A member of the school's second graduating class of International Baccalaureate Programme students, Olivia said, "I want to help women in Africa who have suffered from genital mutilation and women in India who have a great need for the services of an obstetrical-gynecologist."

To further explore her ambition, she hopes to serve this summer as an intern in the obstetrics ward at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Med school still is a few years away, however. This fall, Olivia is heading to Spelman College in Atlanta, America's oldest historically black college for women. It's right next door to the all-male Morehouse College. She plans to major in international studies with an emphasis on biology.

By going to Spelman, she's breaking a family tradition.

"My whole family went to Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia," she said. "My big brother, Justin, who graduated from Annapolis High in 2003, attended Hampton as a music education major." He is now in graduate school at Indiana University, working toward a master's degree in voice.

Their father, John, is a program manager for Northrop Grumman. Their mother, Sharon, is a homemaker who is taking courses at the Corcoran College of Art and Design in Washington, D.C.

An honor roll student in the tough IB program, and a Student Government Association representative to Chesapeake Region Association of Student Governments, Olivia has been a member of the Annapolis High School Dance Company since her sophomore year. It is a tight-knit group that includes 11 other girls and one boy. Over the years, she also has studied at several regional dance schools, including a flamenco studio in Pikesville, Baltimore County.

Along with one other Annapolis Dance Company member, she is a member of the All-County Dance Ensemble, too. Composed of 13 teens from throughout the county, the group rehearses at Broadneck High nearly every Friday afternoon.

"Olivia has been a shining star this year,"said Judi Fey, Dance Consultant for Anne Arundel County Public Schools. "She has been dancing with Anne Arundel County Dance Ensemble, our elite group-by-audition that performs in our festivals and in high school concerts. She was nervous during auditions and probably felt she had not done her best. She came up to me and said she knew she could do ensemble-level dancing if given the chance. Her scores were obviously high enough."

"She has helped set the standard of what Annapolis Dance Company is," said Jillian Barber, director of the Annapolis High School Dance Program. "She's a talented dancer with beautiful lines and elegance, and she's also a very talented choreographer. She choreographed the senior farewell dance this year, 'Bittersweet,' and it was a fan favorite at our recent concert.

"I've been so happy to have her as a member of the dance program here, and will miss her greatly."

When not dancing or rehearsing, Olivia is helping others find their footing as volunteers. Since the beginning of her sophomore year, she has worked about 10 hours a week as a project coordinator for the Volunteer Center for Anne Arundel County.

"We currently have about 400 volunteers on our roster," Olivia said. "We always need more people, especially those with daytime availability as most people work during that time. You can train a seeing-eye dog for a year, before giving it back. Camp Letts needs horse groomers. Annapolis High asked for volunteers to tutor in its AVID program. The Special Olympics is looking for folks to help with sports events, and the list goes on."

People interested in volunteering can visit www.volunteerannearundel.org, to fill out a form. Olivia works to match people's interests and their available hours with an appropriate assignment.

Fay Mauro, the center director, said the small nonprofit values Olivia's skills and spirit. She praised Olivia for excelling as a student, as a volunteer, employee and as a grounded individual.

"As Project Coordinator, Olivia actually refers individuals to organizations based upon their focus area priorities, time availability, skills they wish to use as volunteers, geographic preferences and more. Because we work with more than 300 volunteer agencies at any given time, Olivia must constantly update her knowledge of agency needs and use her creativity to choose eight to 10 volunteer opportunities for each person, Ms. Mauro said.

"She demonstrates great empathy with each referral, especially considering that the large majority of the referrals are completed via e-mail or regular mail."

Ms. Mauro added, "Olivia has also taken a leadership position with our Teens as Problem Solvers group. As a project coordinator or as a volunteer, Olivia accepts any and all challenges and takes initiative in finding solutions that are practical as well as creative."

In what little spare time she has, Olivia is a member of the Hand Dance and Salsa clubs at school, runs a small baby- and pet-sitting business and collects bisque African-American dolls.

Dr. Wendy Winters (no relation to the writer), a fellow church member at St. Phillip's Episcopal Church on Bestgate Road, has proudly watched the teen grow up.

"She's an acolyte and assists at services," Dr. Winters said. "She's very good and very reliable. She's a superb classical ballet dancer. Very charming and committed, and she comes from a very supportive family with high expectations."

Anyone can nominate a Teen of the Week. If you have a nomination, send it by e-mail to Wendi Winters at Teen@quantumstep.com. Questions? Contact Wendi at the same e-mail address.

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Wendi Winters is a freelance writer living on the Broadneck Peninsula.