Every year in the United States, citizens celebrate Women’s History Month by observing the many contributions and accomplishments women have made in the past and present. Americans use the month to highlight how women have helped shape society into what it is today by recognizing those who have been overlooked in their own timeline.
Women’s History Month began as Women’s History Week in 1980 when President Jimmy Carter issued a presidential proclamation to honor the week of March 8, which is International Women’s Day. The holiday spreads awareness about the importance of women in the world. In 1987, Congress officially declared the entire month of March as Women’s History Month. Some people celebrate in March by teaching lessons on influential figures or host exhibits about those who’ve made a difference in local communities. At Walkersville High School, there are many girls who rise up to the challenge and go above and beyond in their passions, both in and out of school. Here are some of those girls, frontrunners to the future.
Kennedy Holler, Class of 2027
Kennedy is a junior at Walkersville, but students may not see her around as much due to her participation in the Early College program at Frederick Community College. In the program, students pick classes to take at the college based on the major they choose and are able to graduate with an Associates Degree at the same time as their peers. But this isn’t all Kennedy is a part of. “ Outside of school, I’ve done martial arts since I was five years old and I recently earned my second degree black belt. It is a sport that has played a huge role in my life for over a decade and it teaches me discipline, leadership, and perseverance.”
Kennedy is also involved in the Frederick Figure Skating Club, and is in National Honor Society along with Math and Science Honors Societies at Walkersville as well. When asked about who she admires the most in her life, Kennedy expressed her appreciation for her mother.
“She has always encouraged me to be the bigger person and to live life to the fullest, guiding me through every challenge I’ve faced while also juggling many responsibilities in her own life. She’s one of the strongest and most hardworking women I know.” Kennedy also voiced her respect for the actress and entrepreneur Reese Witherspoon. While most may only know of her from her roles in the film Legally Blonde or her Oscar award-winning performance in Walk the Line, she sees Witherspoon for more than just her acting accolades. She likes how Witherspoon advocates for women in film and always promotes the idea of a strong, independent, and confident female character. “It’s really inspiring to see, especially for young girls, to see a public figure use their influence to uplift other women.” Kennedy is currently majoring in chemistry through the Early College program with hopes to pursue a career in the medical field, but she also wants to experience what the world holds while doing so. “My biggest dream is to continue to travel the world when I am on my own as an adult. It’s really important to me that I experience new cultures, meet new people, explore new foods, and make the most of every opportunity that life throws at me.”
Alanah Fore, Class of 2026
Alanah is a senior this year, and already has her next few years planned for herself. Currently, she’s involved in an abundance of school activities where she maintains leadership roles in them as well. She noted that she’s a part of Rho Kappa and the National Honor Society and National English Honor Society, and is also President of both the Black Student Union and Mentoring Young Minds Program as well. Among her many other activities, Alanah also just recently had the opportunity to take the crown for Miss Frederick, where participants compete in a variety of categories to win a scholarship title. “The process of competing in the Miss Frederick Scholarship Organization was hard, but definitely some of the fun I’ve had in a while,” she said while describing her experience. “Winning was such a surreal moment. Throughout the entire competition, I either felt like I was dead last or first place and there was no in between. Hearing my name called for first place, I couldn’t help but cry since all my hard work and late nights had paid off. I am so excited to connect with the whole of Frederick County in a new way, and I thank God for this opportunity every day.” She’s also a very committed member and leader of her local church, and mentioned that her pastors are some of her role models in life: “I admire how my staff pastors exemplify the character of Christ every day and strive for excellence in all areas of their lives.” Alanah also explained how she finds her mother; CTE teacher, Ms. Early, and her pastors to be big influencers on her life: “I look up to my mom because she always keeps a yes in her pocket when asked to do something. She doesn’t complain about having too much to do or not having enough time. She just says yes and gets it done.” She also appreciates how Ms. Early interacts with her students, too: “The way she creates a safe space for every student to feel seen, heard, and loved truly speaks volumes to her character.” After she graduates in May, Alanah will be off to Liberty University to study criminal psychology and minor in biblical studies. After she completes her education, she plans to return home and begin her ministerial career to become a pastor.
Isabella Barreto, Class of 2028
Some high schoolers aren’t able to define what career they want to join yet, but for Isabella Barreto, that’s not the case. Isabella is now involved in the Teacher Academy at the Career and Technology Center and in Unified Sports as well. “They’ve both had a big impact on me. Teacher Academy has really helped me understand what being an educator is actually like. I’ve learned how to work with different students, be patient, and communicate clearly,” she said, describing her first year in the program. “For Unified Sports, it’s taught me a lot about inclusion and teamwork. Being part of a team where everyone is supported no matter their ability has made me more understanding and open-minded. It’s changed the way I see people and how important it is to make a positive environment for everyone.” Due to her career path, Isabella explained how she really looks up to the teachers in her life. They’ve really inspired her just by how they support their students and create a positive classroom environment, but she also just admires women in general. “I admire women who are strong, patient, and willing to help others grow. Seeing that in real life has made me want to be that kind of person for others too, especially in my future career.” Isabella’s goal is to become a teacher at the high school level, either in psychology or child development. She wants to be able to make a positive impact on children, not just academically, but personally as well: “I’m really interested in how people think and develop, and I want to help students understand themselves better. I want to create a classroom where students feel comfortable, supported, and motivated to learn.”
Caroline Shabelski, Class of 2028
As a sophomore, Caroline Shabelski is already soaring above and beyond her peers. You may see her standing out on the football field during halftime, as she does varsity cheer and marching band in the woodwind section at the same time: “I practically live on the football field during October.” This year for cheer, Caroline was also able to visit Hawaii to represent Walkersville as an All-American cheerleader. When asked about who she looks up to, Caroline immediately thought about the women from her mother’s side of her family, especially her grandmother: “My grandma basically raised my mom and her two sisters while she went to school during the night, so I feel like she’s definitely been a role model for me since she was able to go from having nothing to being able to proudly say she’s raised such successful daughters who now have their own families.”
In the springtime, she’s able to focus on other things. Caroline is a first year student in the biomedical science program at the Career and Technology Center, which is aiding her in finding her future profession. “I hope to go to college at a four year undergrad university and eventually go to med-school. I’m currently interested in either cardiology or pediatrics, but it’ll most likely change to medicine. I’m thinking of majoring in biochemistry and hope I’ll still be volunteering at whatever college I go to.” Caroline is the current president of Walkersville High’s Leo Club, and oversees all activities the group partakes in: “Leo Club has defined my life in such a way that I don’t think I’ll ever part from it. Wherever I go to school, I’ll try to get involved in their Leo or Lion organizations nearby.”
Josie Ritchie, Class of 2026
Josie Ritchie is a well-loved senior at Walkersville, known for her activity in flag football, unified sports, and as Leo Club president last year. While Caroline is currently Leo Club president, it’s important to look back at her predecessor. Josie recalls her tenure with the club: “I’ve been a Leo for four years, starting as a regular member, then board member, then president my junior year, but I’m now back to being an active contributor.” Throughout Leo Club, Josie has learned to appreciate the little things in life and feels great to give back to people and help them out. “It doesn’t have to be much, so a little goes a long way.” She’s also an intern at Walkersville Middle School at this time. While originally simply volunteering to help teachers take stress off their day-to-day lives, Josie went the extra mile to begin helping the students through the creation of a tutoring program: “It’s been an amazing experience. The middle schoolers love having high schoolers as mentors. There’s numerous kids that have participated in the tutoring program and it’s absolutely changed their life. It’ s nice to see how the program has changed their life in some way, shape, or form from building a connection from a middle schooler. I get to see firsthand the product of my hard work and see how it impacts someone individually.”
For Josie, the choice to pursue a career in education isn’t just about choosing a profession. It’s about continuing a legacy shaped by hard work, with some influence at home. Josie describes her mother, a reading intervention teacher at WMS, as the hardest worker she knows and credits her with shaping both her values and career goals. From a young age, she was encouraged to stay dedicated and gave her best effort in everything she pursued. “My mom puts her all into everything she does and I think I’ve taken that quality from her. She also stresses community service, so I’ve been volunteering for so many things since I was about six years old starting at my church. She’s the kind of person that thinks that as long as you do your best, it’s all that matters. I’m blessed to have someone like that to look up to in my life.” That commitment to giving back connects closely with her desire to work in education, a field centered on service to others. Looking ahead, Josie plans to attend a four year college and eventually return to teach in Frederick County. Ideally, she hopes to teach at the elementary level at Woodsboro, where she was once a student herself. Through internships at both Walkersville and Woodsboro elementary schools, she’s already gained firsthand experience in the classroom.
“I’ve already done internships at both Walkersville and Woodsboro which were both amazing experiences to have,” she said. Josie described teaching as something she feels prepared to enter because of the discipline she’s developed over time. The amount of education she has is something she hopes to pass on to her future students. Reflecting on her own education, Josie pointed to a teacher who left a lasting impression on her: English teacher Mrs. Kuske. “I remember I had Mrs. Kuske and saw that she was so passionate in her teaching. You could see she loves it,” she said. That passion created a great sense of trust and motivation in the classroom, something Josie hopes to recreate for the next generation. “I would trust her with every essay I gave her because I know she would absolutely tear every sentence of it apart to help me make it better,” she explained. Inspired by that experience, Josie wants to build the same kind of connection with her own students one day. She wants a classroom that encourages growth and a want for a deeper appreciation for learning.
For Josie, choosing a career in education also connects to a broader historical context. “Women in general make up the teaching profession,” she said. “Like the first careers for women were through teaching. So I think going into that field is very fitting because it’s a female dominated career field and it was their first gateway into the workforce, they taught. That’s also inspirational for me that I’m going into the first field that women could get into.” Josie hopes that she can inspire people like how teachers do, and hopes to inspire the next generation of children and make them know how important education is. “In this society, we forget that education is truly a great privilege we have.”
Overall, the advancement of women over time shows how much society has changed, especially in terms of education and career opportunities. Women were once limited to very few roles, but through persistence and advocacy, they have gained access to a wide range of professions and leadership positions. Progress from women that had to struggle to succeed in their profession such as Madame CJ Walker or Rosalind Franklin among millions of others were able to paved the way for girls today to succeed with an easier path. Today, girls like Kennedy, Alanah, Isabella, Caroline, and Josie continue to break barriers and make an impact in different fields, proving that the fight for equality has led to real and everlasting change.
