Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

This year’s Chambers Academy salutatorian is Kirsten Osborne, who has been accepted into Delaware State University with a scholarship for fall. 

Osborne is also the recipient of the Chambers Academy Senior Chris Adams Award. The award is given for overcoming adversity through courage and determination, two values that have been well-exemplified in this student. 

Osborne credits her parents, Lauren Tarver and Robert Osborne, with teaching her early on the importance of a strong academic background. 

“When I was younger, my parents always instilled in me to keep my grades up and keep good grades to be successful, which I think is good. It’s important,” Osborne said. “It came to be just something I wanted to do for myself because I think it gives you better opportunities for your future in the long run.” 

Her personal struggle with social anxiety has sparked a love for and interest in psychology. In addition, Osborne enjoys English, literature and science. Determined to excel academically in spite of her challenges with social anxiety, Osborne has worked hard to improve her time management skills and explore study methods that work for her. 

“I figured out which ways I study best. I like to use flashcards, write notes, that type of stuff,” Osborne explained. “I’m more of a step-by-step type of learner. I like to see everything and get all my explanations together.” 

Another way she has shone in the classroom was by developing strong relationships with many of her teachers and classmates.

“Having close friends has definitely been helpful,” Osborne said. “People that you can talk to about the work and about school who are also doing the same things as you.” 

Teachers that have had a special influence on Osborne include her Spanish teacher Lacy Gullage, for whom Osborne worked as a teacher’s aide even though she wasn’t taking the class. 

Science teacher Brandy Fuller and math teacher Ciara Hornsby have stood out for making their classes fun despite their tough subjects.

“It’s good to have someone who understands what it’s like to struggle in a subject and actually wants to help and take the time to want her students to comprehend … The faculty are always helpful and understanding of things as long as you put in the effort.”

Osborne is interested in the study of human behavior and also in the psychology of serial killers. If she decides to stay in the psychology field, Osborne wants to become a therapist to help give people direction and teach them simple ways to improve their lives.

“I think I’ve always been an understanding person and a good listener,” she explained. “I do enough of that now, helping other people solve their issues or problems. People have always felt comfortable talking to me about those kinds of things so I think I’d be good at that.” 

In her time at Chambers Academy, Osborne has learned something important: never take one bad grade or one person’s opinion too seriously. 

“Realizing that other people’s opinions don’t matter as much as long as the view I have of myself is good. And while I do have high values for my grades, and I think it is important. It doesn’t define the rest of my life.”