Brylie Koopman is a self-starter and has a lot of drive. She credits that drive in helping her earn the rank of valedictorian for the Victoria East High School’s 2023 graduating class. “I put in the effort I wanted to put in and it got me there,” Koopman said. Koopman’s effort included being a member of the National Honors Society, National Social Studies Honors Society and playing tennis. She is also a hostess at Tokyo Grill. Still, in between all of Koopman’s extracurricular activities she still found time to prioritize academics. Koopman’s work ethic has been an attribute she’s possessed since she was young. She took courses at Victoria College for college credit and competed in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., at 14 years old. Her mother, Lindsay Koopman can attest to her dedication. “She’s the one child of mine that I’ve never had to push,” Lindsay Koopman said. “I never had to say ‘Is your homework done?’ ‘Are you going to do your homework?’ She always just does it. And she does it on her own. She’s self-driven” Koopman looks forward to donning burnt orange in the fall as a freshman at the University of Texas at Austin. She plans to major in biochemistry on a pre-med track. Koopman is eager to explore the opportunities that higher education provides “There’s so many opportunities for research there,” Koopman said. “There’s so many clubs I can get into that’s really going to help me advance in my career.” She’s also excited to meet other like-minded peers at UT Austin. “It’s a very good university. I’m going to be around other very intelligent people and I think it’s gonna give me a run for my money. I think these people are going to be a lot smarter than I am. It’s going to give me a change of pace.” Seeing a child fly out the nest is bittersweet as it would be for any other parent but for Lindsay Koopman, Koopman is the first of her six children to leave Victoria for college. “I’m afraid that once she leaves for college, she won’t come back,” her mother said. “She’s going places. We’re not going to hold her back but, it will be bittersweet watching her leave.” After earning the highest ranking in her class, Koopman will get to unwind some over the summer before heading off to college and starting the next chapter of her life. “I’ve worked really hard throughout high school, and I feel like it’s really going to pay off with college.”
Brylie Koopman is a self-starter and has a lot of drive. She credits that drive in helping her earn the rank of valedictorian for the Victoria East High School’s 2023 graduating class. “I put in the effort I wanted to put in and it got me there,” Koopman said. Koopman’s effort included being a member of the National Honors Society, National Social Studies Honors Society and playing tennis. She is also a hostess at Tokyo Grill. Still, in between all of Koopman’s extracurricular activities she still found time to prioritize academics. Koopman’s work ethic has been an attribute she’s possessed since she was young. She took courses at Victoria College for college credit and competed in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., at 14 years old. Her mother, Lindsay Koopman can attest to her dedication. “She’s the one child of mine that I’ve never had to push,” Lindsay Koopman said. “I never had to say ‘Is your homework done?’ ‘Are you going to do your homework?’ She always just does it. And she does it on her own. She’s self-driven” Koopman looks forward to donning burnt orange in the fall as a freshman at the University of Texas at Austin. She plans to major in biochemistry on a pre-med track. Koopman is eager to explore the opportunities that higher education provides “There’s so many opportunities for research there,” Koopman said. “There’s so many clubs I can get into that’s really going to help me advance in my career.” She’s also excited to meet other like-minded peers at UT Austin. “It’s a very good university. I’m going to be around other very intelligent people and I think it’s gonna give me a run for my money. I think these people are going to be a lot smarter than I am. It’s going to give me a change of pace.” Seeing a child fly out the nest is bittersweet as it would be for any other parent but for Lindsay Koopman, Koopman is the first of her six children to leave Victoria for college. “I’m afraid that once she leaves for college, she won’t come back,” her mother said. “She’s going places. We’re not going to hold her back but, it will be bittersweet watching her leave.” After earning the highest ranking in her class, Koopman will get to unwind some over the summer before heading off to college and starting the next chapter of her life. “I’ve worked really hard throughout high school, and I feel like it’s really going to pay off with college.”
Brylie Koopman is a self-starter and has a lot of drive.
She credits that drive in helping her earn the rank of valedictorian for the Victoria East High School’s 2023 graduating class.
“I put in the effort I wanted to put in and it got me there,” Koopman said.
Koopman’s effort included being a member of the National Honors Society, National Social Studies Honors Society and playing tennis. She is also a hostess at Tokyo Grill.
Still, in between all of Koopman’s extracurricular activities she still found time to prioritize academics.
Koopman’s work ethic has been an attribute she’s possessed since she was young. She took courses at Victoria College for college credit and competed in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., at 14 years old.
Her mother, Lindsay Koopman can attest to her dedication.
“She’s the one child of mine that I’ve never had to push,” Lindsay Koopman said.
“I never had to say ‘Is your homework done?’ ‘Are you going to do your homework?’ She always just does it. And she does it on her own. She’s self-driven”
Koopman looks forward to donning burnt orange in the fall as a freshman at the University of Texas at Austin. She plans to major in biochemistry on a pre-med track. Koopman is eager to explore the opportunities that higher education provides
“There’s so many opportunities for research there,” Koopman said.
“There’s so many clubs I can get into that’s really going to help me advance in my career.”
She’s also excited to meet other like-minded peers at UT Austin.
“It’s a very good university. I’m going to be around other very intelligent people and I think it’s gonna give me a run for my money. I think these people are going to be a lot smarter than I am. It’s going to give me a change of pace.”
Seeing a child fly out the nest is bittersweet as it would be for any other parent but for Lindsay Koopman, Koopman is the first of her six children to leave Victoria for college.
“I’m afraid that once she leaves for college, she won’t come back,” her mother said.
“She’s going places. We’re not going to hold her back but, it will be bittersweet watching her leave.”
After earning the highest ranking in her class, Koopman will get to unwind some over the summer before heading off to college and starting the next chapter of her life.
“I’ve worked really hard throughout high school, and I feel like it’s really going to pay off with college.”
Chase Cofield is a photojournalist for the Victoria Advocate. He is also a Report for America corps member. Contact him at ccofield@vicad.com.