Launch at LPS: Southeast senior Olivia plays successful keys in life at school

April 7, 2025

Olivia’s imagination, curiosity and outgoing personality have helped her unlock the doors of success at Southeast High School.
 
Whether dancing her fingers across piano keys, forming sentences of code on a computer keyboard or learning the keys to languages like Spanish and Mandarin, the Southeast senior has become a shining role model for fellow Knights. Her classroom and creative interests have helped her construct a launching pad for many positive post-graduation moments.
 
School counselors Kelsey Lorimer and ReeAnna Armagost said Olivia has distinguished herself during her four years in Southeast’s hallways. In addition to her academic excellence, she has become involved in a wide range of activities. She is president of Southeast’s African American Caucus, vice president of LSE Business Club, founder of the school’s badminton club and member of the LSE Leadership Cadre. She can also draw calligraphy, engage in detailed conversations about economics and become friends with people from Brazil to Taiwan.

 
“There’s no resume like Olivia’s,” Lorimer said. “I can pick it out because I know her, but it would stand out to me even if I didn’t know her. It just has such a wide variety of really unique and cool interests and hobbies and experiences.”
 
“What I admire is her attitude,” Armagost said. “She’s just a positive person who puts everyone in a good mood. Her mind’s always going. She’s thirsty for knowledge and is always wanting to know more and take on that challenge. She doesn’t just sit back and take the easy way out.”

 
Olivia said she enjoys being a “serial hobbyist” in her school and community activities. Her willingness to try new things has helped her secure lifelong skills and become well-respected among her peers.
 
“I think I’ve come to understand that it’s important to get involved outside of just going to class and going home,” Olivia said. “It takes putting in hours after school on homework or preparing for competitions, or at school, going to clubs and talking to teachers and getting involved in activities. I think that’s made a world of difference in my time here.”
 
Lorimer said Olivia’s leadership skills have benefited many Knights. The LSE Leadership Cadre meets every other week and helps students learn how to guide their classmates in academic and social ways. Navigating difficult conversations with both grace and truth has allowed Olivia to form strong bonds with her classmates.
 
“She’s not afraid of a challenge and she’s not afraid of conflict,” Lorimer said. “She’s able to put forth her thoughts and opinions in a firm but empathetic way, and it has been really refreshing.”

 
One of Olivia’s main goals is to expand her ability to speak with people from across the world. She traveled to Spain last summer as part of a language immersion program. She experienced new food, customs, culture and conversations during her international trip.
 
Olivia also befriended an exchange student from Taiwan who attended Southeast last year. She decided to enroll in Mandarin classes because she wanted to speak to her new classmate in her native language. Her efforts helped her earn a Student Language Spotlight Award from the Nebraska Department of Education this winter for her Mandarin singing skills.
 
“If I knew her language, we’d be able to communicate better,” Olivia said. “I have some friends who are from Brazil, and I wish I could learn Portuguese so I could learn their humor. It’s good to be able to communicate on a deeper level when you know somebody’s language.”

 
Olivia has also become fluent in the language of music. She played the clarinet in middle school and fell in love with the piano after watching the movie “La La Land” four years ago. She said the joy she sees from her piano teacher has given her additional motivation to perform jazz tunes.
 
“It helps that I have somebody like that,” Olivia said. “He plays piano professionally, so that’s kept me engaged. I like to see people who love what they do.”

 
Armagost and Lorimer said Olivia’s enterprising outlook on life has set her apart. She embraced the ideas of responsibility, decision-making and thoughtfulness after several difficult personal experiences in middle school. Those taught her the importance of reaching for goals herself instead of relying on others to do things for her.
 
“The immersion program, she searched that out herself,” Armagost said. “The Mandarin classes, she sought those out herself. Just the initiative, the self-motivation is there for her.”
 
“There’s some natural leadership that happens, but because of that initiative, she seeks out those roles too, which gives her the platform to make a difference and an impact on a greater scale than just in her circle,” Lorimer said.
 
Olivia is planning to double major in economics and international relations at Columbia University next year. She would like to use her bridge-building skills to become an international diplomat.

 
Olivia said she has enjoyed her time in Southeast’s hallways. She felt her Lincoln-based friendships and connections have given her the keys to a successful future.
 
“It makes me excited for college and my future career,” Olivia said. “I’ve seen what it can do when you talk to a whole bunch of people and get to know everybody. People know your name and you know other people’s names. It makes life easier. It makes it more fun to be at school.”

Congratulations, Olivia!

We wish you the best in your future endeavors.

We are thankful our educators could help you Launch at LPS!

Looking for LPS graduation information?

Check out our graduation page at https://home.lps.org/graduation/ to get the details on celebrating your favorite high school grad.

Do you have a story idea? Share it with the LPS Communications Team by filling out this form!

---