Eliana Durkee
McLean High School
By the time Eliana Durkee moved to Falls Church the summer before eighth grade, she had never lived anywhere for more than three years. With her father in the Navy, she had bounced from Maryland to Sicily—among other places—during her childhood. Such a nomadic life might hinder some students’ ability to form relationships, but in Durkee, it instilled a passion for volunteering, leadership and bringing people together.
“I grew up moving a lot, but the community that I did have was the Navy, and that’s all about service and looking out for each other and having each other’s backs,” says the 18-year-old. “So during my time in high school…I’ve tried to apply the same kind of idea in taking care of everyone.”
For Durkee, that meant volunteering regularly at a local food pantry with her mother and little sister, getting involved with student government, planning events for her fellow seniors, mentoring freshmen, running the student art gallery (she has a personal interest in photography) and coaching her local youth field hockey program—all while playing varsity field hockey and maintaining a 4.42 GPA, with several AP classes.
“Eliana sparkles” with enthusiasm and service to others, says her faculty adviser at McLean High School. Her mom describes her as a “walking pep rally” who raises others up.
“I’ve been told I’m a fairly chatty person,” says the teen of her many leadership roles. “I’m pretty good at breaking the ice between people, especially if they’re not used to working with each other.”
Durkee has at least one more move coming up: She heads to Duke University’s Pratt School of Engineering this fall. After that she hopes to settle down someplace, perhaps working for the Navy as a civilian.
“They have a lot of engineers who stay in one place,” she says, “and still help out.” –Rina Rapuano