Isabella Vidana had a busy summer. When she was not welcoming and serving as a mentor to new Lesley students as an Orientation Leader or training herself to help the women's soccer team defend their 2012 New England Collegiate Conference title, the sophomore had the chance and took the trip of a lifetime. Vidana entered a contest through TOMS®, a company that has donated over ten-million pairs of new shoes to children in need around the world, to join the company on one of their signature "One-for-One® Giving Trips."

"I entered to win a contest with TOMS to go on a Giving Trip where a group of us would go to a Central or South American country to distribute TOMS shoes to children in need," she explained. "The TOMS movement is described as a One for One movement.  When you buy a pair of TOMS shoes, a pair of shoes will be given to a child in need."

Though Vidana had heard of TOMS and was a fan of the brand, it was not her that thought of entering the contest.

"My dad was actually the one who brought the contest to my attention. I had no idea about it. I have always loved TOMS, their shoes, what their company stands for, and I have said for several years now that I want to work for a company like TOMS one day. I have done service trips before with Habitat for Humanity and so I guess my dad knew that I would love to do something like this."

To enter, Vidana had to write a 100 word essay on why she wanted to go on the trip in addition to creating a slogan for her candidacy – "A TICKET TO TAKING CHANCES" - which was then voted on through the Toms Website. After gaining over 1900 votes, she found out she was one of fifty winners to go on a Giving Trip.

Isabella was picked to go to Guatemala to help put shoes on the young children of several different communities. She traveled with nine other winners, three TOMS employees, and two security guards who stayed by their side for the entirety of the trip.

"All nine winners come from different walks of life – we were different ages, at different stages of our lives - but we all came together because of a passion we all had in common: to give."

Though the community was obviously grateful of their efforts, initially the children were a little weary of the strangers.

"In each community we would sit down with multiple families and put the shoes on the children of the family.  The mothers and sometimes the fathers would be there sitting with their children while we placed the shoes on them. At first the children were so timid and shy, I would ask them their name and age in Spanish and they were so soft spoken.  I would tickle the children's feet and the biggest smile would appear on their face.  Their laughs were contagious and it only made me smile even more than I already was.  Their joy illuminated throughout the entire room.  I could not help but smile and be filled with joy throughout the entire process. You could see how appreciative and thankful the mother's were just by their humble smiles.  There was nothing but happiness throughout the entire community that we were working with.  My ultimate goal in life has always been to just make people smile and the smiles of these children will forever be engraved in my heart."

A trip like this is filled with countless memories, newfound friendships, and lessons that will last a lifetime, but for Isabella, it was far more than that.

"I learned that if you surround yourself with people who have the same passions as you and who want to help the world just as much as you do, life will be that much better.  There was nothing but happiness on my trip and that is because the people I volunteered with loved giving just as much as I did."

"The highlight of my trip was when I was leaving from the second community we worked with, I was in the backseat of the car and as we were about to leave a little boy and girl came and stood right by the car. I knocked on the window to see if they would hear it and put my hand up against the window to see if they would notice it. Not long after, the little girl put her hand right against mine on the window.  This moment showed me that in life there are so many things trying to separate us from others whether it be by distance, language barriers, obstacles, social class, or in this case, glass.  But in one way or another we are all connected.  We are all human beings who have been put on this earth to make a difference in the world.  As much as we are all different, we are all the same.  I did not know this girls name nor did she know who I was, but this girl and this moment we had with one another will always be a part of me and a part of her. And I am forever grateful I had this experience."

Like her slogan said, Bella took the ticket to take a chance to improve the lives of those who she does not even know – no surprise to those who are lucky enough to know her. But once she left, had an unforgettable experience, and helped change the lives of those less fortunate, her slogan changed a bit.

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.  Live the life you've imagined!"

Check out Bella's video from her trip!