Noor Essakalli

Roger Bacon is full of creative, talented people, and Noor Essakalli ‘20 is definitely one of them! Noor’s passions include photography and art. For the past two summers, she has been an ArtWorks Youth Apprentice, working with other students from all over the city to create murals throughout Cincinnati's many neighborhoods. Recently, she received 12 awards for her photography at the Regional Scholastic Art & Writing Competition, and many of her pieces were on display at the Art Academy of Cincinnati.

Noor’s journey to Roger Bacon is unique. She spent much of her childhood living in Morocco, where she became fluent in English, French, and Arabic. Noor explained, “My dad is from Morocco, and my parents wanted me to experience that culture as a child. I lived there from age two until seventh grade, when my family moved to Toledo.” Noor lived in different parts of Morocco, experiencing both the beach and the desert. She believes that living in a different country has given her the opportunity to feel more open to people. “I think living in such different places and experiencing a variety of cultures has given me more patience and understanding when I meet someone who is different than me,” Noor said.

Noor and her family considered many different schools when they moved to Cincinnati three years ago. She chose Roger Bacon because of its diversity and small size. “Everyone talks about how RB has a family atmosphere, and it’s true,” Noor explained. “It felt like everyone here knew each other, and I liked that."

Noor is co-president of National Art Honor Society, and she is part of the crew for the upcoming school musical, Singin’ in the Rain. She has been the Girls’ Volleyball team manager for the past two years. When reflecting on Noor’s role as team manager and her impact on Roger Bacon, Head Coach Alyssa Flading said, “Noor is thoughtful, caring and always willing to help. As the manager for the girls volleyball team, she was always super supportive of her teammates and was always someone I could count on to make me laugh. I am glad Noor transferred to Roger Bacon, I believe RB is better to have had her kind, adventurous and creative spirit in our community.”

One person at Roger Bacon who has had a big impact on Noor is art teacher Kelly Reinbach. “Mrs. Reinbach is someone who is always easy to talk to,” Noor explained. “I took two art classes with her and really enjoyed them. She’s always fun to be around and has good insight and advice.”

Next year, Noor plans to go to the Cleveland Art Institute and pursue her dream of becoming a professional photographer. “I would love to eventually take photographs for National Geographic or The New York Times,” Noor said.

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