David speeds down the hall carrying keys and boxes to the student store and then is off to class. As he walks through the halls, he greets his friends and teachers with a simple “Hi” or even a “How are you?” On top of his kind-hearted personality, his leadership ability, and willingness to help people shines through. As a senior, David has gone above and beyond what many high school students accomplish at this point in their lives. He excels in a variety of areas, from the classroom to the piano. 

David devotes much of his time to clubs and activities inside and out of  the school. One of great importance is his involvement within student council. As Student Council President, he has taken on the responsibility of being a great leader for the rest of the students. 

His biggest contribution has been the running of the student store, which he began managing at the start of his junior year. He explained, “I was given this opportunity by Mr. Marker, one of the student council advisors. I stepped up to do it; however, it would not have been possible without Mr. Marker’s guidance.” 

David can always be seen wheeling around the shopping cart as he goes to Sam’s Club for the occasional restock of the snacks and ice cream available in the store. On top of that, he manages the inventory and operations. Having the student store is a privilege that the whole student body can take advantage of. David added, “This would not be possible without the hard work from all the student council members. They truly make the gears turn. We love being able to provide this space for students, as well as seeing them happy.”  Through this opportunity, David has been exposed to so many more experiences. 

Throughout his life, David has picked up many hobbies, piano being one of them. “My mom made me take lessons at the age of six and as time went on, it grew on me. My favorite part about playing is being able to bring happiness to other people whether it’s at an event or a party,” he said. David has competed in an endless amount of competitions throughout his piano career.  As well, he has been asked to play at many different school functions, including the NHS induction.

Over the years, David has taken an interest in both cross country and track, but just recently started to take it seriously. He explained, “Seeing all the cool meet shirts and the pictures people took at meets motivated me a lot. In addition to that, it’s a solid community where I have made  a lot of great friends including James and Joe Hill, Dante Frescura, and the rest of the seniors that I have grown close with along the way.”  In years past, David would make it to one or two meets and often miss practice for other activities, many times for piano. Since then, he has trained in the off season running more than he ever did in season. As for the future, David has taken an interest in triathlons and long distance biking. He said, “I want to branch out from solid running. No matter what I end up doing, I will definitely continue to stay active.”

At the age of 16, David earned a college degree before he got his driver’s license. He received his Associates Degree in Applied Arts for Computer Science from WCCC. earned a college degree before they got their driver’s license. “For me, the degree was mainly about going out of my way and looking for a challenge in the field of computer science,” he explained. David has taken the multiple computer science courses offered at Greater Latrobe. He said, “I really enjoyed being able to explore other topics besides the traditional ones offered at the school.” Outside of school, David has been involved in multiple summer camps pertaining to computer science. 

Throughout his day, David is everywhere in the school doing what seems like a million things. Despite his busy schedule, he always continues to have a positive attitude and a smile on his face. “Having a good support system of friends, being able to prioritize, and enjoying whatever it is I am doing helps me to stay positive,” he explains. However, when David does become stressed, he turns to running or playing piano to relax. He is still a typical teenager who makes time to socialize on his phone. 

After graduation, David will be attending the University of Illinois to continue studying applied math and computer science. He explains, “The plan is to go with the flow and wherever life takes me I’ll go.” Along the way, David hopes to be able to help people too. 

As David graduates and goes onto the next chapter of his life, his mark will be left on the school and within the surrounding community. Along with David’s personability and work ethic, he will go far. People will remember the name David An.