Olive Pete takes the path unpaved on her search for purpose

Passionate about the community she’s built around her, Olive Pete thrives in a loving and supportive environment created by her close friends.

Pete reflected on her relationship with her former babysitter, Mattea Selena Sattler, as one example.

“She taught me how important care for others and being a nurturing shoulder to lean on (is),” Pete said.

An incoming senior at Lewis and Clark High School, Pete, 17, plans to pursue engineering or journalism in college.

Her passion for writing comes from a love for books. Not only do they challenge her to become a better writer, they “changed my outlook on how impactful writing can be,” Pete said.

Pete’s aspirations to pursue journalism began long before she even knew it herself.

She strives to affect the readers with journalism the same way writing impacts her. It’s her way of connecting, not only to herself, but to everyone.

Along the way, Pete has learned that prioritizing herself is key. Putting herself on the top of her list, she said, creates the opportunity to find and forge her own identity.

Throughout her experiences, she said, she’s grasped “the importance of self-care and listening to yourself, your wants and needs and how that has a significant part in your life and success.”

For 13 years, Pete has played the violin, originally wanting to pursue a career as a violinist. Years of playing cultivated her strong work ethic and devotion to do something that stokes her passions, as well as her discipline and creativity.

Stepping away from the pursuit of being a violinist wasn’t an easy decision.

“Dreams can change, paths can shift, curve, bend and go unpaved,” she said. “It’s hard to step away from something that you’ve been set on for so long and put so much time into, but it’s OK because I’m doing the things I really enjoy doing.”

Pete describes herself as introspective. Her sense of self and desire to be remembered as a kind, caring, and driven person are already reflected in the way she presents herself.

Four days into the Teen Journalism Institute, Pete has already learned plenty. “I will carry this with me because we have so much support,” she said about our mentors, “I’m going to try to take advantage of that as much as possible because learning from the Spokesman is a really great opportunity.”