Gateway Young Achievers 2006

Grace Salerno likes doing things for others

Fourteen-year-old Grace Salerno of Ballwin likes to stay busy. Usually she's doing something to help someone else.

And, if she doesn't have enough regular things scheduled, she'll think up something new.

The 8th grader at Holy Infant Catholic School in west St. Louis County last month was named a 2006 Gateway Young Achiever. (This article is the first of eight profiles by Young Saint Louis.com of the elementary and middle school awardees.)

Grace Salerno

This is the 16th year the International Leadership Network has selected Young Achievers in the metro St. Louis area. Winners of the award receive a $1,000 savings bond and are eligible for the national Young Achiever competition.

Grace admits that she's got lots of energy. She said, "I'm just driven to do things."

Some of the energy is used to maintain straight-A grades. But, there's plenty left for extra activities in school, her church and in the community.

When asked to say which activity brought her the most joy, she picked one that she and two of her friends thought up by themselves.

"Last year, we decided to make cord rosaries and sell them at a Christmas sale. The rosaries took a lot of time to make and we were on a deadline for the sale. We sold 25 of them and raised $100," he said.

The girls even thought to ask Father Vatterott at their church to bless the rosaries before they put them on sale.

They then used half of the money to buy clothing for the poor. The other half they put into a gift certificate that also went for the charity project at her church.

"I thought of the idea when I helped a first grade 'buddy' make a rosary," she said. Holy Infant pairs up older students with younger ones in a mutual "buddy system.'

This year, Grace also served as a "peer mentor" for a 7th grader who was having trouble completing her homework.

Asked about some other charity projects she'd like to try, she mentioned worked at the kitchen run by the St. Vincent De Paul Society.

"I did another project there and thought it would be fun to serve meals there," she said.

Grace was on the organizing committee for Holy Infant's first Mother's Day flower sale last year. The sale raised $400 for the Birthright charity to help the poor.

She's volunteered since 5th grade at the church's Vacation Bible School. She's also been a volunteer at the school's annual Breakfast with Santa.

She's a Holy Infant Ambassador. That's a group of kids selected by teachers and administrators who welcome visitors. They also help with kindergarten orientation.

Grace also has participated in volleyball at school. She performs in both the band and hand bell choir at Holy Infant. She plays the clarinet in the band.

She also competes in the Bellarmine Speech League. That competition where kids perform memorized speeches on a variety of subjects. This year, she won a blue ribbon with her performance of "Kindergarten," a humorous speech.

One of her top recreational activities has been as an Irish Dance performer. She takes lessons at the Graham Academy of Irish Dance. That includes national competition where her team won a 6th place trophy.

She's already earned a spot on the Cor Jesu High School cheerleading squad. She'll be attending there in the fall.

Grace has appeared in Muny musicals. She's acted in community theater since kindergarten. Last month she earned a role in Spotlight Productions' play, "Seussical, the Musical." The adaptation of Dr. Seuss stories plays July 13-16 at Marquette High School.

Around the neighborhood, she babysits. She's completed both CPR and babysitting classes to prepare herself.

Grace is planning for her future schooling. She wants to study journalism in college.

"I want to be either a news broadcaster or a TV host," she said. Grace said she decided that career path because "I'm outgoing and I like talking."

When she has some free time, she also has a hobby. She said she learned how to knit from a cousin about a year ago.

"All I can knit now is scarves. But, they're pretty good scarves," she said.