls Club of Broward. The drive also accepted student volunteers from the Student Athlete Association to play with and entertain kids during drop off.
The process of getting in contact with the Boys and Girls Club and gaining approval from Ms. Battle to run her drive, all while figuring out the logistics of it. Managing the project began to feel difficult and extensive, but Abohasen believes her hard work has paid off.
“The process has been long and had some obstacles but it was rewarding. Even though it took a lot of planning and hard work, at the end of the day this was my passion project so I was happy to do it.”
