About
River An



Peddie School 27’


As a singer, actress, writer, and visual artist, 
Musical Theatre
Vocal Performance  
- Performer

SEPTEMBER 2023 – PRESENT

  • Lead roles: Fiona (Shrek) and Gloria Thorpe (Damn Yankees) in school production

  • Chapel and memorial soloist; core member of Peddie Singers (10th, 11th) and Treblemakers (9th) with repertoire in jazz and musical theatre.

  • Lead vocalist for Blair Day band (2024, 2025), performing before the full school community.

  • Upcoming (Feb 2026): Ensemble member in Peddie’s winter musical Mamma Mia, expanding musical theatre experience.
Peddie Student DEI 
Leadership Council 
- SDEI Leader

MAY 2025 – MAY 2027

  • Liaison between DEI office and students; collaborate with affinity groups; lead community workshops.

  • Focus: moving from awareness to respectful dialogue; amplifying underheard voices.

  • Core skill: listening and facilitating to reach compassionate solutions; carrying this work into college leadership and academics.

Visual Storytelling 
Amphion 
Literary Art Magazine 
- Artist and Editor

SEPTEMBER 2023 – PRESENT

  • Independent study in visual art; Scholastic submissions recognized (Silver Key).

  • Amphion 2024 cover artist, layout editor; curating work and mentor contributors.

  • Plan to lead Amphion and apply visual/narrative strategies to independent work and critique in college.

Peddie Arts Citizenship Committee
– Theater Representative

 2024 – Present
  • Represent the theatre community in school-wide arts planning, advocating for student perspectives in arts programming.

  • Connect theatre with civic dialogue by framing performance as a space for empathy, identity, and social responsibility.

  • Collaborate with faculty and student leaders to promote inclusive, accessible, and community-centered arts initiatives.
Peddie Creative Writing 
Signature Program 
- Participant

SEPTEMBER 2025 – MAY 2027

  • Selected for a two-year, discussion-driven signature program focused on sustained study of literary works across historical periods and the production of original creative writing.

  • Create and revise original poetry, genre fiction, and graphic narrative through regular workshop critique with peers and faculty..

  • Junior-summer in-person program (2026); final portfolio and public capstone reading.

Law & Psychology Research on Juvenile Vulnerability 
– Researcher

JULY 2025 – NOVEMBER 2025

  • Completed original research study (N=307) examining adolescent comprehension of Miranda rights and linguistic vulnerability in the justice system under mentorship of a clinical psychologist.

  • Conducted statistical analysis on age, confidence, and familiarity effects; manuscript submitted to The Whitman Journal of Psychology and National High School Journal of Science.

  • Presented findings at NJ Student Ethics Conference (November 2025): "Why Do Miranda Rights Fail to Protect Young People?"
Columbia University High School Law Institute (HSLI)
– Student Scholar

Fall 2025 – Spring 2026

  • Selected for a competitive law program at Columbia Law School to deepen practice-based understanding of juvenile justice.

  • Participate in weekly case-based seminars on criminal procedure and constitutional law led by Columbia Law students.

  • Connect independent research on juvenile vulnerability to real-world legal decision-making through lectures and case discussions.
Hartley's Legacy at Princeton CIEL Senior Center 
– Founder & Volunteer
Spring 2025 – Present

  • Founded intergenerational music project collecting seniors' most meaningful songs and life stories through performance, conversation, and collaborative singing.

  • Shifted from performer to listener and documentarian; archiving elders' memories through interviews, illustrations, and voice recordings.

  • Developing sustained community service initiative in coordination with Peddie School's DEI programs to amplify underheard voices.
Peddie Varsity 
Girls Golf - Athlete

SEPTEMBER 2023 – PRESENT

  • Varsity team member; MAPL team champion (2025).

  • Built resilience, patience, and team mindset; value humor and cohesion alongside technical skill.


PRESENTATIONS & PUBLIC SCHOLARSHIP

November 22, 2025
  • New Jersey Student Ethics Conference (NJSEC 2025) - Presenter

  • Selected as school representative to present original research: “Why Do Miranda Rights Fail to Protect Young People?”

  • Delivered analysis on false confessions, linguistic barriers, and legal reform proposals.
Languages

  • Korean (mother tongue, native fluency)

  • English (second language, native fluency)








Community Work

Hartley’s Legacy at Ciel of Princeton Senior Center

2025 Spring - Present
 

I initially began volunteering at the Princeton Senior Center by singing for seniors during regular visits. Over time, I noticed that certain songs consistently opened deeper conversations—prompting memories, stories, and emotional reflections tied to specific moments in their lives.

As a member of Hartley’s Legacy, I began to approach this work more intentionally. Rather than focusing on performance alone, I started collecting the songs that held the greatest meaning for each individual and using music as a starting point for dialogue. Through shared listening, conversation, and singing, these sessions became collaborative exchanges grounded in memory, storytelling, and mutual learning.

Building on this experience, I am currently developing this work into a sustained intergenerational community service project. As a DEI leader at Peddie School, I am preparing to formally connect this initiative with the school’s DEI efforts, shaping it into a long-term service project centered on inclusion, identity, and intergenerational connection.


  • Began participating through vocal performances at the Princeton Senior Center and expanded the work as a member of Hartley’s Legacy, focusing on music as a tool for connection rather than presentation.
  • Collects seniors’ most meaningful songs and life stories through structured conversations, shared listening, and collaborative singing.
  • Currently developing this work into a sustained intergenerational community service project in coordination with Peddie School’s DEI initiatives.








© RIVER AN 2025