Priya Putnam

Priya Putnam has always held laughter and joy within her, and at school, she is positive and sometimes silly. But living as the middle child has developed a side of her that some may not know well. At home, she has needed to set aside the giggles to be seen for the smart and responsible person she is.

Juggling the different aspects of her life, Priya has learned to find balance among spreading time with friends and family, sports and classes.

Priya has dedicated herself to doing her best in her classes to find success in her future. After participating in soccer twice and volleyball throughout high school, she plans on staying involved in sports as a physical therapist for other athletes.

“She is very hard working and very opinionated,” said History and English teacher Cal Trembath, who taught Priya three times. “No matter what, she was always able to compartmentalize and focus in the classroom.”

Despite her high level of focus and determination, Priya occasionally faced challenges. In those moments she turned to friends and family for support.

One of her closest friends, junior Yvonne Barajas, said the support goes both ways.

“She’s one of the main reasons I’ve made it this far here,” Yvonne said. “Not only because she’s my friend, but because she’s always supported and encouraged me.”

Priya’s younger sister is especially inspirational to her.

“She stays positive in even some of the worst situations, like when we lost our dad (almost two years ago),” Priya said. “So trying to show her what I can do and be a role model for her is what pushes me forward. I want her to make sure she sees someone like her always trying their best.”

Priya will head for San Jose State University in the fall.