Seventh Ward’s Isabel Granger credits family, school for her honor as Parish Elementary Student of the Year

Isabel Granger put in the hard work to earn the honor of being named Vermilion Parish Elementary Student of the Year.
However, the fifth-grader from Seventh Ward Elementary also credits the unwavering support from her family and a great school environment for helping her succeed.
“It feels nice,” Granger said of the honor. “It definitely feels good because my family is very supportive. My mom, dad and family have always liked to encourage me.
“They cheer me on.”
Isabel is one of the seven children of Kevin and Sarah Granger. The Grangers work with Family Missions Company in Big Woods. That work has created a tighter bond for the family, which includes Alyse, 27, Anika, 26, Soren, 22, Isaac, 11, Jonah, 7, and Esme, 6.
“We’re very close because we do a lot of traveling,” Granger said. “We go on a lot of mission trips.”
Those trips have allowed Isabel to visit India, the Philippines, El Salvador, Peru, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, Costa Rica and different parts of the United States. Most recently, the family made a mission to Ecuador last summer. That has given the 10-year-old Granger a different perspective, even at a young age.
“It has,” Granger said. “I’ve seen so many different things. We have helped people who are poor. I’ve seen what it means to be a missionary and what is involved in that kind of thing. It’s definitely an experience that most people don’t get to have.
“I’m very thankful that I get to have that.”
On her travels, Granger has seen places where education did not come as a guarantee for children.
“We have brought children and helped teach them,” Granger said. “We teach them what it means to be a Catholic and about God, and how much he loves them. We give them nice books to read and things like that.”
Granger does not take her own education or school for granted.
“Seventh Ward is an amazing school,” Granger said. “We have awesome teachers. We have awesome classes. I think I am incredibly fortunate to be able to represent Seventh Ward and to be able to go to a Louisiana public school.
“We have an awesome, friendly community here at Seventh Ward.”
Seventh Ward Principal Marlene Primeaux said the school community couldn’t be happier to have Granger.
“She is very deserving,” Primeaux said of Granger’s award. “She is wise beyond her years. Even though she and her family do all these amazing things, she is very humble about her experiences.”
Granger’s next experience regarding Student of the Year will find her in the regional round.
“I am proud to represent the parish,” Granger said. “I can tell people how awesome our community is here and what an awesome school I attend.”