Ever since Lausanne Senior Ayaka Kimura ’21 began her time as a Lynx in 9th grade, she has been one of the most selfless members of the Class of 2021. From helping her peers in Mathematics as Co-President of the Mathematics Club to volunteering in the Greater Memphis community, Ayaka ’21 truly embodies what it means to be a compassionate and determined Lynx.
Throughout her time in Upper School, the senior discovered the joy of giving back to the community through her musical gift. With consistently being ranked in the top 30 violinists in TN and named to the All-West Orchestra every year, Ayaka’s talent in music has served as her way of giving back. With Lausanne’s Creativity, Activity, and Service Program, Ayaka has pursued her love of service as a part of her curriculum.
She says, “The CAS program helped me reaffirm my interest in serving my community through encouraging me to pursue my interests for the future. As a volunteer at my local hospital, I was able to discover health disparity issues that I would like to help solve in the future.” Ayaka also says, “Engaging with the community helps us discover problems that otherwise would have gone unnoticed and gives us a chance to improve our society little by little.”
When not trying to solve healthcare issues in our society, Ayaka ’21 is a force to be reckoned with in the classroom. As a recently named National Merit Finalist, the senior scored in the top 1% on the PSAT to earn this recognition. Additionally, she holds membership in numerous honor societies, with most recently being inducted into the Cum Laude Society, reserved for the top 10% of the junior class. As a junior, Ayaka was awarded the Yale Book Award, which recognizes one student for their outstanding personal character and intellectual promise.
As a candidate for the IB Diploma holding an impressive GPA, Ayaka credits the program to develop several critical skills needed in life, especially as a global citizen.
“It taught me how to think and look at issues from a global and wider perspective, which made learning enjoyable not only in the classroom but also when applying these skills outside of it.” She also mentions, “My writing, time-management and critical thinking skills have all improved over the past two years, which will benefit me in college.”
Although Ayaka has not been at Lausanne throughout her entire academic career, she loves how the Lausanne community made her transition more effortless than ever imagined.
“The positive community that we have here at Lausanne is what I love the most. Contrary to my wild, creative imagination and concerns about transitioning from another school, I found my people and fit right in with the Lynx community here.” Ayaka also says, “I would like to use this opportunity to thank Lausanne for being so caring and accepting towards me and everyone.”
With Graduation right around the corner, Ayaka is still waiting to make her final decision regarding her college choice. While she expects various decisions later this month, she has already received acceptance to the University of Miami, Ohio State University’s Honors Program, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign and University of South Carolina’s Honors Program. Wherever she decides to matriculate this fall, the university is gaining a passionate and intellectual Lynx for Life!
This Senior Profile was written by Justice Crawford '21.