Shining Student Spotlight: Olivia Stevens

For this week’s Shining Student Spotlight feature, get ready to meet an awesome, hard-working and thoughtful senior who truly shines at Kenton Ridge High School (KRHS), Olivia Stevens. Olivia is the definition of a great role model, making a real impact both inside and outside of the classroom⸺from her community service projects to her love for music. 

One of her proudest accomplishments is leading “Socktober,” a team effort involving NHS, Leo Club, and FCCLA. Together, they collected over 1,700 pairs of socks and distributed them to eight homeless shelters and other organizations. They even had a fun Crazy Sock Day that raised $345! “Socktober” didn’t stop there…the campaign went global! Partnering with the nonprofit WeHelp2, students sold sock patterns and raised funds to provide a prosthetic leg for Richmond, a man in Ghana, enabling him to return to work and his daily life. For Olivia, this project highlights the impact you can have on your school, your community and even the world.

Olivia is involved in so many things at KRHS! She is president of the National Honor Society, vice president of the Student Council, and director of activities for the Leo Club. If that wasn’t enough, she is also the student director of the marching band and a dedicated member of the Chamber Singers, Jazz Band, Pep Band, FCCLA, and the French National Honor Society. Talk about busy! In addition to all of that, she is also a team captain for the Model UN team, a member of the HighQ team, the National Society of High School Scholars, Phi Theta Kappa, and Young Arts Ambassadors. It is clear she is dedicated to everything she is a part of!

One of her favorite memories comes from being a part of the Model UN team. Olivia describes it as being a really cool experience; it's like a simulated version of the United Nations conference. The team researches real-world problems, selects a country to represent and comes up with realistic solutions to those problems. Olivia finds Model UN awesome because it really strengthens your writing, debate skills, and public speaking skills. Plus, you gain a whole new perspective on the world and get excited about making a difference.

To Olivia, “Cougar Pride” is all about that strong sense of community where everyone supports each other and wants to see you succeed. Her advice to underclassmen is simple: get involved in as much as you can to find your people and make those lifelong friendships. And her chill advice? Don't sweat the small stuff! If something goes wrong, just ask yourself, "Will this even matter next week?" or "Will I even remember this in 10 years?" That kind of mindset, she says, is key to making the most of your high school experience.

Outside of her many school activities, Olivia has lots of passions! She loves listening to music, especially 70s soft rock tunes by artists like Fleetwood Mac, David Bowie, and Roy Orbison. Ice skating is one of her favorite activities, and she’s very outdoorsy. She enjoys hiking, bike riding, and just about anything that gets her outside. If all that wasn't impressive enough, Olivia could probably outskate all of us on the ice, which is a huge passion of hers. She's a figure skater, coaches at the NTPRD Chiller, and even helps teach Learn to Skate USA classes.

Looking to the future, Olivia plans to attend Wright State this fall! She earned the Presidential Scholarship and a full-ride scholarship. Congrats! Her plan is to major in mechanical engineering and then get her master’s in aerospace engineering. Her ultimate dream? To work for NASA someday!

Author: Communications Intern Shannon Coleman (KRHS ‘25)