ORLANDO, Fla. — With high school graduations happening all across the state, seniors will walk across the stage to get their diplomas, and think about what they’ve accomplished over the past four years.

Olympia senior Madden Bourst has accomplished more than the average student between athletics, academics and the arts. He has made the most of his time at Olympia as an honor of his family legacy.

Navigating high school can come with its challenges, but like a nuanced piece of classical music played on the cello, for Bourst, the past four years have been beautifully strung together.

“I always enjoy challenges,” Bourst said. “No matter if it’s music or academically or sports, I genuinely enjoy a good challenge. And I always think that it’s a blessing that I’m able to be here and be given that challenge because a lot of people don’t have the opportunities that I’ve been given.”

Bourst is a graduating senior at Olympia High School. He picked up the cello when he was in elementary school, and the melodic comfort playing music brings has helped him tremendously.

“Playing the cello is definitely something that helps me stay relaxed and calm at times, and it just really helped me become who I am as a person throughout high school,” Bourst said.

Excellence has always been Bourst's goal. 

“I feel like once you start something, you should always stick with it, for the entirety that you can,” he said.

The senior class valedictorian, a two-sport athlete in wrestling and baseball, and a musician — it's clear discipline has led Madden through his time at Olympia. This character trait should transfer when he begins his time at the Naval Academy next year.

“I’m really excited to see how much more I’m gonna have to change, more discipline-wise, because I think that I’m a very disciplined person, like, organized in high school, having, time management and stuff like that,” Bourst said. “I’m wondering how much more extreme that’s gonna be going into the military academy. Just be a competitive person in life. And I think that going to academy, it’s the greatest place I can go to be challenged and have success.”

Stringing together the full picture, from the orchestra room to the wrestling mats or the baseball diamond, Bourst is someone who has made the most of the high school experience at Olympia because being a Titan is in his blood. 

“You only have four years of high school once in your life, so might as well make the most of it and try to have the biggest impact that you can possibly have,” he said.

When Olympia High School first opened in 2001, Bourst’s parents were founding faculty. His dad teaches U.S. history and coaches wrestling, roles he still holds today. And his mom was a school counselor. 

“I’ve always been a Titan, and I will always be a Titan for the rest of my life,” Bourst said. “I think that’s always been with me, and being able to go to the school I grew up going to is really something. A sense of nostalgia in that I’ve been here so long, yet I’m still progressing through high school. Growing up a Titan is something that’s contributed to my success as well. That’s the reason why I am who I am today. I think I would be a different person if I didn’t do all that I do 100%. My family is 100% the reason I’m here today.”

Like any good piece of music, always ending on a high note is a family legacy at Olympia, where Bourst has undoubtably now etched his own name into the school history.