HANNAH PARRA

Concord-Carlisle High School
Class of 2011

I grew up in Carlisle and graduated from Concord-Carlisle High School in 2011. My brothers and I were always involved in athletics and very active. In high school, I was quite focused on academics as well as running as a sprinter on the Concord-Carlisle High School Track and Field team. Senior year was stressful with college applications, and I was unsure where I wanted to go to college until I found Emory University. I immediately loved both the size of the school and the city of Atlanta, which later proved to be an excellent choice for me.

Emory offered Division III Track, in which I ultimately participated all four years, both Winter Track and Spring Track seasons. For my first couple of years at Emory, it was challenging to balance track participation with a social life due to the restrictions it imposed on my basic necessities for time, sleeping, and eating. However, I was really happy I stayed with it, as the track team became my family at college, and the bonds forged out of that common experience have yielded very deep friendships.

My academic interests have been international- related, from studying Spanish at Concord-Carlisle High School to majoring in Spanish and International Studies at Emory University. I really loved my Emory experience, where I was inspired by wonderful professors and where I got a great education. I graduated in 2015.

My twin brother, Ben, and my younger brother, Will, and I were all Concord-Carlisle High School track team members, and we all received the Adrian Martinez Scholarship from The Scholarship Fund of Concord and Carlisle. Receiving this scholarship was especially meaningful to me due to its connection to track, and due to the role track has had in making me the person that I am. I was deeply honored to be chosen for this scholarship, and I felt I was recognized and respected for the fact that I, like Adrian, cared a lot about academics and athletics.

I am very grateful to The Scholarship Fund of Concord and Carlisle that they saw something in my brothers and me and showed us such respect in awarding this scholarship. In college, I felt that this recognition helped to keep me motivated. I feel great compassion for the Martinez family and appreciation for the scholarship fund they have endowed. I credit the scholarship for helping me get a great education at a college that I loved.

My whole family has embraced the annual Adrian Martinez Classic race and fundraising event. My mom volunteers at it every year. My parents ran the mile one year even though they don’t really consider themselves runners, and another year both my brothers and parents ran the 4 x 400 family relay race together. I value The Scholarship Fund of Concord and Carlisle in that it pays attention to people and to the individual characteristics of the student applicants. I see that there are so many really deserving kids, and the thoughtful matching of each recipient to the unique characteristics of The Scholarship Fund of Concord and Carlisle named funds is really very special.