Senior Spotlights

Olivia Purcell

Adelyn Rabbitt, Co-Editor-in-Chief

March 15, 2024

Olivia Purcell

Olivia Purcell is a skilled and accomplished member of the John Adams High School senior class of 2024. She manages to balance her many extracurriculars, leadership roles, and participation in the full International Baccalaureate program with grace.

As a four-year member of the John Adams cross country team, Olivia was appointed as a captain of the girl’s cross country team in both her junior and senior years. Winning the votes of her fellow students, she became the student body vice president during her senior year. Furthering the range of her leadership, Olivia has been a co-president of Eagles Going Green, the environmental club at Adams, since her sophomore year. As a member of the advisory board, Olivia has participated in the National Honor Society in both her junior and senior years. Olivia is a member of the Spanish Honor Society, the Spanish Club, and the John Adams Volunteer Association. She has been a part of the Adams Mock Trial program during her entire high school career, and has helped her team, “Tonkers Bonkers” qualify for the state competition each year. This year, for the second year in a row, her team won their regional competition in Hammond. Outside of school, Olivia donates her time to the critters of South Bend by volunteering at the South Bend Animal Care and Control Center.

Olivia’s favorite teacher at Adams is Señora Stanton. Olivia commented that Señora Stanton stands out to her “because of her huge heart and devotion to her students. Not only does Señora Stanton support her students inside the classroom by creating an open space for learning, she also helps outside the classroom by being the sponsor for the National Honor Society, Spanish club, and Quiz Bowl. I love Señora Stanton’s pedagogy and I owe her many thanks for all she has done for me academically as well as personally.”

When asked to recall her favorite memories from her time as a high school student, Olivia picked four. First, the yearly girl’s cross country sleepovers stand out to her as times of fun with her friends on the cross country team. Second, she recollects playing hockey in the courtyard during Cline’s class and laughing with friends. Third, she reminisces on her time being on the homecoming court in her senior year and being able to dress up, walk in the homecoming parade, and go out on the field at halftime of the homecoming football game. Finally, Olivia is proud of herself and her mock trial team for going to state every year of high school and winning their regional competitions in their junior and senior years. She has very fond memories of the multitude of laughs, jokes, and get-togethers that her mock trial team has had with each other.

Story continues below advertisement

Olivia is prepared for her future, as she is already committed to the University of Notre Dame. She is currently undecided in her major so that she can give herself time to figure out what she truly loves and wants to do, but she plans on majoring in biology and minoring in sociology. As for her journey beyond college, she sees herself possibly going to graduate school and then pursuing a career relating to environmental issues, such as becoming a wildlife biologist, a wildlife researcher, or an environmental scientist. The Tower wishes Olivia a wonderful rest of her senior year and fulfillment in her future endeavors!

Donate to The Tower

$570

$650

Contributed

Our Goal

Your donation will support the student journalists of The Tower and John Adams High School. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.

About the Contributor

Adelyn Rabbitt, Co-Editor-in-Chief

Adelyn Rabbitt, known as Addie by most, is a senior at John Adams High School and Co-Editor of The Tower. This is her second and final year writing for The Tower, and she is very excited about what this year will hold. She values equality and education, as well as enjoying every moment, even when she’s in school. This marks her fourth year on both the John Adams Swim Team and in Mock Trial, with each season culminating in her team's participation in the Mock Trial State Competitions. In her first two years at John Adams, she also participated in track and soccer. In addition, she greatly enjoys going to school events, such as football games and other productions. Addie considers some of her biggest accomplishments to be going to state three years in a row with her Mock Trial team, “For Da Gram” (this year they will win the State Competition), taking multiple International Baccalaureate classes, and getting tickets to the Eras Tour to see Taylor Swift in concert (it was the best experience of her life). She also highly values all of the friendships she has made in high school and throughout her life. Addie’s now-graduated friend Jasmine Kazmirski says, “Adelyn is a very compassionate and accepting person. She is one of the most caring people I’ve met in my life.” Addie loves to be with others and is a very socially-minded person. The idea of college is feeling very daunting to Addie at the moment, though she knows that she will thoroughly enjoy it and thrive in that environment when the time comes. She has not made a decision on her college choices yet, though she is leaning toward choosing Indiana University at Bloomington. As for possible majors, she is considering many different possibilities and is too indecisive to choose one at the moment. The same goes for career pathways, though she has definitely ruled out anything in the medical field, due to her squeamish reaction to any bodily injuries or blood. Outside of school, Addie works multiple jobs. She is certified in CPR and works as a swim teacher as well as a lifeguard during the summer. During the school year, she works at a coffee shop called DeLo’s at the local farmers market. In her free time, she likes to read, hang out with friends, listen to music constantly, and go on long walks. She is a tote bag enthusiast and is rarely seen without one. She is very excited for her final year as a reporter for The Tower, being an editor and writing on topics that she is passionate about.