Gianna Englert

The hum of indistinct chatter fills the amphitheater as the crowd awaits the arrival of the president of the United States. All are in different phases of readying for the event. Television reporters adjust their hair one last time before countdown to go live while journalists press their brains for that perfect question.

Finally, she's arrived. A hush blankets the crowd and camera flashes burst from every direction. Mrs. President walks up to the podium and begins to speak.

Do you ever think about the person behind all the political speeches we hear on television? Hmm…Do the politicians write them themselves, purchase them from "Scripts R Us," or maybe hire a talented speechwriter to do it for them? My guess is the third.

One future presidential speechwriter hopeful hails from the city of New Kensington. Gianna Engler, a senior at St. Joseph High School, is seriously pursuing this goal. She is currently facing the decision of which college to attend in her pursuit of a degree in Political Science. She has narrowed her choices down to four - Notre Dame, Dickinson, Gettysburg, and the College of William and Mary. Her interest in this field developed in eighth grade through the investment of her teacher, Mr. Stitt. This year she is looking forward to class with Mrs. Pucciarelly, whom she gets to debate against during class.

Looking at some of the things Gianna has devoted her efforts to and already accomplished during her school years, it's not a surprise that she sets high goals for herself. And there is no doubt in her ability to attain them.

Gianna has participated in National History Day for the past two years where she chose to write history papers. Once her paper was written she submitted it and then had to appear before a panel and be interviewed regarding her work. Last year's paper was entitled The Invisible Hand of Revolution: Adam Smith & Political Economy. During her freshman year she placed second at the Regional and State levels and proceeded to Nationals. In her sophomore year she was third at Regional, second at State, and then went to Nationals.

She has also competed in the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science for the past five years. This involves developing a presentation complete with note cards and an overhead projection. Her last independent research project was "Colloidal Silver as an Antibacterial Agent." She used two types of bacteria to see if the silver prohibited bacteria growth in the cultures. There are two achievement levels in the science competitions - Regional and State. In the regional competitions students from local schools including Gateway, Shadyside, and Monroeville compete at Penn State Main Campus, and at the State level the competition broadens to include students from all over Pennsylvania. Gianna explained that in this program students actually are competing against themselves and are given a first, second, or third place based on a point system.

In addition to these impressive accomplishments she recently was chosen as part of the National Merit Program. She qualified by scoring in the top percent in the state in her junior year. She hasn't received word yet if she made it to be one of the finalists.

Gianna also works as a waitress at the VFW in Lower Burrell and has worked in the coffee shop at the Alle-Kiski Medical Center. She is also very active in her church, St. Joseph in New Kensington where she teaches children's liturgy and is a member of the STAFF leadership program. STAFF (Shaping Tomorrows Adults For the Future) holds a workshop in the summer and they usually attend a workshop where they learn leadership skills.

Her remarkable determination to be actively involved in academics, her community, and the world has opened up a wonderful opportunity for an incredible future.