When she was just 14, aspiring engineer Arya Ollivierra wrote a list of goals in her diary which included studying at an Ivy League university.

But she always felt the goal was wishful thinking after researching the accomplishments past applicants achieved before they became students.

Some made technological inventions while others did groundbreaking research.

But as Ollivierra, now 19, prepares to become an Ivy League student herself at Princeton University in September, she wants young people to know it’s okay to dream big even if some dreams appear farfetched.

More importantly, she wants them to know that even though focusing on academics is important, it isn’t the end-all to making all dreams a reality.

In a recent interview, Ollivierra told WMN, “The world is moving towards recognising more all-rounded people and it’s not just colleges but also jobs.

“Institutions are starting to be more interested in other things you do outside of academics.

“So I noticed when I was doing my application for colleges, a lot of them weren’t focused on academics but they wanted to know how you helped your community and your leadership skills.”

[caption id="attachment_952377" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Arya Ollivierra, right, and her sister Shyla hold Alistar a rescue snake they care for, to help the El Soccorro wildlife centre, at their home in Champs Fleurs. - JEFF K MAYERS[/caption]

As a young girl, Ollivierra often listened to her grandfather – a chemical engineer – tell stories about the different projects he worked on. She also read his books and learnt about different engineering concepts.

So from a young age, Ollivierra knew she wanted to do sciences and become an engineer even though she wasn’t quite sure of which kind.

As she spoke at her Champ Fleurs home, Ollivierra listed her academic achievements including a near perfect Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) score, an additional scholarship in natural science and all grade ones in her Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC), and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) exams.

However, as she listed them, she paused and pointed to the El Socorro Centre for Wildlife Conservation volunteer T-shirt she was proudly wearing.

In doing so, she said it was her volunteer work at the centre which made everything possible including her Princeton acceptance.

[caption id="attachment_952379" align="alignnone" width="768"] Arya Ollivierra helps clean a pelican at the El Socorro Centre for Wildlife Conservation after an oil spill near the Pointe-a-Pierre harbour in 2021. Photo courtesy Arya Ollivierra -[/caption]

“If you’re just sitting down and studying all the time, you will go crazy. So you need to have that outlet and it’s good to go out and do things like volunteer.

“Watching shows and reading are relaxing things on their own. But if you’re going out and helping do things, I find it to be a different kind of relaxation where you get more satisfaction…I think it’s really good for mental health because if you’re just doing academi