WHS Valedictorian balances STEM pursuits, community service and self-discovery

As she prepares to say goodbye to Washingtonville High School, Valedictorian Olivia Tran carries with her more than just accolades. She is proud to be leaving with a deeper sense of self, a wide range of interests and a future she's excited to explore, even if her path isn't fully mapped out.

“I used to be so worried about not knowing what I’m going to be doing next,” she explained. “But one day a teacher told me, ‘It’s OK not to know,’ and it really stuck with me. I’m going to figure it out – that’s the point of life.” 

Throughout high school, Olivia immersed herself in academics and leadership. She served as president of GEMS in STEM, vice president of both the Math Honor Society and the World Language Honor Society and acted as student liaison to the Blooming Grove Conservation Advisory Commission. Her achievements include the prestigious Rensselaer Medal, several Sojourner Truth Awards and much more, but what she’s most proud of is her personal growth.

One experience that helped Olivia step out of her shell was volunteering with two local EMS agencies. Riding along with first responders taught her valuable lessons in stoicism and teamwork.

“Whatever’s happening, you just have to stay calm and be there, because it’s not about you at that moment,” she said.

Her interest in health care began junior year and quickly took off. She has since completed certification courses, attended evening classes and done clinicals on weekends. This weekend, she takes her EMT-B certification test.

At the same time, Olivia has nurtured a passion for computer science. She’ll be interning with the Amazon Future Engineer program next summer. Her coding journey began in middle school through a shared love of video games with her brother, with Minecraft and Roblox sparking her interest in scripting and logic-building. During the pandemic, she completed Harvard’s CS50 course online, which further deepened her fascination.

With the support of WHS teacher, Melissa Benjamin, Olivia has also helped lead GEMS in STEM in launching a 3D prosthetics initiative. The group has raised funds by selling 3D-printed keychains and hopes to eventually create prosthetic limbs for children in the future.

In addition to her many academic and service pursuits, Olivia finds joy in playing the piano with the Jazz Ensemble.

“Music hasn't always come naturally to me, but I love it,” she said. “I want to explore jazz and classical music more, maybe even try composing someday.”

In the fall, Olivia will attend Brown University, drawn to its open curriculum, which will allow her to explore computer science, biology and even pre-med without having to decide too soon.

“My future is kind of uncertain, and I’m OK with that,” she said.

And after that? Maybe medical school. Maybe travel. 

“I definitely have wanderlust,” she said. “France, Vietnam, I want to visit anywhere that speaks French or Vietnamese.” 

But for now, Olivia is living in the moment. 

“Prom was a turning point,” she said. “It felt like we were all finally realizing this is it. These are the memories we’ll carry, and I just want to cherish them while I can.”