Schaumburg teen excels in pageants, dance, volunteering
Isha Jog woke up the Thursday before Christmas thinking a rare day of relaxation lay ahead. Instead, the Schaumburg teen would fall asleep that night in Louisiana, gearing up to spend the holiday weekend doing community service and soaking up the traditions of an old Mississippi River plantation town.
It was just the latest in a long line of impromptu family trips that feed Isha's sense of adventure and round out a schedule already teeming with - to name just a few ventures - her own charity, a national pageant title and performances for an Indian dance company and her school Orchesis team.
"My mom says I'm looking for the 25th hour in the day," the 16-year-old said.
Isha's motivation isn't to pad an already impressive resume. Her passion for seeing different places, trying new activities and helping others has been evident since she came to the U.S. from India at 3 years old with her parents and younger brother.
All those life experiences also contribute to the Hoffman Estates High School junior's success on various pageant circuits, which she started at age 12 after getting an advertisement in the mail.
"It sounded like something fun and out-of-the-box I wanted to do," Isha said.
Her best showing yet came in November when she won the crown of Miss American Elegance National Teen. She beat contestants from all 50 states, marking her first grand prize after several first runner-up finishes.
As opposed to the "glitz" pageants that focus on beauty, Isha enters scholarship pageants that emphasize interviewing, talent and modeling. Competitions have taken her to all corners of the country.
She relishes the challenge of onstage questions, and excels at thinking on her feet due largely to her parents' coaching at home and hours of public speaking practice for the Hoffman Estates' forensics, or speech, team.
Though Isha was thrilled to win multiple awards at Miss American Elegance, including best Evening Wear and Fashion Wear, most meaningful to her was walking away with the lone Community Service award given for all age categories.
The honor was well-deserved considering the amount of time Isha puts into helping others.
In 2011, she founded Holiday Heroes, an organization that sets out to do modest community service projects throughout the year.
On Halloween, her friends collected canned goods instead of candy. On Thanksgiving, they volunteered at local Run to Read and Turkey Trot races. On Valentine's Day, they'll collect 250 cards and deliver them to seniors at Friendship Village in Schaumburg. Projects also are planned for Earth Day and Mother's Day.
Isha speaks about Holiday Heroes as one of her two platforms during pageant competitions. Making healthy choices is her other outreach initiative.
"Whether you have a title or not, you can still reach out to your community, but having a title gives you a microphone," she said.
Like everything else in her life, Isha's actions back up her words.
To encourage others to live a substance-free and nonviolent lifestyle, she applied to represent Illinois on the national DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) Youth Advisory Board for a two-year term.
She got the job and will join students from each state for conferences in Washington, D.C. She also speaks to local elementary school students at their DARE graduations and will lead a seminar for Illinois police officers on giving a teen's perspective on drug and alcohol issues.
"Isha realizes it takes more than just dreaming," Hoffman Estates High School English teacher and head speech coach Kathy Phillips said. "She's willing to go the distance and work with people who can help her."
Isha also is a member of her school's new Business Professionals of America club. Last month at the regional competition, she placed first in the prepared speech category for a presentation on how social media can help small business.
"I have to step up my game if I want to make it to nationals," Isha said.
She continues to juggle those academic endeavors with a spot on her school's Orchesis dance team and responsibilities as a principal dancer, choreographer and teacher at the Indian Dance School founded 10 years ago by her mother.
In addition to Indian classical dance, Isha is trained in ballet and hip-hop. She's danced at more than 150 venues throughout the Chicago area including a showcase for Chicago's bid for the 2016 Olympic Games. Those have led to modeling gigs for print and website ads.
Gauri Jog said it was quickly evident her daughter had the skill and passion to commit herself to dance.
"Isha was choreographing five-minute pieces when she was 10," she said. "She is a busy bee. She just keeps on working 24/7."
Isha is starting to look at colleges and in a few years would love to compete for Miss Illinois. She also is considering a career in business and marketing. Between her clubs, spokesmodeling and charity, she figures she already is in training.
"You get to deal with different people, and talk to them about your idea and how it's going to work for them," Isha said. "It's kind of what I do already."
Ÿ Kimberly Pohl wrote today's column. She and Elena Ferrarin always are looking for Suburban Standouts to profile. If you know of someone whose story just wows you, send a note with name, town, email and phone contacts for you and the nominee to standouts@dailyherald.com or call our Standouts hotline at (847) 608-2733.
Isha Jog
Age: 16
Hometown: Schaumburg
School: Hoffman Estates High School
Who inspires you? My mother inspires me to always follow my passion. From dancing to academics, she is my biggest supporter and toughest critic, which I greatly appreciate. “Soul Surfer” Bethany Hamilton is my role model because of her determination to overcome any obstacle without losing sight of her dreams.
What's on your iPod? Dance competition music, Taylor Swift, Adele, Katy Perry.
What book are you reading? “Ethan Frome,” by Edith Wharton, for AP Lit class.
The three words that best describe you? Creative, Fearless, Vivacious.
To learn more about Isha and her charity, visit these websites (which she created herself, of course):•