Isha Patel Awarded Danvers Historical Society Trailblazer Scholarship

DANVERS, MA — The Danvers Historical Society's Trailblazer Scholarship was recently awarded to a Danvers High senior who said her grandmother's valuable Indian folklore taught her honesty, patience and confidence.

Isha Patel was awarded this year's scholarship out of a field of six finalists who shared how their family's heritage taught them a valuable skill or approach to life and how their family Trailblazer was most influential.

Patel talked to the scholarship committee about how the power of Indian storytelling preserves heritage, identity and tradition. She said that her experiences in Medtronic and in the high school's Model UN program inspire her to continue to pursue equity and inclusion.

The Trailblazer Scholarship acknowledges family trailblazers throughout the town's history, no matter how recent or from which previous generation in the student's heritage. Trailblazers are defined as those who take risks and forge a path to make better lives for their families.

"They arrive in what we now know as Danvers from all over the world and some have been the original keepers of this land for over thousands of years," the Danvers Historical Society said. "All are sharing their stories to enrich our understanding of our community and our outlook on the world.

"From indigenous peoples and Europeans who came to this area for its abundance of natural resources to those who have pursued freedoms and education, trailblazers have seen this area as a place to thrive and nurture their descendants."

The scholarship is available to a Danvers High School senior who has been accepted into a post-secondary education program and has exhibited consistent participation in one or more of the Affinity Group, Prism, Model UN/Government, English Language Learning and Women of the World clubs.

The Members of the Danvers Historical Society funded the scholarship and wish Patel all the best for her future endeavors.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)