Molly Wolffis

The moment Molly took on the challenge to play the role of Jacob Marley, she knew that she had found a community that she truly loved.

Who knew that the ghost of Jacob Marley could unlock a path of self-discovery? For senior Molly Wolffis, Scrooge’s dead cohort did just that. 

This passion for theater began when Molly entered Goodwillie Environmental School, FHPS’s nature-immersive pre-middle school, which had begun to shape them before the developmental stages of quarantine. As the season started to shift from fall into winter, the students prepared for their annual holiday performance of A Christmas Carol. For Molly, the idea of acting was new, but most importantly, exciting. 

“I really loved playing [Jacob Marley],” Molly said. “I loved just the whole atmosphere. And I was like ‘Man, I really want to do this again!’”

The whole experience of participating in such a performance emboldened Molly in their new theater-obsessed passions. They went from partaking in a small 5th-6th-grade event to performing for the entire community at the high school. From The Wizard of Oz, Peter Pan, and Alice in Wonderland, it is fair to say that joining such a community allowed them to open up and enjoy the atmosphere and take in every moment in the performing arts. Molly has found that art is a form of self-expression that can be shared with the world. Performing arts is the main art form they participate in, but they admire all art, and sometimes find themselves doodling in a sketchbook. Molly loves art as a whole and discovers that art is an influential part of their life, and the lives of many others.  

“I think art is a very good thing,” Molly said. “I think everyone should consume and produce art, and I think that it’s very good for people.”

Many find an outlet for expression through art. For Molly, the theater community has become a hands-on experience that connects people and pulls them towards raw talent and emotion. Being in such a community brings the reality and beauty of something made by hand for the people. 

Art evokes emotions and tells a story, whether it is a painting, music, or a performance. It’s important to step back and admire the truth within what our world naturally provides. For Molly, nature is a place where they can find peace, connect, and just enjoy being alive. Like a theater, nature is another production that steps away from the screens that have teenagers in a chokehold. The world has brought people together, and for Molly, nature has brought them to their people.

“I love being out in nature, and that’s just something that brings me peace,” Molly said. “Like going outside and just enjoying what I see.”

That’s why, when Molly stepped foot into Goodwillie, they found peace in expressing themselves. Being more interconnected with the community has brought them passions and hope. From being more shy, to uniting with people who share similar interests, Goodwillie became just the beginning of being who they were meant to be, whether it was finding joy in theater to connecting to nature. Goodwillie was a boost into the future.

“[Goodwillie] shaped me a lot as a person,” Molly said. “As hard as it was to leave the school, I think the experiences I had there really helped me become a better person.”

Molly is a very motivated person. As Molly went through high school, they just wanted to be the best version of themselves and help people and the things around them. Nature has given them a sense of purpose, and after their years in high school, they hope to attend college and pursue wildlife biology.

“Conservation is super important to me,” Molly said. “As a kid, I loved the show Wild Kratts, and they would always talk about these animals going extinct, [which] devastated me. So I think that was something that really made me want to work with the environment.” 

Molly has found joy in what humanity is given and the raw talent humans can create. Life cannot be artificially produced, and seeking the truth through nature and performance has shaped Molly as a person. Helping and enlightening others is something that Molly holds close. They believe being your true, authentic self allows you to do good in the world.

“I just kind of want to become the best version of myself,” Molly said. “I just want to do good in the world, you know? I want to help people.”