Star Power: Isabella Perrone

On May 8, 2026, Isabella Perrone received the Service Star award. She is sixteen years old. Isabella loves performing arts like theater and dance. However, she noticed a serious problem. Many children could not afford these activities. Their families lacked money for costumes. Isabella wanted to solve this issue. She wanted every child to feel the joy of performing. To do this, she started a nonprofit group named En Pointe Bels. This organization collects theater and dance costumes. It then donates them to youth groups. Many costumes are very expensive. Isabella believes cost should not stop a child from acting. She has already donated hundreds of costumes. These items went to groups along the East Coast of the United States.

A reporter named Vicky Sun spoke with Isabella. Vicky is a Kid Reporter for TFK. She wanted to learn about Isabella’s work. Isabella explained her idea came from her own life. When she was younger, she went to a dance studio. The studio taught many different dance styles. For each performance, she needed new outfits. These clothes were very expensive. She often wore them only once or twice. Afterward, the unused costumes piled up in her attic. Isabella realized other families had the same issue. They had beautiful costumes gathering dust in their homes. Meanwhile, other children could not buy them at all.

Isabella found a way to help. She started a club at her school. The club raised awareness about the need for costumes. She also put up posters in her town. The posters told people where to drop off old outfits. Her community was very supportive. Many families there were involved in dance. If Isabella told one mother about her project, that mother told others. Parents were happy to get rid of clothes they did not need. They brought items to Isabella’s front porch. This made collecting large amounts of clothing very easy. The community was eager to help her succeed.

When asked about her favorite part, Isabella said she loves seeing where the clothes go. She finds it rewarding to see her direct impact. Two years ago, she had a special experience. She traveled to a school to hand out tap shoes. She also gave out outfits to students. These students were preparing for their winter recital. A recital is a performance where students show what they have learned. Isabella watched as the children put on their new gear. They felt excited to perform. Seeing their smiles made all the hard work worth it. She felt proud that her organization helped turn dreams into reality for these students.