Although Vivienne is starting her sophomore year at Pikes Peak Early College this fall, she is truly out of this world! She aspires to be a particle astrophysicist with a focus on black holes and dark matter. Her interest in space started at a very young age. She recalls watching Cosmos with her dad every weekend as early as 7 years old. She knew then that she wanted to study the universe and learn as much as possible. As Vivienne progressed through middle school, she discovered her passion for math as the "language of the universe." She enjoys learning and looks forward to using math, physics, and philosophy to deepen her understanding of our universe, all the way to her PhD.
 

In addition to math, Vivienne has shown academic excellence throughout her school career. She has been on the honor roll ever since second grade. Upon leaving middle school, she was awarded the most distinguished student in social studies and history and won the social studies essay contest to compete at the state level. She was also inducted into the National Honor Society. Vivienne has been recognized locally and nationally for her excellence. Locally, she is a student board representative for her school in her school district. Nationally, she has been invited to Future Engineering Leaders, Future Mathematicians, and the Medical Leaders Congress. Vivienne has expanded her horizons through the career development club, where she has had the opportunity to interview professionals in science, NASA experts, and a biochemistry professor. She is grateful for the benefits the club has provided her with and appreciates how it has opened new learning paths for other students as well.
 

Outside of academics, Vivenne has a few hobbies she enjoys. After trying a variety of sports, she settled into softball. She contributes to her team as a utility player because she is ambidextrous and can play in any position that her team needs. She also participates in a book club and enjoys reading a variety of books. One of her favorite books, Kent State, changed her mind set to understand that “Everyone has a different side of a story. There is always more than one perspective.”
 

Furthermore, Vivienne has a passion for giving back to her community in eco-conscious ways and has made significant contributions. In elementary school, she reduced waste by starting an initiative to recycle plastic bottle lids. Then in middle school, she started a program to recycle tabs from aluminum tabs to the Ronald McDonald House to fund families in need. Now that she has completed her silver award status with the Girl Scouts, she is focused on her next initiative to reach the gold award.
 

Vivienne is well on her way to changing the world. She is sharpening her natural-born leadership skills through the Sachs Foundation and has a great mentor to support her. We’ve had the pleasure of hosting her at AAYLC where she has found a community and is comforted to be surrounded by students who understand her experiences.