“I feel like bubbly encapsulates her kindness and how caring she is, but I also think that it shows her energy and who she is as a person,” said junior Allison Nakamura.
Whether it is hanging out with friends, practicing in the water after a long day of school, or volunteering, Jadelyn Chen’s (12) bright energy can always be picked out of a crowd in any environment. Especially for sports like swimming and water polo, Chen’s presence can help uplift her team during both challenging and exciting moments.
“She just has a great attitude, and her leadership towards everyone reflects that,” said assistant swim coach Jonathon Ye. “Everyone took on her attitude and [she] was always smiling, always happy to be on the pool [and] deck in the water.”
Currently in her senior year, Chen has been a part of Ayala’s swim team for all four years of her high school career. However, her interest in polo sparked later. Joining during her sophomore year and continuing for the three years following, Chen was drawn to continue and grow in both sports with the help of the welcoming and encouraging atmosphere.
“I really like the community,” said Chen. “I love how our swim team is so big, but it’s also a pretty tight-knit group, and I can meet a lot of people. And I just love encouraging other people, being able to focus on my own events too, and get that self-improvement when time drops.”
Just as any student-athlete works to refine their skills, this year’s season was a massive test of Chen’s own abilities as she set her goal towards hitting sub-minute for the 100 freestyle. Yet, this goal was also tested by another frequent challenge often faced by student-athletes: balancing school work, extracurricular activities, and personal life.
“She puts a lot of things on herself, and she holds herself to a really high expectation,” said Chen’s brother, Ian Chen (10). “She wants to do a lot of things, and she tries her best even though it can be stressful and it’s a lot on her plate. But she always finds a way to get it all done.”
Aside from her athletic career, Chen serves as the President for Find Kind, a club devoted to speaking kindness and positivity throughout the campus, and was involved in USB for several years. Outside of school, Chen has been heavily involved in scouting and is currently a part of Troop 220G, which aims to teach its members essential leadership and life skills. Chen also volunteers for Heart of Hope, a volunteer organization based in Diamond Bar, which assists special needs children with support and friendships.
Yet, throughout the chaos and fast-paced environment of Chen’s busy schedule, one figure in her life has remained a steady pillar for Chen to rely on.
“My mom’s always my inspiration to keep on pushing. She’s also the one who is always encouraging me, because even when I feel like I’m not doing my best and stuff, she’s the person I go to talk to,” said Chen.
Despite the obstacles of her busy life, Chen has only reflected the resilience and supportive nature of her mom as a characteristic of her own. This is demonstrated not only in school work, sports, and friends, but also among family.
“She’s always there for me, and she’s always pushing me to do better than I’ve already done previously,” said Ian Chen. “She’s just always there when I need her, and she’s a person that I could talk to and rely on.”
As many seniors await graduation, Chen’s own career in high school is rapidly coming to an end. However, her legacy, which resides especially through her positive energy and bright smile, is sure to last and carry on in the next chapters of Chen’s life.
