Whitefish High School senior Allison Ponti’s passion to serve, ability to connect with people no matter the circumstances and desire to make a difference across the globe have led her to know exactly what she wants to do after college before even beginning classes at the University of Montana this fall.  

Ponti has always loved community service, but two separate Rotary International service trips to Guatemala have changed her outlook on life, inspiring her to pursue a double major in political science and education, with a minor in Spanish language, on the pre-law track.  

Ponti aspires to be a teacher and a human and women’s rights attorney, and to help people in everything she does.  

The Guatemala service trips led Ponti to her future path.  

Ponti, along with other Whitefish and Montana-based students, installed water filters at rural schools, taught hygiene habits to children, handed out hygiene supplies and completed other projects like painting walls and picking up litter. 

On her trips to Guatemala, she learned about how young girls struggle to stay in school, and the issues of violence against women. 

“They’re still fighting to be equal,” she explained. 

It’s why Ponti wants to work abroad in a Latin American country.  

“I want to keep helping to make a difference,” she said.  

Ponti’s desire to study education as an added major was inspired by a trip chaperone in Guatemala who helped run a mobile library.  

“I would love to be an English teacher,” Ponti said. “I wanted to add education because it’s very impactful. And many kids in Latin America don’t have classes in other languages.”  

Her favorite part of the trip was interacting with the children. An advanced Spanish student, Ponti was glad to improve her communication skills in time for the most recent trip.  

The experience overall made her a better person and altered her life view, she said.  

“The mentality they have is, they are happy with what they have. And it makes me more grateful and aware, and to have a better mindset, that it’s OK to not have everything.”  

“I’m no different than the kids there, I was just born with more privileges.” 

Her selflessness and joyful attitude led to Ponti receiving the Winslow Nichols Leadership Award this spring.  

The quarterly award recognizes the academic achievement and community involvement of high school students who improve the lives of others. The award is sponsored by Logan Health in collaboration with Hagadone Media Montana newspapers including the Whitefish Pilot and Daily Inter Lake.    

Melissa Kaptanian, a Rotary Club member who nominated Ponti for the award wrote, “Rotarians who have gotten to know Ali from these trips speak highly of how willing she is to truly interact with the children at the schools as individuals, laughing with them, teaching them and getting to know them. They also say she is a joy to work alongside. 

“While the work that she has done in Guatemala for others is inspiring enough, I am more deeply inspired by the work it has done on Ali’s character and heart.” 

Ponti’s character shines when serving the Whitefish community as well. She loves to engage with other people, regardless of the setting. 

“Each group or club I’m in, it’s always different people, different communities,” Ponti said. “People that I never thought I would interact with. I like being involved because I like being connected with people.”  

Ponti’s extracurriculars include National Honor Society, the Model UN club, freshman mentors, Health Occupations Students of America, Spanish club, Leo Club and Freeflow environmental science club.  

She also co-founded a student art club, which recently made colorful spring cards to bring to a nursing home. Ponti said that with her packed academic schedule, the club has allowed herself and her fellow students to be creative and have fun with art without taking art classes.  

Ponti has played clarinet since sixth grade. While the instrument isn’t exactly her calling, she loves being part of the band, she said.  

As a band council historian, Ponti enjoys being a leader. Band also gave her the opportunity to travel to New York and Europe.  

“I met people from small towns I’ve never heard of. Meeting all these people and getting to play my instrument for people from six different countries – it was a really cool trip,” she said of the Europe expedition. 

Throughout high school, Ponti has strived to be there, taking responsibility for not only herself but others too — especially when things got tough.  

“While personally I haven’t dealt with health issues or severe depression or anxiety or anything like that — which I’ve been very fortunate for — I have tried to help people with that. And it’s been a struggle to balance that with school.”  

“Often times, they don’t want help. They don’t want to be seen as weak, as someone who has problems or is struggling. And you can tell a friend that, but it’s harder to tell a professional.  

“And that’s been the hardest part of high school, is I want to help them do that.” 

Ponti expressed gratitude for the opportunities Whitefish High School brought her and credited her family's passion for healthcare and her older sister Olivia’s work ethic for pushing her to be the student she is.  

“She [Olivia] is so smart and articulate. I don’t really like to read, but she loves reading. So I took AP Literature, because she took it ... all the work she did, I was like, I want to do that.” 

Winslow Nichols Award nomination criteria

Eligibility: High school students in Flathead, Lake or Lincoln counties.  

Academics: Students who value their education by exhibiting academic responsibility; preferably have a 3.0 GPA or higher.  

Character: Students who display integrity, compassion, service and excellence.  

Citizenship: Students who nurture healthy communities through community service, volunteerism or other contributions to their community and/or school.  

Leadership: Students who take initiative and are role models for others.  

Forms are available at logan.org/tomorrowsleaders.