TRIAWC
TRiangle Italian American Women's Club
2011 Scholarship winner Layla LaCorte
Letter to TRIAWC
Our 2011 Scholarship winner is Layla LaCorte. Here is what her mother, Brenda, had to say when providing Layla's essay for our website:
Attached is a copy of Layla's essay prepared for the scholarship. This document may open with the answers to the short answer questions that were asked on the scholarship form. I left it because it helps to show the character of Layla. She is very serious and a hard worker. The second page is the essay that she read to the club.
I thank each and everyone for their support towards this scholarship and for your shower of gifts. It was a nice way to start off a new chapter in her life. I know that she looks
forward to going to NCSU and pursuing her engineering
degree. Thank you again for helping her and boosting her
confidence.
Sincerely,
Brenda LaCorte
Layla's response to the scholarship form questionnaire.
Short answers1. My objective in life is to be successful, in both the work place and at home. My ultimate goal is to graduate from the NC State College of Engineering and get a satisfying job. I want to establish a firm grip financially and then settle down in marriage and have the nation’s average of 2.5 kids. Being a woman in engineering, I plan on being a strong female leader in the workforce. But when I come home, I wish to be a humble, kind, respected, generous lady. I want to truly enjoy life, as I do now, and be able to make the people I love happy when they are around me. I find my joy in life is to make people smile.
2. I am a very well rounded person as I have made high school a time to try new things and meet goals that I never thought would be possible.
In the tenth grade I became a part of the color guard in the Cary High School Marching Band; a sport totally unknown to me at the time, but I soon found that I loved it. I have tutored people since sophomore year in Civics and Economics, Algebra I, and have even gone to a local elementary school to help first graders learn to read. The joy I receive when I help other students pass a class and see them grow in their abilities has truly been one of my most cherished moments in high school. I am a member of National Honors Society and National Technical Honors Society. Both clubs have allowed me to serve my school and community through different service projects. I have also made it into the top 25 students my junior year, becoming a Junior Marshall. I am extremely proud of the fact that I am in the top 8% of the Cary High Class of 2011; a feat achieved solely by my hard work and dedication to learning.
Here is Layla's essay
Green, white and red are the colors of history, tradition, and adventure; they are the colors of my Italian heritage. These are the colors that represent all that I have been brought up to love: laughter, food and family—these are the most cherished possessions of any true Italian. The flag of Italy—white for faith, green for hope and red for charity represents the undying spirit of the Italian people, a spirit that I proudly regard.
My relation to Italy originates on my father’s side in Palermo and Rome, with my great grandfathers, Giralamo LaCorte and Francesco Cervini respectively. In the year 1905 Giralamo traveled to New York and worked with his elder brother laying tracks for a railroad to Cleveland. Likewise, in 1907, Francesco came to America and was employed by a local construction company in Brooklyn. My ancestors had faith that America would be a place of opportunity and success for their family.
After about 25 years of hard work in this new land, my grandfather and grandmother were both born in 1930 to well-established Italian families. None of my ancestors could have foreseen the positive consequences that they would have encountered from their decision to move to this foreign land.
Italian tradition runs deep in my family, ranging from homemade pasta, sausage, cannoli and wine during Sunday night dinners to gardening in the backyard. My great grandparents learned to speak English in order to survive on this new frontier; however, they never stopped using the Italian language in their home. My great grandparent’s hoped that when they came to this new land they would be successful American’s and still keep the traditions of their culture alive.My grandfather has traveled to his homeland in Sicily several times in order to remind him of his simple and humble roots. Although it has been more than 100 years since my family has lived in Italy, our traditions have still been preserved, just as my great grandparents hoped they would be.
Italians are well known for their big hearts and great charity. My ancestors have always been family oriented far beyond my knowledge of them. My great grandfather, Giralamo, would frequently travel back to Italy in order to see his mother again. It was clear that his mother was very important to him. In the 1930’s, Giralamo and Antoinette LaCorte would host dinner every Sunday in order to keep the close ties strong in his own family. He believed that “La forza per la vita sta con la famiglia” which interpreted means that the force of life lies with the family. Even today, I cannot remember a major holiday not spent with my cousins. Family is truly the greatest joy for an Italian; however, food is a close second.
My grandmother still has original recipes for handmade cannoli, spiedini, pasta fava and chicken parmesan handed down to her from her parents. When family gatherings are planned, the menu is decided months in advance. My favorite moment as an Italian is the smell of garlic and tomatoes wafting from the kitchen; the sound of knives chopping vegetables and onions sizzling; and the sight of fresh crab boiling and lasagna cooking. Everyone brings something to contribute to the feast, whether it is paying for the massive amount of food or spending all afternoon making the meal for everyone. All that matters is that we are all together and sharing in hearty laughter with one another, as we have done for a great number of years.
The traditions of my Italian ancestors will forever be preserved through my family gatherings. Whether it is the authentic cuisine, exclusive language or jovial laughter, the LaCorte family way of life will never be forgotten. I’m learning from my mother, aunts, and grandmother the secrets of several different Italian recipes, of which I plan to pass on to my own children. Flourishing, just like the Italian flag, are the values of faith, hope and charity: Faith that my family will prosper, hope that our traditions will be kept, and charity towards all of whom we love.
Editor's note:
The Scholarship Dinner/Shower was very enjoyable for everyone. Layla charmed us all. She is everything her mother said of her. We're sure she has a successful future ahead.