The 17-year-old Mount St. Agnes Academy graduate was a part of her school choir, glee club, and yearbook staff.

On Mondays after school and on Wednesdays during school Nicola did volunteer work at St. Brendan's Hospital. Her favourite subjects in school were science and biology.

She hopes to pursue a career in the field of medical science possibly doing research.

Nicola is a Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme participant and has received the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award.

She said that the best day of her life was the day that she completed the Duke of Edinburg Gold Award in Wales.

"It was so long and hard, I wanted to give up. I was glad when it was finally over and my determination paid off,'' she said.

Nicola enjoys playing volleyball, walking, making scrapbooks and participating in water sports such as snorkling and skiing.

She likes eating popsicles and listening to dance mixes. Her favourite movie is "Speed''.

She has one older sister named Lyndsay. For pets she has a dog, Desmond, and a turtle, named Turtle.

Nicola describes herself as being "intelligent, friendly, determined, opinionated and a lover of the outdoors''. She also says that she is concerned about other people.

The person that Nicola would most like to meet is Mother Theresa "When I do something I usually do it for myself. I admire her determination and her care for others. I would like to know how she takes nothing for herself.'' she said.

Nicola believes that violence is society's main problem.

"It starts at a young age in the family. Children are allowed to back answer their parents which eventually leads to other things. There should be more groups for people to talk with different people and learn to respect others,'' she added.

On the other hand she can see a Bermuda with controlled violence, with an abundance of tourist and exempt companies. She said there would be a rise in the standard of living and over all it would be a better place to live. She also believes there should be more centres in the Parishes so that people aren't sitting on the walls doing nothing.

"It doesn't have to be super organised. A few pool tables would be good just to give the young people something to do,'' she said.

Nicola believes if Bermuda continues on the path of violence that in 15 years it will be just like some of the islands in the Caribbean.

"Tourists won't want to come here anymore and exempt companies will pull out of the island. We will have to find other sources of income if we want to keep up the standard of living,'' she said.

Nicola said that if she was given an open plane ticket to anywhere in the world she would go to France.

"I have always liked Europe. It would be nice to experience the culture instead of reading about it in books. I would also like to practice the French that I learned in school,'' she said.

Nicola wishes to make the most she can out of her life.

"I don't expect to be happy all the time but I hope that at the end of my life I can say I did the most that I could do.'' she added.

INTERVIEW BY KRISTY WARREN NICOLA TERCEIRA -- `Violence starts at a young age'.