Student Spotlight Series: Dylan Petrossian

By: Octavio Gracia

Written: October 26th, 2023

For our next student spotlight we chose Dylan Petrossian because of his outstanding contributions to the Grant community through his superb photography skills and his amazing athleticism on our Boys Volleyball team.

Tell us your name, your grade, and how long you have been attending Grant.

Dylan: My name is Dylan Petrossian. I am in 12th Grade and I have been a Grant student for 4 years.

What are you involved in on campus? (Think about leadership roles, ASB, athletics, and clubs; tell us everything you are involved in or passionate about!)

• I have been involved in many sports activities here on Grant’s campus. I am the captain of the Boys Varsity Volleyball team and I do sports photography for the Varsity Football, Girls Volleyball, and Girls and Boys Basketball teams. I am also a very active member of Jewish Club and AAPI and I am the current president of Ping Pong Club. Some sports achievements I have won are East Valley MVP 2022, All City First Team 2022, and CIF Player To Watch 2022.

How did you begin to get involved on campus?

• I first got involved on campus through my passion for Volleyball, Coach Yang had a program and I got involved in it and I have never looked back on my decision ever since. The volleyball community was very friendly and welcoming so I did not have difficulty making friends. After a while, it eventually became like a second family for me. I also began taking pictures and recording videos for Grant’s sports teams and these pictures and videos were posted on my Instagram page. After a while, my photos gained popularity as many people wanted me to take pictures or videos for them. With this positive reception, I continued taking more photos and shooting more videos.

What do you love about Grant the most?

• I enjoy the inclusivity of the campus as each person has their own story to tell. Everyday, I see groups of friends hanging around that have distinct differences, whether it be interests or culture, and how much fun they have talking with each other. I also enjoy how friendly and outgoing my fellow peers are as they all embody some amount of school spirit and love for Grant. Students here are also very ambitious and competitive, whether it be through their studies or sports, and it encourages me to give my best in everything I do.

Who inspires you to be the best version of yourself? (family member, teacher, coach, friend?)

• I would say my sister is my inspiration as she was the one to set the standard for me as she was older than me. She set the expectation for me to be successful and engaged in school and this ultimately allowed me to push myself to get myself where I currently am. My sister was my best friend up until she moved to UC Santa Barbara for college but she still inspires me through the life advice she has given me. She is also my travel partner in Europe as she has done many fun activities with me there.

What are your future goals and aspirations? (high school and

beyond?)

• My future goals are to get a Bachelor's Degree in Data Science from a notable university and then pursue a Master's or Doctorate Degree in the field of Mathematics. I would also like to get an internship for a sports photographer to get more experience in the professional field of sports photography and further enhance my skills. More personal goals for this year I would like to achieve a thousand followers on my Instagram account and to win the Division 1 title in Boys Volleyball.

What advice would you give to a younger Lancer?

• Some advice I would give to a younger Lancer would be to find something you enjoy early on as Grant can help you enhance your enjoyment for something. I would also recommend trying new things and to not be afraid to do so. Experiencing something new can allow you to determine if you enjoy a certain activity or not and may allow you to find a new interest you may have never found out if you didn’t try it. I would also say that you should not expect results without putting in the effort required to achieve them.

Bonus Question:

Who is your favorite artist?

• One of my favorite artists is a British Alternative Rock band called The 1975 and it is one that my sister had introduced me to. I enjoy their vintage sound of 1980s bands along with the modern themes incorporated into their lyrics. I have seen them live at the Hollywood Bowl and I also own three of their albums in vinyl form.