Staff, news reports

The Metropolitan King County Council on Monday recognized Tracy Tran of Kentridge High School for recording a perfect score on her advanced placement calculus test. Her perfect score is one of only eight in the world.

“To be one of only eight people in the world to earn a perfect score on the AP calculus test is a remarkable accomplishment,” said Councilmember Reagan Dunn, who joined Tran, her father and others in a ceremony at the King County Courthouse in Seattle. “Tracy should not just be lauded for her academic achievements but also for her active role in the community. She has a very bright future ahead of her.”

Councilmember Dave Upthegrove added: “Tracy is an outstanding student and she should be very proud of her achievement. I am excited to see what she does next.

”Tran answered every multiple choice question correctly and received the highest possible score for the essay section of the exam.

“Everything relates back to math, whether we realize it or not,” Tran told the Kent Reporter in a December interview. “I just think it’s amazing, the kinds of things we can do with calculus. Anything in the physical world can be modeled by some mathematical equation, whether that be plants in a forest or the efficiency of a car.”

Tran also gives back to her community. As the head of the school’s Key Club, she took the lead and was responsible for organizing and assisting in completion of a new playground at Turnkey Park at 104th and James Street in Kent this past June.

“Tracy is a wonderful student who has challenged herself academically by taking a very rigorous course of study, including many AP courses,” said Kentridge Principal Michael Albrecht. “Tracy is a contributing member of our learning community by being active in community service, extra-curricular activities and being a leader among her peers. Tracy is exceptional.”

While Tran is gifted with the mathematical study of change  math, she enjoys hiking around Mount Rainier and cooking. Her true passion is reading. She sees her knowledge as the byproduct of her voracious appetite for books.

“I never would have gotten as far as I had without books,” she said.

Reading has been her most passionate hobby since she was a child. She spent so much time turning pages that her parents had to make sure her lights were out and that she wouldn’t sneak a book and a flashlight under the covers, which she still does occasionally.

Between fourth grade and middle school, Tran estimates she read 200 to 300 books a year, although that has slowed to around 20 now that she’s about to graduate.