Melody Luo (12) sits perched on the tables near Manzanita. The soft breeze pushes back her hair as she expresses her journey through high school. She speaks quickly, utilizing her broad vocabulary to illustriously describe her journey. Like most, her high school experience was full of discovery, guided by her innate love of diversity and multiculturalism.

Sophomore year was her breakthrough. History and Social Science teacher Donna Gilbert’s Advanced Placement (AP) Art History class unveiled Melody’s lasting adoration in this subject. She emphasizes her love of Douch art in particular, because of its secular works and the diverse topics portrayed by artists.

“I’ve always enjoyed visiting art museums, but it was that course [that] led me to see that there was so much more behind a canvas,” Melody said. “There’s a whole story behind what the artist is trying to portray, with his or her narrative. And that’s why, combining my love for history and viewing art, I stumbled across art history, and I’ve been really invested ever since.”

In this class, Melody was assigned a project where she presented a modernist art movement. Originally, she was afraid of presenting her project to a class full of upperclassmen, but when they showed interest in what she had to say, she made a discovery.

“I can view [art] this [way] and another person based on their unique experience can view it in a completely different way,” Melody said. “Because we have so many diverse perspectives, that makes art history subjective, but also really enriching because you can always gain new insights from talking to another person and hearing what they have to say about how they view a piece of art.”

Different individuals’ perceptions change significantly from person to person, and this nuance fascinated Melody and gave rise to her passion for the subject. However, Melody felt a pressure from STEM-based subjects that made her love of this topic feel segregating.

“There is such a huge emphasis on STEM [that] there often is an alienation for the more humanities-leaning kids,” Melody said. “I was one of those [kids]. I felt like I was really different from other people, because I didn’t enjoy [STEM subjects] as much, and I resonated with history and art more.”

It was through Melody’s embracement of art history in sophomore year that she was able to overcome this isolation and find ways to consistently arrange her modern day life with lessons she learned from Gilbert’s class. This way, she was able to diverge her interest from what she saw as the norm and align herself with vastly different subjects. By delving into her passion for art history, she was able to approach her other interests through a newfound lens. She describes that while she has chosen one specific path, in order to better herself in one subject, she also needs to immerse herself in a medley of other disciplines.

“Get the best of both worlds,” she said. “[There are] a lot of interceptions between art history and the other disciplines. The future is going to be increasingly interconnected because of technology, and even as an art historian with digital conservation techniques you have to be well acquainted with these new emerging technologies and innovations to get a comprehensive idea of how to preserve art, especially ancient art.”

This lesson is deeply ingrained in the heart of her actions. She takes this perspective to every part of her life, even to the people she aligns herself with. From biologists to programmers to social media experts, her friendships represent her ideology.

“What is really great about interacting with diverse people is that I learn a lot about them and every single lunchtime discussion is an opportunity for me to venture into other disciplines,” Melody said.

Whether friends or teachers, Melody is experienced in making people’s voices heard and placing herself in all the surrounding aspects of high school. In the business and entrepreneurship department, Melody immediately took the initiative as a leader. Even as a sophomore, she was able to try out different roles and help to generate a cheerful and happy environment.

“She [makes] all the officers feel welcomed… [they] feel like their contributions are heard and appreciated,” upper school business and entrepreneurship teacher Michael Acheatel said. “I appreciate her taking that mantle and running with it.”

After Melody moved from China to the United States, she immediately won the hearts of her friends Emily Zhou (12) and Daniel Wu (12). Melody and Emily met at a DECA event at the start of their high school experience; since then, they have become close friends. Emily, to this day, is still touched by the cake Melody made for her on her birthday, and the number of times Melody took the time and effort to reach out to her.

“You can’t find a friend like her anywhere else,” Emily said. “[She’s] someone I would never ever want to lose.”

Daniel, who first met at one of his water polo games, similarly appreciates Melody’s supportiveness and dedication.

“She really helped me through a lot of times,” Daniel said. “She’s been one of those people that’s always been there, always had my back… She’s a great friend to me and to anyone.”

In the future, Melody hopes to incorporate all the lessons she has learned so far into her actions, letting her passion for art history guide her other interests of speech and debate as well as business and entrepreneurship. She ensures that whatever journey she decides to walk towards, these messages indelibly scripted in her mind will not only guide her in school life, but also in the lasting impression she makes on friends and family.

“Overall I don’t really care about the mark I am leaving in terms of a plaque or something, I just want to be remembered as someone who is caring and approachable and that can always reach out, and for me that is more than I can ask for,” Melody said.