Manar Bouleqcha, senior, has been selected as November’s Jag of the Month. Each month, the Athens Oracle staff reaches out to a different department chair for a nomination. This month, Economics Teacher Leigh Frazier pointed to Bouleqcha.
“Good students will focus on their academics, and they do well. Great students are going to make sure not only are they excelling but that the students around them are doing well. Manar’s just a great student,” said Frazier.
Bouleqcha is an active member in the Athens Drive community. She has served in several leadership positions within Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), the National Honor Society (NHS), and more. She’s also a member of various other clubs and swims for the women’s varsity team.
“My passion and advocacy for wellness and empathy are my most important contributions to date in its value to Athens Drive, for example, throughout my leadership,” said Bouleqcha.
Not only is Bouleqcha working to uplift classmates around her during class and after school, but she is also constantly striving towards a successful future. After interning last summer at the Duke Clinical Research Institute, Bouleqcha has moved on through an online internship that focuses on health concerns within Nigeria.
“Experiences like these help me make an impact on the Athens Community by building empathy, as I believe it is a trait that can be overlooked in healthcare,” said Bouleqcha.
Frazier admires just how unique Boulecqcha’s grit is, as she has seen in class throughout the school year.
“Manar is the type of student that teachers would probably…have to teach for two or three years [until] you would get a Manar. She is one of those students who will always come to class ready to learn,” said Frazier. “She’s a strong leader.”
Through her many leadership roles at Athens, Bouleqcha has found the most passion for Speech and Debate. From co-publishing TEDxYouth work to interviewing speakers, she’s found the field extremely interesting.
“It was more than just simple speeches. It was a beacon of hope to advocate for ideas and diversity of individuals, similar to the incredible diversity of Athens,” said Bouleqcha.
Once Bouleqcha graduates from Athens Drive at the end of this school year, she hopes to take what she has learned and apply those lessons to the medical field.
One day, she hopes to make a real difference in the field. Those around her are confident that she’ll go on to do great things.
“As much as being involved is wonderful, I have learned more each and every day that it’s about the impact someone has on others and how it carries out their responsibilities to fulfill their goals,” said Bouleqcha.
