On her way back from Paris, Isis ’26 leaned over her laptop as the bus wound its way up to Leysin American School. She was in the middle of a timed coding competition, something that usually demands total focus. “I had to complete this competition on the bus ride back from Paris to Leysin,” she said. She was unable to complete every question in the competition, but put maximum focus on the ones she did complete. “I put a lot of care into it, and I won the championship for the Switzerland round and for the regional round.” It was chaotic, distracting, and exhausting. It was the kind of challenge she loves.

Born in Tirana, Albania, she moved with her family to Toronto, Canada at age ten.  “Albania's not quite a diverse country, and Canada is,” she says. “I think the move changed me. Diverse perspectives changed my personality.” 

Her parents, both Albanian, made the move for their kids. “They moved from Albania to Canada for us. They wanted to give us a better life.” And yet, Isis has returned to Europe for her junior and senior years in Switzerland. “I would have laughed if you had told me at the age of ten that I moved to Canada just to move back for two years in Switzerland. I do everything for the experience.”

Isis has a passion for both STEM and the humanities. On the STEM side, she’s tackling advanced courses and running the Vibe Coding Club she co-founded. “We are teaching JavaScript and we're aiming to incorporate AI.” In the humanities, she’s exploring social issues, politics, and global perspectives through Model UN, editorial work, and community service. She calls herself outgoing and adaptable, traits that helped her dive into new experiences. “I like to surround myself with people who can have serious conversations about social issues. People who are empathetic. People who are goal-driven.”

She’s also no stranger to doubt. Adjusting to Switzerland’s IB curriculum was tough in the beginning. “I received a four out of seven on a test and it made me question: is this the right environment for me?” But she drew strength from past successes. “I was 13 years old when I took the GCSE math extended, and I managed to get an A+. If I have persevered once, I will persevere again.”

Her coding projects combine her technical skills with impact. She wants her work to help people. “As an engineer, you could make a database that helps centralize scholarships. Even that is a type of engineering.”

Living internationally has taught her empathy and perspective. Talking about a friend who made a difficult joke, she explains: “This person was not trying to hurt me. This person has just lived a different truth than I have. They've been exposed to different communities, they don't come with an ill intention, but rather a different story.”

Inclusion is central to her values. “I believe that everyone should have equal opportunities,” she said. Whether she’s coding, studying, or engaging with her community, Isis approaches life with curiosity, resilience, and care.