Atlanta International School rising senior.
When Bonnie Watkins isn’t on the soccer field, or living in France, or studying French culture, she turns her attention to human rights issues.
In the coming school year, she will spearhead Atlanta International School Against Human Trafficking.
Bonnie has been studying French since pre-school. Her parents enrolled her in the AIS French program, immersing her in a learning environment taught half in French and half in English.
For the past two summers, she’s spent time in France. Last year, she studied at the Saint-Denis International School. This year, she is an au pair to an English-speaking American family in Aix-en-Provence.
“You do notice more cultural differences, especially working for Americans that don’t speak French,” she said.
After spending so much time in France, she said she couldn’t decide whether her favorite aspect was the food or the people’s attitudes.
“They remind you to slow down and enjoy the moment,” she said.
Soccer also plays a large role in Bonnie’s life. She plays club soccer, and the AIS school team she captains made history by winning its region championship.
She says her favorite part of the past season was a trip the team took to Savannah to play. It made her happy to see all of the team drawing together on the bus rides down and back.
“The bonds we created over that trip made us more successful as a team,” she said.
Bonnie’s coach, Veronica McDaniel, describes her as “a community leader in the classroom, on the soccer field, or doing service for anti-human trafficking.”
What’s Next:
While her college search is not complete, she is interested in George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and McGill University in Montréal.
This article was prepared by Sam Wimpfheimer, a rising junior at The Galloway School.