Now officially a senior in high school, Mollie Chesis could probably teach classes on organizational skills. In order to do everything this Blue Valley High School student does, she must stay organized and on schedule.
“I am a very organizationally-minded person,” Mollie said. “So I get a lot of enjoyment out of planning and putting together programs.”
Mollie had a lot of practice doing just that last year when she served as president of Beth Torah Temple Youth Group (BTTY). Planning events and watching them come to fulfillment gives Mollie pleasure.
“When everything comes together perfectly, the left-brain side of me screams with joy,” she said. “Then, when actually at the event, and I see everyone enjoying themselves, talking and really becoming a part of a community, the right-brain side of me is bursting with happiness. It’s a win-win situation with me.”
Her activities at Beth Torah do not stop with her commitment to the Temple Youth Group. She also has been a madricha for the Weiner Religious School for three years and on Sunday mornings volunteers to help lead religious services for the students. For the coming school year, she has agreed to chair NFTY’s Missouri Valley Regional Spring Chavurah, the largest regional event of the year.
“Mollie is one of the most responsible teens I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with,” said Marcia Rittmaster, religious school and youth groups director for Beth Torah. “She understands her position as a role model with younger teens in always being inclusive and interested in others. She also has many talents such as drama, art and music and is willing to share those talents.”
She has truly enjoyed her time as BTTY president.
“I have found a real and true happiness in BTTY,” Mollie said. “I had been worried when I first got involved that it was not going to be something I found truly enjoyable; I was completely wrong. The sense of pride and accomplishment — the true passion I have for BTTY and what we do — that comes from the happiness I see when I meet people at events and they want to keep coming back.”
The daughter of Paul and Julie Chesis, Mollie excels in school as well as at synagogue. A member of the French Honor Society, Art Honor Society and National Honor Society, Mollie will be attending two programs at Brown University this summer. She will split her time between two topics she loves, one week of writing and two weeks learning about infectious diseases. Eventually Mollie plans to be a physician focusing her talents on either infectious disease or endocrinology.
Her commitment to helping others is already apparent. Mollie donates blood almost every two months.
“As a person, my motto in life is ‘do anything I can to help others,’ ” Mollie said. “I feel the happiest seeing smiles form on others’ faces. That is why I work so hard to give back to my community.”
Among her community service efforts she is working on her Girl Scout Gold Award. Mollie is creating a documentary video about teens with mental illness and fighting the stigma of these diseases. She hopes it will help teens in the community.
“A lot of people have depression and ADHD,” Mollie said. “It would be better if people could be more accepting of others. Mental illness affects teens and young adults. We need to help these people.”
Besides her schoolwork, her volunteer activities and her community service, Mollie finds time for activities she loves like being a part of the Fifth Wall Improv Comedy Troupe. The group puts on shows about once a month either at Blue Valley High School or around the community. They even performed at a BTTY event.
She recently participated in the National Forensics Competition in Dallas as an entry in the Dramatic Interpretation competition. To go to the national competition, a student has to place first or second in district competitions. Although Mollie did not place in the national competition, she was proud to make it to the semi-finals.
But the truth to the focus and core of Mollie is her commitment to enjoy life and to help others.
“I love knowing that I can make things better for others,” Mollie said. “Also, I really work to enjoy life. I do everything I can to be involved and learn more so that I can take advantage of all the opportunities that are presented to me, I feel so blessed to have all of these. It is remarkable that I am truly able to do so many wonderful things in my life, so I work to repay that by giving opportunities to others.”