With apologies to Funny Girl Barbra Streisand and the “Glee”-ful Lea Michele, don’t tell Krista Chang not to live, to just sit and putter.

After all, “life’s candy and the sun’s a ball of butter.” Right?

Close enough.

Chang, a senior at St. Andrew’s Priory, dusted off the old Babs chestnut “Don’t Rain on My Parade” for the recent Brown Bags to Stardom talent competition and ended up taking first place.

“I was completely surprised,” Chang said, still digesting the accomplishment. “Everyone was so talented, I wasn’t expecting to win at all.”

Yet, those who know Chang best can attest to both her talent and to her willingness to commit to her goals.

Chang’s love of singing started with impromptu performances for her mother’s friends, which eventually gave way to formal voice lessons and participation in several school musicals.

Chang performed in “Alice in Wonderland Jr.,” “Godspell Jr.,” “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” and “Charlotte’s Web” — all before entering high school.

After a year’s hiatus during which Chang tried her hand at basketball (“too aggressive”), Chang returned to the stage for “Into the Woods” and a starring role in “The Little Mermaid.”

In addition to musical theater, Chang has shared her talents in local singing competitions and several turns singing the national anthem at University of Hawaii sporting events.

Yet, Chang’s ultimate goal for the future rests far from the stage.

Thanks to her school’s Priory in the City program, Chang has spent the last couple of years exploring an interest in pediatric medicine.

During her sophomore year Chang and her classmates visited several professional settings to get a sense of the professional pathways available to them. Chang became interested in pediatrics after a visit to the Queen’s Medical Center and spent her junior year preparing resumes and practicing job interview skills in hopes of landing an internship.

This year she is volunteering her time as an intern at Dr. Teresa Vo’s pediatric practice.

In much the same way she has approached her amateur singing career, Chang has committed to preparing herself to take advantage of whatever opportunities arise on the path to her chosen profession.

“Even though there may be a possibility that I fail, I tell myself that it’s now or never and that it’s better to learn that you can’t do something instead of wondering if you could,” she said.

Reach Michael Tsai at mtsai@staradvertiser.com.