Noelle became a vegetarian in sixth grade. By ninth grade, she co-founded PETA2 Los Angeles County, while she was the only vegan in the club. For her AP capstone projects, she created a college-level research project on “How does an increased awareness of factory farming impact youth perceptions of meat-eating, concerns for animal welfare, and openness to change?” Noelle spearheaded an event at Santa Monica Pier for Thanksgiving, partnering with Tofurky and others to give out dozens of whole vegan turkeys as well as hundreds of samples and recipe leaflets. Her club coordinated with the school district’s superintendent and nutrition department to introduce daily vegan lunch options. The menu plan included a veggie burger, bean burrito bowl, and pasta with red sauce and plant-based sausage. This spring her club is collaborating with the Plant-Based Treaty to organize a plant-based event in Calabasas. Noelle is also a Girl Scout. As her troop only had Thin Mints as the vegan option, she would only sell that flavor since becoming vegan in eighth grade. But by working extra hard, she still always managed to meet her quota.

In college Noelle hopes to continue her research about perceptions of factory farming while expanding her understanding of human-animal relationships, and to dive into strategies for social change or nutrition. In five years she hopes to have a Masters in Social Work.  

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