Rachel Catalano, granddaughter of Mrs. Theresa E. Catalano of Tryon, was awarded an International Baccalaureate Diploma from Geneva, Switzerland this past July.
“The International Baccalaureate® (IB) aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.” (www.ibo.org )

Catalano graduated from Irmo High School in Columbia, S.C. where she was a straight A student. In addition to excelling in the classroom, she was President and founder of Creativity Cares, a 501c3 nonprofit organization that donates musical and art supplies to children in the hospital and group homes. She was a student leader serving in a variety of roles: member of student council, President of her Junior Class and Vice-President of the Senior Class. She also served as the Editor in Chief of the student newspaper (The Stinger) for two consecutive years. She was selected as Irmo High School’s representative to Palmetto Girls State in 2013. She was also selected as one of two commencement speakers at her June 2014 graduation.
As a National Merit Scholarship® Winner (2500 students nationally), she received multiple offers from elite institutions including University of South Carolina Honors College, Duke University and Vanderbilt University. After visiting all these wonderful campuses, Catalano has accepted admission to the University of Virginia and will matriculate at the end of this month. She loved Charlottesville best and is very excited about becoming a Cavalier this fall.
While visiting with her father, Jack Catalano of Columbus N.C., over the last several years she has found time to follow her grandmother’s activism with the Polk County Democrats through canvasing and outreach efforts in both the 2008 and 2012 elections. Additionally, Catalano was a non-partisan volunteer helping with voter registration drives in Polk County on multiple occasions.

– article submitted
by Jack Catalano