Via Community News Service, a University of Vermont journalism internship, on assignment for the Shelburne News
Last fall, Ava Nnochiri was holding down the ring toss station as a volunteer at Shelburne’s Halloween party. The Champlain Valley Union High School 10th grader watched little kids throw rings aimlessly through the air, mostly missing their target.
Nnochiri encouraged each child to pick up the rings and try again.
“I just loved seeing the kids’ happy faces and just the overall happy environment,” Nnochiri said.
This was her first time volunteering with the Shelburne Parks and Recreation Committee and her first time participating in a community event after moving to Vermont in the summer of 2023.
Although she was new to the area, she understood how fostering a positive environment can shape the children, and the adults, living in it. She knew the importance of community.
“People are what their environments are,” she said. “When you have a strong community, it provides a strong sense of self and wellbeing.”
Since that event, Nnochiri has passionately involved herself in the town of Shelburne.
She is now an approved member of the town committee, a member of the local Rotary Club and president of her school’s Mock Trial and Model United Nations clubs.
Achieving this level of community engagement has not been easy for her. She is a self-described introvert, new to Vermont and a young woman of color.
Nnochiri said that in her past, she has felt separated from others. During the Covid pandemic she was living in New Jersey. She continued to wear a mask past when many of her fellow classmates took theirs off, to protect herself and her younger sister.
“I sometimes felt like that separated me from other kids,” Nnochiri said. “That progressed to eighth grade, and I just felt disconnected from the community. It was a little bit of a difficult time for me.”
Nnochiri’s mom, Olubunmi Salako, also remembers her daughter’s feelings of isolation. She often was the only child of color in her classes, she continued to wear her mask and she liked wearing rainbow clothes — things that made her stand out.
“In middle school, children are mean to you, especially if you present differently,” Salako said. “And the school didn’t do a lot to try to be welcoming for her.”
However, Salako recognized the strength in Nnochiri’s character that developed during this time. She did not have the desire to conform and prioritized the safety of her sister and herself.
“I felt that it said so much about who she was as an individual. She is not easily deterred and has grown up with a strong sense of responsibility,” Salako said. “Those experiences molded her and reinforced her own resolve to stand her ground and be her own cheerleader.”
“She follows her own North Star,” Salako said.
In the summer before Nnochiri’s freshman year, she moved to Shelburne. Salako encouraged her daughter to sign up for a public speaking class.
“She was very shy, but she is also brave,” Salako said. “If you don’t speak up for yourself, you’ll be left behind. If you want to speak better, you got to speak often.”
New beginnings motivated Nnochiri to try new things.
“Vermont was a clean slate,” Nnochiri said. “People didn’t have pre-existing notions, and that played a part in my confidence level being boosted and me wanting to speak more.”
Public speaking now gives Nnochiri a sense of empowerment and sparked her passion to become more involved in the community.
“I remember many times in my life, I felt underrepresented as an African American female, that my voice was ignored and not heard,” Nnochiri said. “I gained confidence in myself through doing more public speaking, and now I try to make sure that my voice is heard at all these different events.”
Developing strong public speaking skills and finding confidence in her own voice has fortified Nnochiri’s understanding of the importance of community involvement.
“I feel like when you have community, you can feel like you’re wanted and that your voice is heard,” Nnochiri said. “I chose to be part of the parks and rec committee because I loved its community and volunteer-based aspects.”
Peggy Coutu, the committee’s chair, has seen Nnochiri’s commitment to building community ever since she was approved as a member in January.
“With Ava, she hasn’t been here that long, but she just fits right in,” Coutu said. “She’s very good with people, and she just has a sense of what you should do and also what people would like to see.”
Nnochiri said that through her involvement with the town, she has found not only community but also a sense of self.
“Now I feel like I am in a place where, if someone asks me where I’m from, I can confidently say, ‘I’m from Shelburne, Vermont.’”