CLUB CONFIDENCE FOUNDERS and presidents

Co-Founder, Co-President

Isabella Davidman is currently enrolled at Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School in Manhattan. At school, Isabella participates in many different activities: she is the co-president of the Gender Equity and Awareness club, two-term co-president of the Columbia Prep Model Congress team, a member of the Model U.N team, and a member of the Mock Trial team.  Whether participating at Barnard's Women's Leadership Institute or conducting her own research in the field of gender studies, Isabella engages her intellectual curiosity through studying topics she cares about. When she is not doing work, you can find her captivated by classic novels– her favorite books are First Love by Ivan Turgenev, Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, and The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger. 

In December 2020, Isabella wanted to create a safe space for girls to gain confidence, while also offering them unique after-school programs. Therefore, she took the initiative to start Club Confidence with Lara Berliner when she saw the impact that COVID-19 had on many elementary and middle school girls' social development. Isabella has a genuine love for learning, which is shown in her drive, motivation, and dedication–she hopes that her passions will inspire intellectual curiosity amongst her students.

Co-Founder, Co-President

Together with Isabella Davidman, Lara Berliner co-founded Club Confidence. As a self-proclaimed "English person", Lara Berliner is excited to share her love and knowledge of language with others. Drawn to the idea of creating a fictionalized world, Lara first dabbled in creative writing at the age of seven. Immediately, Lara was hooked. Lara published her first short story at the age of twelve and became the Director of Hopkins' Junior School newspaper, where she led brainstorming sessions to generate article ideas and most importantly made sure the paper met deadline. Currently, Lara is a writer and illustrator for the Columbia Prep Journal, her high school’s student-run literary magazine. In-school, she enjoy swriting both analytically and creatively and last year was awarded the Gertrude Stein Award for Excellence and Creativity in English by her school’s English department. Lara also has extensive experience in public speaking, as she is the current Co-President of Columbia Prep's Model Congress team and was awarded Honorable Mention at the esteemed Harvard Model Congress Conference. Lara is also qualified to help students prepare for the SHSAT, for she scored in the 99th percentile in English and 96th percentile in Math on the similar SSAT. In addition to writing, Lara also enjoys film, photography, and art. Lara was a finalist in the PS Art Competition for New York City Public Schools, where her self-portrait was exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Last year, Lara was awarded a Gold Key and two Silver Keys in Photography by the prestigious Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. Lara is also an active member of CGPS's Theatre Department and Girls Varsity Tennis Team, where she plays second singles.