I have lived in Carlisle my entire fourteen-year-old life; born and raised in a small townhouse with my Bosnian family consisting of my parents, my brother, and my grandparents. I feel thankful to be the first generation of Bosnian-Americans in my family and to have so many more opportunities opened up for me.

As of now I am still in school, heading into high school within the Carlisle Area School District, and I personally enjoy the array of activities the schools provide for students of all interests.  I like to participate in events and projects that help to aid our community and keep it a beautiful place such as programs at CALC and others presented by the school district. I hope to keep participating in projects like these in the future.

Since I was little I’ve always enjoyed how welcomed I felt walking through the streets of Carlisle. I still remember being pushed around in a stroller through its parks. Till this day I still love exploring all Carlisle has to offer and stopping in the small shops scattered around, especially Miss Ruth’s Time Bomb. What makes Carlisle so special to me is its rich history and the diversity of its people. I always felt safe and accepted in Carlisle because of the kindness of the people who live here. The beauty of the historical buildings and the events held throughout the year to unite our community even further truly make me proud to call Carlisle home.

Due to my age I haven’t ran into as many challenges, however, I’m sure that there are areas where help is needed and we as a community can help. For example, picking up litter goes a long way and helps keep Carlisle beautiful as well as volunteering and encouraging others to volunteer at our local homeless shelters.

I hope that in the future I can walk down the streets of Carlisle while seeing its beautiful diversity and preserved history and still feel as safe and welcomed as I do now. – Dinela Dedic, 9th grader at Carlisle High School and featured artist for Art While You Wait | Paved with Love located on the corner of N. Hanover St. and E. Louther St (by the N. Hanover Grill)