This is the 18th of 25 profiles about The Gazette’s Best and Brightest Class of 2016.

The library has always been one of Samuela Mouzaoir’s special places.

“Reading is my absolute favorite thing to do,” she said.

When she was younger, Mouzaoir’s mother would take her to the library and read to her. She grew up in a French-speaking household, and the time she spent at the library helped her become bilingual.

Over time, Mouzaoir said she has discovered that she learns best when reading for fun and then discussing what she has learned with others. “Being able to discuss in a class setting is really great for me,” she said.

As Mouzaoir grew older, she spent time giving back to the library that meant so much to her. For a couple years, she was editor of her library’s Teen Newsletter, which included upcoming library events and jokes and served as a way to get more people interested in a place she loved so much.

When Mouzaoir moves to the Windy City for college, she is most excited to learn about things that really matter. She said so far in high school, it has been mostly about learning to fulfill requirements, but she said she is excited to learn about things that will help her in her future.

“I want to be a professor in sociology,” she said. Before this, she said that she wanted to be a pediatrician, but about a year ago, she realized it wasn’t something that excited her intellectually.

“I do want to help people, but not in medicine,” she said. “Studying people and patterns is something I am very passionate about.” She said she would also love to review books as a fun side job.

When Mouzaoir isn’t reading, she plays tennis and serves as captain of her school’s varsity team. She also loves to listen to music and spend time with her friends and family.

She plans to continue her volunteer work in college, and she has already looked into ways to do so at the University of Chicago.

“I’m excited to be in a new city,” she said.