Under the hands of senior Chloee Yang, what appears as a row of 88 monotone black and white keys bursts into a palette of endless colors. Each note becomes a brushstroke of emotion across the canvas of the piano, painting joy, despair and every feeling in between. From the dramatic swells of Tchaikovsky to the delicate phrasing of Chopin, Chloee transforms the piano into a rainbow of sound.

When her dad first introduced her to the instrument, Chloee saw it as a chore. However, as time progressed, she began to view piano as an outlet for expressing her emotions and a way to grow more perseverant, helping her relieve her stress and push through challenging pieces. 

“Piano has helped me develop a lot of perseverance and problem solving skills that I use in my real life,” Chloee said. “Things get hard during playing piano, and you just want to stop playing and quit, especially when you’re memorizing something. But I found through not giving up, you’ll be able to do it eventually. I put that attitude of doing it until you’re able to do it eventually in my daily life.”

Just like how Chloee channels her creativity through piano, she pours it into art as well. She experiments with different mediums ranging from colored pencil and watercolor to acrylic and digital art. For her, art is a way to recharge and find purpose. 

“It’s a way to rest after a long day, and envisioning the final product gives me motivation,” Chloee said. “In art, being able to look at the finished product makes me persevere through my problems and continue to draw. I feel pride and enjoyment that I’ve made something beautiful.”

Beyond perseverance, piano and art also deepened the way Chloee views the world. The hours she spent learning difficult pieces or sketching drawings sharpened her awareness for the details around her. 

“Piano has given me an appreciation for the beauty in the world,” Chloee said. “Art has made me appreciate the beauty in nature, because I can see how I would incorporate elements of nature into my artwork.”

Senior Sathvik Vemulapalli has been close friends with Chloee since eighth grade and attests to her creativity. He highlights how she often approaches challenges and ideas from angles that others might not consider, offering fresh solutions. 

“She definitely has unique perspectives about a lot of things,” Sathvik said. “She brings up things that I wouldn’t have thought about, and I bring things that she doesn’t think about. She definitely has a lot of things that she wants to do in life, and she’s very strong in who she is as a person.” 

Chloee’s individuality shines through not only in her daily life but also in the classroom. History teacher James Tate recalls how her quirky sense of humor and diligent work ethic set her apart from other students. He encourages her to trust the qualities that make her who she is. 

“Chloee needs to trust herself because she’s incredibly creative, incredibly funny, a great student and a great person,” Tate said. “She needs to accept that about herself and embrace all of that. As long as she keeps persevering through the ups and downs of life, she will be absolutely fine. She should be confident in the abilities she has because they’re more than enough for whatever she’ll face.”

Chloee’s dedication carries throughout every aspect of her life, whether it’s an important project or just hanging out with her friends. Close friend senior Shreya Vemulapalli works with Chloee for Shreya’s nonprofit, Cancel Cancer Culture, and appreciates how Chloee always gives her all in both the organization and in their daily interactions. 

“Chloee will get the work done no matter the challenge to get her goals,” Shreya said. “That’s shown even through our friendship. If we make plans, then she’s going to come to them and she’s going to make it happen both professionally and personally.”

Through music, art, school and life itself, resilience remains Chloee’s guiding principle and shapes the way she approaches every obstacle. Whatever path life leads her in the future and whichever difficulties she may come upon, Chloee hopes one thing: her perseverance will never waver.

“Perseverance is one of my core tenants,” Chloee said. “Perseverance is needed in whatever field you go into because you’re always going to face challenges, and you need the tools to conquer those challenges. I want to be remembered as someone who perseveres through all the challenges in my life. I want them to see that no matter which challenges I’m faced with, I’m ready to confront them.”