Ghalia Sakly has worked to help students new to Marshall High School and new to the United States overcome feelings of isolation. She knows what it’s like to feel isolated and she wanted to help the new students feel welcomed.

Ghalia grew up in Tunisia speaking French and moved to US in fifth grade. Because she couldn’t speak English, certain kids at her school thought she was less intelligent than they were. As she learned English, she saw how isolated the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) students were because no one wanted to be friends with them. While she couldn’t change people’s minds about ESOL students, she could act. She became friends with ESOL students, and she says that the ESOL students with whom she made friends in seventh grade are still her friends today.

At Marshall High School, Ghalia and some of her friends got together to help other new students fit in. She volunteered to do school tours which were given through the Ambassadors Club, and she gave tips to the new students on how to navigate the school environment. Ghalia arranged for the new students to have the same lunch period to help them make friends, and she invited some of them to have lunch with her and her friends so they could all be friends together.

Ghalia joined the UNICEF club and the Marshall HS Ambassadors Club. And this year, she was elected as a senior executive committee member of the Ambassadors Club. These groups collaborate to reach out to Marshall HS students and get donations of food and coats to help people in need in the local community. “Assisting my community taught me that alone, our impact is limited, but if we all work together, we can achieve great things,” she said.

Ghalia also started the Music Gives Back Club at Marshall HS because she sees music as something that is a common language that can include everyone. But the club is not just about music. Club members gather in a classroom and talk together about current events and how they can help a bigger part of society. For example, they helped the people affected by Hurricane Milton in 2024 by donating to charities helping those in need. But they make sure that they also have fun with musical instruments and devote time toward the end of each meeting to pull out ukuleles to play and have fun.

While the club meetings start with realities that can be grim, they always end on a positive note. “The club strives to spread the joy,” Ghalia said. “While we certainly have fun together, we’re also working to help to create a safer environment for others.”

Ghalia will be passing leadership for the Music Gives Back club to an underclassman when she graduates this year. She continues to strive to get new members, increase fund raisers, and contact partner charities. Her ultimate goal is to spread peace. “I think that peace can be achieved when people feel accepted and have a sense of community,” she said. “That’s why I plan to continue helping to build and fix communities.”