It is quite a challenge to find someone who has achieved more in their high school career than JWP Class of 2026 Valedictorian, Katie Olson.
In sports alone, she holds a handful of records. She joined the JWP girls’ basketball varsity team as an 8th grader, making an immediate impact as one of the team’s leading scorers. She became the first basketball player in JWP history – boy or girl – to reach 2,000 points in her career, leaving a lofty record for other Lady Dawgs to reach. She was also a member of three track and field relay teams that still hold school records to this day. She played a role in the girls’ track and field team that brought home JWP’s first-ever state team title, and she served as a captain of the volleyball and girls’ basketball team, leading by example in every game and match.
Olson also has participated in the musical for two years, initially starting her journey as a part of the ensemble crew in Little Mermaid as a freshman. After deciding to audition for the musical again in her senior year, she took on the role of Donna in Mamma Mia! She joined the JWP swing show this year, too.
Oh, and she served as the JWP National Honor Society’s president and was a member of the JWP homecoming court.
This reporter knows there are a ton of other achievements not mentioned, but I want to leave room for her words of wisdom. After all, someone who has achieved what she has certainly has some good advice, right?
Olson’s post-secondary plans are to major in nursing at Bethany Lutheran College, where she will also play for the Vikings’ girls’ basketball team. It’s been a great basketball career for her so far, and it will be exciting how it goes in college.
Olson is thankful for her time at JWP. “I have to thank all the teachers and staff here at JWP for the huge support they’ve given me,” she said. “I tried a couple of new things this year. Everyone pushed me to do that and gave me a lot of confidence, even when I felt like I was unsure about what I was doing.”
When asked about her favorite teachers, coaches, and mentors, she listed several, starting with coaches John Kaplan, Sam Schruin, and Brandon Goebel. “They always push me to be the best version of myself,” she explained. She added Melanie Morrow and Becky Borneke, who she noted have been “very supportive.” Some of her favorite memories involved “skipping class” to go into Mrs. Morrow’s room. Imagine that…a valedictorian skipping class. Who would’ve thought?
Olson acknowledged that she has opened many doors and made several friends along the way, thanks to trying activities she wouldn’t have considered in the past, especially as a freshman. “I would’ve told the freshman version of myself to try new things and be involved. ‘You’ll meet so many people who mean so much to you.’”
The one thing Olson will miss most about high school is “all the people that impacted me throughout the journey here. I’ll miss all of them.”
She hopes the class will be remembered for their involvement in activities and their leadership in whatever they took on. “I feel like our class has been involved in a lot of activities, and we were seen as leaders in whatever we did.”
Perhaps, of all the people the Independent has interviewed, underclassmen should pay attention to what this valedictorian has to say. Olson’s advice is simple. “Just keep going, no matter what life throws at you. You’ll get through it.”
Among the students in the JWP Class of 2026, Olson has faced a ton of adversity. Whether it was nursing an injury or dealing with personal loss, she has always come out of the other side a more resilient person. That will serve her well in life. Best wishes, Katie. May you take on life with the same grace that you did throughout high school.
