By Faith Gonia
They say it is rare to find someone without a mean bone in their body. Well, I must have pretty good luck, because I know a girl named Marina Halbert. Since I have had the immense pleasure of knowing her, Marina has endlessly demonstrated the goodness in her heart, and in the process, continuously inspires me to be more like her.
In 2020, Marina’s endless empathy was the only good contagion in a COVID-plagued world. Despite suddenly losing all sense of normalcy, and experiencing a phenomenon utterly unknown to our generation, Marina’s warmth never faded. One of the few people I stayed in contact with during quarantine, she dependably called and texted, checking in for over a year of online school. Looking back, I don’t know what I would have done without Marina’s devoted friendship.
Spreading her love to not only friends, but also all around Westmont, Marina lifts every person within a one hundred foot radius up. As a second-year LIFE Crew Commissioner, she quite literally inspires freshman excellence. Watching her talk to the new class of 2027, you can see the compassion in Marina’s eyes, and her enthusiasm with each encouraging word she utters. Marina loves helping others, and it shows.
Speaking of helping others, Marina helps our AP Lit table group immensely in the form of delicious desserts. From sharing a Ziploc bag of chocolate chip cookies on a random Thursday morning, to bringing yellow and blue cupcakes the day after I committed to a college, Marina has never stopped thinking of others.
Unsurprisingly, Marina’s career ambitions speak volumes about her benevolent character. As a graduating senior, Marina plans to study medicine and become a doctor. She will spend her career directly impacting the lives of thousands.
My admiration for Marina Halbert spans far and wide; undoubtedly, her nonstop generosity will never cease to inspire me.