Scholarship Submissions

The Brain and History Girl

by Kailynn Wright

School can be overwhelming and sometimes it’s hard to want to learn new things if you are not interested. But just like extracurriculars that we enjoy, we have to find those things in school that make it a little more enjoyable. Throughout school the subjects I enjoyed the most were history and biology. These were my favorite subjects because they teach you about a person, show you the how and the why. I am an eager learner, I ask a lot of questions, I like to know the where and why of everything and these subjects gave me nothing but answers. I learned more about myself in those classes than I expected and that is what made me have a different craving for those classes than I did for any of the others. I didn’t just look at these subjects as classes I had to take, but classes I wanted to take. I saw everyday as a day I learned more about who I was and what made me that way. In history I learned more about my personal history and where I come from and it inspired to want to know more so I can teach young mixed girls like me to be proud of their history and the strong blood that runs through their veins. In biology I learned how the brain works, what makes people do thing or feel things, and that interest me beyond description. To know what in my body is making me do something or say something is so intriguing I had to know more! Because of these interested I came to a conclusion on what I wanted to study and what I wanted to do. I want to major in neuroscience and minor in African American studies to become a surgical neurologist. I hope to make a difference in medicine and to expand my knowledge of my history by traveling and educating young people like myself, eager and chasing a dream.

Vote for Kailynn Wright

 

My Favorite Subject

by Jacoby Wilkerson

My favorite subject in School is science. I like every subject that has to do with science but my favorite kind is kinesiology and human anatomy. I liked how science explains things and there is always something new to learn and the fact that science is all around us and affects us daily. Science can be explained all the way down to and molecular level. Or science can be talking about where we are in space all the way to what our body is made up of. there is something new you can learn every day about science. like for the human anatomy you can learn how your body functions, or how it works and what to do when certain things happen. You can learn what your nerves is and how they affect you and if you play sports you know what happen if you get hurt or how to fix yourself. Growing up I was always a curious kid so I wanted to know how things worked, why is this happening, why is that happening or how did that happen. Asking these questions and using their knowledge is how scientist have breakthroughs. I would like to pursue science and business in college and then after start my career for helping other people. For people who don’t know what is going on with them. I would like to start a business after college in physical fitness and training. I will use my love and passion for science and the human body to help people who want to better themselves or live a healthier life. The way that he did Body works and the science of it all the way down from the bones to the muscle structure always fascinates me all aspects of science makes me want to question other things and it leads to more and more fascinating findings that I discovered for me science never gets boring it is a teacher within itself. being able to learn human anatomy and business in college is a dream turning into a reality right before my eyes. and when i found out that i could make my own business the way I want and have a facility that has physical fitness activities and a physical therapy room. and all day I will be helping people learn to do basic things from what to eat and how the science of what you eat is direct effect to how u will look and how you will feel. then being able to specifically give each person a certain workout to help them with the goal body they desire. Going to college and learning these skill for life for something i have had an ambition for is amazing to me.

Vote for Jacoby Wilkerson

 

Psyched about Psychology

by Mackenzie Orr

During high school I took many different classes including yearbook and newspaper, however, by far my favorite class was Psychology. Unlike my classmates, I found the twisted side of the brain interesting and how all the connections are formed intriguing. I have always found the human brain interesting, as well as peoples interpretations of different events. Psychology was different from my other classes, we were always talking about something new and interesting or doing an activity.
Ever since I was a freshman I always saw the upperclassmen working on different projects for their classes. During class sign up for my senior year I had the opportunity to take psych, I jumped at the opportunity to finally learn about how the human brain works and how the mind processes information. The first day of class we jumped right into the anatomy of the brain. I was amazed I never knew there were so many distinct regions of the brain. Class was fun and interesting. How the body sends and transmits signals through neurons and how the eye interprets images were among my favorite topics we studied. Compared to my other classes psychology was exciting and I wanted to learn more. I was never bored, and I was even doing extra research to fully understand the concepts. Going to other class3es after psych just seemed boring and not as important. I never saw pre-calculus as fun but compared to psychology the class was as intriguing as a glass box. To this day I still remember nearly everything I learned, unlike other classes I took where I remember nothing.
Although I loved psychology I am not planning on pursuing in college. However, I am planning on studying International Studies and possibly minoring in psychology if other options aren’t as intriguing. I do find the topic interesting and will likely take some classes about it but there are certain sides and concepts about psychology that I could likely use in an internationally focused career. I think that if I choose to pursue psychology I wouldn’t be as happy and that my life. Psychology has helped me understand the human mindset as well as introduced me to an interesting field of study that may be able to benefit me throughout life.

Vote for Mackenzie Orr

 

The Subject that Taught Me How to Think

by Dominique Lewis

It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
Aristotle
My favorite subject in school would have to be philosophy. These subjects were introduced during my high school career, and even though I have only explored them for a short time, they make the top of my list. In my philosophy courses, I learned about great philosophers from Descartes to Immanuel Kant. I imagine myself sitting with Plato and Socrates and sharing my thoughts on the existence and nature of man and hearing their responses. The main reason I liked these more than the others is philosophy focuses primarily on your thoughts. Anything can be your philosophy. Any idea or question that pops into your head can become your philosophy. I liked the confidence and belief in myself and my ideas that philosophy gave me. In addition, different philosophies can build on each other. I like how there are themes that can be seen throughout history concerning great philosophers. Finally, I enjoy philosophy more than other subjects because it is like science but more grand and broad. Philosophy deals with not just the how, the why, and the where, but with the who, and the which. It asks questions not just to figure what is happening and why it is happening, it ask questions to figure out how that relates to humanity, and what may have happened thousands of years before to cause it. While I thoroughly enjoy philosophy, I am choosing to major in business. Even though these two categories seem unrelated, they have a few correlations. In order to run a business, it is important to have a philosophy, a reason for existing. Next, businesses rely on the ideas that came before them in order to create new ones. Finally, just like philosophy, business is so much grander than science. Business takes qualities a scientist might need and applies it to a changing and artificial market. Even as a business student, I plan to practice the ideals that I have learned in my favorite subject philosophy.

Vote for Dominique Lewis

 

Physics & Engineering the Future

by Grant Dennis

I am currently reading Prelude to Foundation by Issac Asimov. The main character, Hari Seldon, is illustrated as a mathematical genius who developed an algorithm capable of predicting probabilities of the future. However, to increase confidence so that his work produces practical predictions of the future, he realizes he must also diligently study history in a world where all inventions have already been created. In my life, I have been inspired by engineering, but I don’t want to just be a Mechanical Engineer. I want to be a well-versed individual capable of contributing to the world through service, philanthropy, and technological innovation to create a better future.

When I look at the stars I feel this surge of empowerment enrich my soul to take the world by its reins and forge a new way to help explore deep space. As a child, I was a huge fan of Star Trek and believed that I would one day become Captain of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701). Anyhow, it eventually dawned on me that this technology didn’t exist. My Mom, who just so happens to be the greatest elementary school teacher ever, would then repeatedly tell me, “Maybe things don’t exist because you haven’t created them yet”. As society continues to exponentially advance technology, I believe the mass commercialization and deep exploration of space is much sooner than we might expect. As I contribute to research, I see myself captivated in studying methods to increase electrical engine efficiency, drone machinery capable of building habitable structures, and completing academic inquiry on galactic transportation methods. Earning a Bachelor of Science degree is an imperative step towards achieving these goals, but it will take additional time, lots of studying, and persistence matched by an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. As sad as it sounds, my favorite memory in high school was building a water-pressured powered rocket in physics class, where my rocket flew 2 meters higher than the next highest launch.

Life is not a test you pass or fail. It is a series of tests where performance determines the next set of tests in an infinite amount of trials and tribulations. Next year, I will be attending Texas Christian University where I will major in Mechanical Engineering while pursuing the Aerospace/Air Force ROTC program. After graduation, I will commission as an Officer and contribute towards innovating cutting edge technology within the realms of space advancement.

Vote for Grant Dennis

 

Subject I enjoyed the most

by Victor Estrada

The subject I enjoyed the most in high school was Criminal Justice. I learned this in my junior year of highschool. I took this as an elective because I was interested to learn things about the system that I did not know. At first I didnt like it because it was alot of note taking at first. But as I got into it more I started to enjoy it. We learned the basics and got more advanced as the year went on. We watched different documentaries pertaining to the type of crime we were learning about. I learned alot more about the nature of crime as far as things as intenions or heat of passion crimes. I learned more about sentences and what type of sentences are dealt for different crimes. I think my favorite part was the days when we watched law and order and tdid this assignment calledan “IRAC”. This stood for issue,rulling,application, and conclusion. We had to state the issue. Whether or not the crime was mens rea or actus rea, meaning intentional or in the moment. We had to state the charges and for the conclusion say if we thought they were guilty or not. I never had a subject interest me like this in school. Criminal justice interested me because I can clearly see how it effects the world around me and everyday life.

Vote for Victor Estrada

 

Dispelling the Negative Connotation of Ignorance

by Lexi Witherspoon

I truly enjoy the continuous challenge of developing through the universal language of mathematics. Therefore, I am more partial to Natural Sciences and would like to pursue Chemistry during undergraduate studies in an effort to accomplish my long-term goal of medicine. The study of science is intriguing to me because it dispels the negative connotation of ignorance, which simply means lack of knowledge or information. This field of study actually thrives off not knowing and propels the drive to know. From Neil Degrasse Tyson, I learned that as the area of my knowledge increases so does the perimeter of my ignorance. Therefore, ignorance about a subject fuels my desire to learn and grow. During my tenure in school, I realized that I thrive more in an inquiry-based environment when I was posed with a problem to solve within math and science classes.

In my efforts to learn more about conditions and illnesses that affect my family and me, a recurring theme for each of us focused on the importance of proper nutrition. My father and I have made efforts to curtail the number of allergy and asthma attacks by removing dairy from our diets. After watching several documentaries and reading various articles, my grandmother transitioned to a plant-based diet to fight a diabetic diagnosis. The successful results of her treatment through her diet change solidified my belief to “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” (Hippocrates). I have started focusing my energy on identifying the effects of a diet with the cardiovascular system and look forward to adding to the body of literature by facilitating actual research in a professional environment to prove or disprove my theories. Attending a research institution such as the Duke University will allow me a unique opportunity to facilitate research and seek to find a solution for authentic problems while working toward my ultimate goal to attend medical school and become a cardiothoracic surgeon.

Vote for Lexi Witherspoon

 

Chemistry: In my Element

by Gillian Reeves

The subject in high school that I enjoyed learning the most about was chemistry. I feel as if I was interested in that subject more than others because it challenged me; and I had a wonderful teacher, Mrs. White. Initially, I was scared to take pre-AP chemistry and it proved to be a demanding course. Once I fully dedicated my time to it, I began to realize how interesting chemistry truly is. Although interested, I was still scared to further myself in my chemistry education. In spite of this, I decided to take the placement test for AP Chemistry two just to see how well I would do. I ended up passing the placement test, and am currently taking the course. A large benefit to AP Chemistry at my high school is that it is taught by the same instructor as pre-AP chemistry. Having a second year of instruction with Mrs. White has allowed my love of the subject to increase rapidly. She is a teacher with a wild personality and a true passion for chemistry. Her constant excitement and encouragement of scientific concepts has kept me prolifically interested throughout the past two years during class time, scientific community service events, and chemistry club meetings. Next year I will be attending Louisiana State University with a major in biochemistry and a possible minor in chemistry. Because of my major, I intend to remain immersed in chemistry throughout my time in college and eventual career. I am hoping to find a job within a research field or possibly continuing my education through a medical degree. If it were not for Mrs. White and the wonders of her teaching, my major and later occupation would be much different. I am thankful for my chemistry courses and I am excited for the scientific career that I will soon pursue.

Vote for Gillian Reeves

 

I will work hard to secure the future

by Alyssa Rane Metcalf

I have most enjoyed Computer Science, particularly Cyber Security and I’m good at it! There is something there that makes me believe I can help change the world. I can picture it – It’s 2038, people everywhere walk the sidewalks hooked into the web. They are using wrist monitors, and network transportation. Artificial Intelligence is everywhere, from the lights and cameras on the streets to the very cars driving their owners to a meeting. Communication has become everyone’s lifeline. Language barriers are nonexistent, and people from across nations socialize freely with digital translators. And all of it is operated through the Global Net. Digital currency is the norm of today, and it’s up to me to make sure that everyone’s future is safe.
Years ago, when I started this career path, the creation of technology had just begun to provide a gateway to an endless world of knowledge. People could take out their phones, tablets, and laptops to research anything that came to mind. They used technology to pay for objects they wanted and needed quickly, and created profiles on social media to be caught up to date. However, back then these things more often than not left them vulnerable to attack. Thousands were hacked and had their identities stolen; and most of the time, they were helpless to stop it.
Hundreds of businesses were hacked into and had their information mined and held for ransom by black-hat hackers. Ordinary folk who didn’t have the money and resources to get their lives back were doomed.
Back in 2018, the percentage of ransomware attacks increased to thirty-six percent worldwide. More hackers were being introduced to this evil every single day. That’s when people started to care about protecting themselves and everyone around them. And that’s where I came in! Learning everything I could about cyber security, I joined a team that now leads the industry. We work with the best people around the world to defeat the black-hats and protect those not only in America but countries around the globe as well. As it is now, it’s mostly Corporations that are protecting the people, which unfortunately still leaves room for the occasional hacker to surface. But soon my book will be coming out to help the general public protect themselves and together we can make the internet a safer place for everyone.

Vote for Alyssa Rane Metcalf

 

Scholarship Essay MLacher

by Maxon Lacher

While I have enjoyed many of my classes over the past 4 years, my favorite has been my pre-engineering class. I decided after a few years of being home schooled to enroll in my county’s vocational high school after taking a tour and seeing their engineering lab. I was fortunate to be accepted in the pre-engineering program and have been able to learn about the various facets of engineering every day since I’ve been there. I’ve always liked learning about how things work mechanically and building things. I’ve also broken some things along the way. I just hadn’t realized my interest in tinkering could be a career. I particularly liked manufacturing and machining using the tools we have in my shop. There’s something satisfying about turning a block of aluminum into something useful. But once I did understand, I decided to start planning to study engineering in college.
The ability to see what work goes into different engineering fields has brought me to my interest in Industrial and Systems Engineering. Industrial Systems Engineering is an interdisciplinary field of engineering. It requires knowledge about most of the major fields to help manage and keep different branches of a project working optimally.
I was accepted at Rutgers University’s School of Engineering and will be starting there in the fall. It is my intention to major in their Industrial and Systems Engineering program. I’m really looking forward to learning more about that field and to have a career doing something that is so interesting to me.
My high school exposure to Engineering has directly impacted my focus and direction. I felt such relief to have discovered what I wanted to do for my career early in my life. Knowing where I wanted to go took a pressure off of me I hadn’t known I was carrying. I wish my experience was the norm and that everyone could have opportunities during high school that directly nurture their occupational futures.

Vote for Maxon Lacher

 

Using Politics and Economics to start change

by Gabriella de Silva

Learning about history has always been one of my favorite things to do. Whether it be through biographies or documentaries, understanding the genesis of current issues, alliances, conflicts or prejudices is extremely interesting. While at a young age I couldn’t appreciate nonfiction writing in large quantities, being able to understand what events took place not only in the US, but around the world to create our modern conflicts, was something I could understand. Also, being able to use this context to create arguments and debate the standing of either side in both the past and the present has been a welcome challenge. This continued in AP US History, a class that was a constant debate of historical issues. This was my natural environment. I knew history and politics had to be in my future. In the meantime, I have been studying several aspects of economics and finance for almost four years. The background knowledge from taking AP Macro and Microeconomics have given me a greater understanding of the economic roles in several conflicts and events throughout history. I’ve decided to study Politics and Economics, the perfect combination of the subjects I’ve enjoyed studying during my high school career. By studying this in college, I hope to become an active agent in shaping the way our government operates on a global economic scale. My decision to pursue this field of study has been solidified by my internship at the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the UN. I have attended a committee on advancing global youth, helped organize Mission events and assisted in day to day activities of the Mission. I saw in action how events to promote increased international trade with Sri Lanka, also would support tourism and relations between Sri Lanka’s diplomats and other UN delegations. This experience has made me realize how much I am committed to making a difference in the global sphere, both economically and politically.

Vote for Gabriella de Silva

 

Discovering Anatomy

by Grace Bennett

A common question for adults to ask a student in grade school is, “What is your favorite class right now?”, or “What subject are you enjoying most?”. Throughout my years at high school, my answer has changed multiple times. However, as I come to the end of my time at high school I can pick out the class that I have enjoyed the most and worked the hardest at, anatomy. In anatomy, we learn all about what is in the human body and how it all works. Personally, I find this very intriguing. It’s like learning about yourself even though you have already been alive in your body for 18 years. Who knew that there were multiple kinds of headaches and each one hurts in a different way and a different location on your head than the other kinds?! Every day in class you learn new information just like that about the human body. There are so many quirks and interesting facts about the human body that keep you engaged with the curriculum. Also, learning these new facts help you understand how your body works and what you need to do to keep it healthy throughout your lifetime. This anatomy class has helped me decide what career I want to pursue, becoming a dietitian. In order to be a good dietitian, you need to understand the human body to know what nutrition to feed the body to help it maintain a healthy diet. I am excited to go into this career because I think that not only will I be able to learn a lot of useful information for myself, but also help others out and make a difference in their lives. There are many opportunities in the health career field, just waiting for you to explore them. So that is what I plan to do.

Vote for Grace Bennett

 

American Politics -the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

by Jacob Lewis

From a young age, I was inspired by the tales I would extract from American History. I loved learning about the vision and hard work of our founding fathers during the American Revolution. The steadfast conviction of figures like Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, and Martin Luther King Jr. stood out to me as beacons of leadership. As I have pursued my high school diploma, I have spent much time learning more about great events in history and the leadership that made those events possible. Though it started as merely an interest in history, my passion quickly grew to encompass modern politics and current events. I took the wealth of historical knowledge I had accumulated, and began applying it to my study of American Government. This passion for politics, tempered by the experience of the past, led me to pursue college-level courses in Government through Liberty University. I then attended Generation Joshua’s iGovern East summer camp, in which I was part of a mock legislative branch. As a simulated Congressman, I was elected to House Minority Leader, a role which required great leadership and communication abilities. I enjoyed finding solutions and compromises between both parties, and at the end of the week of camp I was awarded the Speaker’s Gavel. Though the simulation was entertaining, it was also informative, and provided me with a great look at the legal and political field. I was drawn deeper into this field when I became aware of the stark issues facing my home state, West Virginia. My mission now is to obtain a degree in Politics and Policy from Liberty University, and return to my state to battle issues like drug abuse and crumbling industry. Inspired by great leaders of the past, I hope to serve my state while pursuing my passion and living life to the full.

Vote for Jacob Lewis

 

Why I am drawn to Science

by Mackenzie Elmore

As a child I was always intrigued by the human body and the way it is able to repair itself. This was because throughout the many sports I played, I received and witnessed many injuries and roads to recovery. I was surrounded by people in the medical field such as my mother who worked as a surgical technician or my father who is an anesthesiologist. This encouraged me to learn more about the matter and throughout high school I was drawn to science classes. I flourished and loved every second of my biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, and anatomy classes. I was drawn to them for many reasons but the one that stands out is because I was able to conduct hands on experiments to see the effects and reactions of each move I made. The most interesting class I took was biology because it allowed you to look at each individual cell and learn how that made up an organism and how each organism was different. While others were disgusted by dissections, I was drawn to them and was willing to make every cut. I will never forget when we cut into a pigs heart for the fist time and were able to see not only the valves but the little “heartstrings” everyone keeps talking about. This class along with anatomy and my childhood experiences helped me to decide what I wanted my lifelong career to be. I will be studying human biology at North Carolina State University, and plan to extend this education into physical therapy school. I wish to become a pediatric physical therapist because I have always loved working with children and hope that my personal experiences and love for the subject is able to help them both physically and mentally. I decided to center my major around the one class that caught my interest in high school because college is where you pursue your passion in hopes of falling in love with a career you will carry with you for years to come.

Vote for Mackenzie Elmore

 

C & C Law and Mock trial

by Keith Williams Jr

My name is Keith Williams Jr and I am a senior at Benedictine High School in Cleveland, Ohio. During my senior year, I took up classes called C&C Law and Mock trial. C&C law was during the first semester this course went over the different laws and procedures of our justices system. The different things we learned about in C&C law was things like what to do when you get pulled over and your Miranda rights. How courts works, with the bail bonds, what police officers are suppose to do during a traffic stop. This class caught my attention because I was not aware of all those rules and regulations. Never knew about anything of the things I mentioned. And My teacher always made the class interesting. We might do different activities and act a scene out on a traffic stop and we are suppose to the handle the situation like we’re taught to. After the first semester mock trial was after.

Mock trial was the best part to me. This course we got to act out our own cases. We were split up into teams. One side defense and the other was the procecution. And we had to come together and get all the case facts together and build a case. And there was a guy in my class who was really talented at this so we just made him the judge for all the cases. He was not easy to crack at all.

I would pursue this as a career but my heart and conscience would get the best of me. I can’t advocate for someone that I think and feel that is guilty. I also can’t send someone to jail that i know and feel didn’t do it. Being a lawyer or prosecutor is a tough job, you have to put your opinion aside and how you feel aside. But overall those two classes were a lot of fun to be in.

Vote for Keith Williams Jr

 

My Love for Numbers

by Fernanda Robles

As a younger child I was always asked what my favorite subject was and me not knowing what to say a lot of the times. I would eliminate the subjects that did not get my attention, or the classes in which I would be bored or sometimes too hard for me to understand. I eliminated English, any type of science, and I was definitely not a history person even though I was good at memorizing dates and events. The subject I was left with was Math and I have always been good at Math the only thing was that it was very time consuming and I am not the best with having patience for problems that would take me very long.
I have always been a fast learner when it comes to dealing with numbers. Since I hated taking long to do one single problem, I have always tried to be faster so that doing Math would not be very time consuming. That might be the reason why I tend to learn the concept fairly quickly. The one thing that satisfies me the most is that these problems may be hard and might take a lot of time but the feeling of getting the answer and knowing it was correct gives me an amazing feeling. It reminds me of when you work really hard to do something and you finally get what you wanted and that very feeling of “wow I did it.”
Choosing what to do in the future has always been super hard just because you never know if that is really what you want to do with your life. I remember wanting to be a Doctor when I was young, that was until I took Biology and knew how boring it was for me. Therefore, since I love working with numbers I decided to do something along that subject. After researching a couple of jobs I could do I decided to choose accounting. I will be studying accounting in college and hope to one day be a very successful accountant.

Vote for Fernanda Robles

 

Not like the movies

by Crystal Salas

When I first learned about school, I was excited. I’ve seen it in movies and television shows. This was my opportunity to go to school like my sister. The thought of being able to play on a playground and talk to kids every day never sounded better. Little did I know I was wrong. School itself became a pressure, stress, and loss of sleep. The more you achieved the more they pushed you to do well. Which at the times felt like too much weight was on your shoulders. Although school felt like a nightmare at points, it was the place I learned to discover what I wanted to do with my future. This was through my curiosity, interest, and passion for history.
I never realized my genuine interest in history until the eighth grade. Beforehand history never had my full interest due to it having its time being split between every other subject like math or science. What really caught my attention from history was the way everything came together. The growth of the united states and earth. History was interesting from the other subjects because it was always the same. Except the new history being added each day from what we live. But why history caught my attention was the stronger correlation it had with politics than I thought. As a young child, I thought they were two different topics, but they are related more than nothing. I fell in love with politics because growing up as a minority I saw no change within the governmental system to make everyone equal. I looked up to the little who made it big in the harsh political business and were trying to make changes.I aspired to be them. Now on my last year of high school going into a university history encouraged my passion for politics.

Vote for Crystal Salas

 

Mr. E and An Objective Way of Looking at the World

by Don C Benincasa

We live in the most politically divided America the country has ever seen. Conservatives call liberals stupid. Liberals call conservatives racist. AP Economics is one of the most political classes a student can take in high school. And my teacher Brian Elsaesser, also known as Mr. E, taught it with a fairness and unbiased point of view, took the politics out of a class our culture views as political.
Mr. E talks just as much about redistributing wealth as the pros of supply-side economics. He highlights the pros and cons of each economic strategy, emphasizing that there’s no all good or all bad economic decision. He’s taught my classmates and I to understand the complexity of the world and the economic decisions that shape it. After taking AP Economics with Mr. E my senior year of high school, I look at the world through an objective, unbiased lens.
Economics is a class that directly ties into the real world. Unlike Trigonometry, Chemistry or European history, I’ve been able to directly use the content of AP Economics to enhance my understanding of the modern world. I’m able to watch the Big Short and explain to my dad that the housing mortgage crisis was caused by deceiving adjustable rate mortgages that homeowners weren’t able to afford over time. I’m able to discuss the pros and cons of growing the economy with monetary strategies like the use of lower interest rates, reducing the required reserve ratio and with the government selling bonds on the open market at the dinner table.
Enough with the dorky economics language. I’ve loved Econ because it’s shown me a fair, objective way of looking at the world. It doesn’t care about people’s differences. Differences in race, differences in morality values, differences in political parties, etc. While Economics is viewed as grouped into an aspect of politics, the two subjects aren’t actually related. While politics is centered around our differences in morality and political values, economics is based on weighing the pros and cons of decisions. And as my life continues, I’ll remember to always look at both sides of an argument. Because AP Economics has taught me that there are pros and cons to every policy and decision.

Vote for Don C Benincasa

 

Life

by Jazmine Balboa

As I grew up over the years, I believe I was raised no differently than any other ordinary student, but my parents always gave me an extra push to be successful. I was raised by my very loving and inspirational Mexican parents. Living in San Antonio meant I was surrounded by many families that migrated from Mexico, so I always shared similarities to those around me. Although living with immigrant parents can be tough, not many families can say it has shaped them into a better person. All the discrimination and hardships surrounding me, only made my life long goals better. My parents wanted me to live a totally different life than they did so they tried very hard, such as to moving a couple of times to get the best education and opportunities. Through my parents, and especially my father, I learned two very important things, how to be independent and how to soak up as much information as you can in life.
When my father grew up, he was raised in a poverty-stricken town of Mexico. He lived on a small farm with his ten brothers and sisters; his conditions were very inauspicious, but that never stopped him from succeeding in life. At the age of nine, he decided to leave his family and start growing on his own. He became independent. Although he left behind what mattered to him the most, he did not forget about them. My father was able to go back after many years and help some of them move into the country of freedom.
I have heard this story many times, not because my father likes to talk about himself, but because he wanted me to learn from his past. I think about where he came from and how he was able to flourish with the little he had. Grasping every detail, his ability to be independant and to grow from the little he had has always stood out to me. At a young age he was able to go to the outside world and make a life for himself, teenagers nowadays are thrown into being an adult without ever being guided into it.. Because of him, I believe I began to grow into an independent adult starting at the age of fifteen.
When I was younger, I dreaded going to school everyday and just wanted to go to work, like my dad started to when he was in third grade. I did not understand how important education really was and the standards my father grew up in, so naturally I wanted to follow in his footsteps. I can remember myself stating that I hated school. My father was never much to say much but that night he changed my perspective on what I was truly suppose to be doing in life. He gave me a stern talk about how he gave up almost everything in his life, including his siblings just to try and create a better life for his future. He decided to start fresh by moving his family from South Mexico, to California and then Texas to avoid drugs and gangs around my family. Although that night I did not take everything seriously, I look back to that moment and realize what my purpose in life is suppose to be since my father sacrificed so much. Through many arduous nights I learned that it is not about dreading different decisions in life, but instead about making yourself and your future better. It has taught me to never give up in life, you can come from dirt poor and make yourself into something better. Knowledge is powerful, and although my father dropped out of school at an early age, he still tried to grasp every information he could.
When I was fifteen, I decided to get a job, because I wanted to gain the same experiences from my father without dropping out of school. It taught me how to be independant in an adult world by learning how to start paying for bills. But at the same time I pushed myself to do the best in school because it is what my father intended for me to do. Thanks to my father I have been able to mature starting from a young age. It has been a struggle, but learning how to pursue my dreams and get what I want by working hard without relying on others is something I will take with me for the rest of my life.

Vote for Jasmine Balboa

 

My Education Experience and Future Plans

by Michelle Pauli

The subject that I enjoyed learning the most in high school has always been history. Although my major, Global Studies, and my minor, Japanese, doesn’t require a history course, I have always been intrigued by the subject. In eighth grade, I won history student of the year. I went out of my way to always do above and beyond. Taking thirty more bullet point notes than needed, finishing projects early and reading a chapter ahead so I could come into class with previous knowledge are all examples of why I believe I was more invested in this subject.
In high school, we learned about history in the 11th grade. In this class, we had more of a focus on foreign relations and global history. We learned more about WWI, WWII and the many other wars around the globe. This sparked my interest on majoring in Global Studies. This major examines the causes and consequences of problems that cross national boundaries and the governance of these problems in social, cultural and economic contexts. Also, this program at ASU aims to address real-world problems and their solutions.
During my sophomore and junior year of college, I plan to study abroad, hopefully in both Japan and France. Learning about cultures is incredibly important to understand, especially in today’s society. After I finish my bachelor’s degree, I plan to join the Peace Corps. My main goal is to travel and volunteer to a third world country and provide women easy access to feminine hygiene products and birth control. In Kenya, girls and women resort to using rags, mattress stuffing, banana leaves, feathers, and even cow dung to manage their menstrual cycles. Also, 1 in 10 girls skip school due to the lack of sanitation products. They also resort to using plastic bags and linen for protection during sex. This is an issue that needs to be resolved now, and with this scholarship, I can start this goal by receiving a higher education at Arizona State University.

Vote for Michelle Pauli

 

A Future in Accounting

by Deja O’Conner

By far I would have to say my favorite subject I’ve enjoyed learning the most in school is Accounting. Ever since elementary school I’ve always had a fascination with math and numbers. It was like a natural skill for me everything I learned just stuck to my brain like gum at the bottom of a shoe. Every new school year I would challenge myself and take a math class thought would be a little harder for me to help advance my skills.
I think accounting interested me more than others because it allowed me to be able to be in my own space and clear my mind. Whenever I’d get home from school accounting would be the first set of homework I’d do. I just love working in excel and I found a real interest in learning all the aspects there is to know in accounting. Whenever I did the homework I would be in my own zone, doing calculations, filling out worksheets, trial balances, income statements, etc. It was fun for me and something I actually liked doing. Also It was something I exceeded in with flying colors. Everyday in class whatever new assignment we had I would be the first to get it done and turn it. Or I would be the first person my classmates would ask for help on a problem. When this happened it made me feel powerful and like one of the smartest people, because I knew the material like the back of hand which is a great feeling.
I do plan on having a career in accounting in the future. Since my junior year of high school my interest in the business industry peaked to an all time high. And this was specifically in accounting and since then I automatically knew this was something I wanted to do in my life. To accomplish this, I will be attending Texas A&M University at college station and studying at the mays business school to earn a bachelors degree in accounting. Then after college I plan to work at an accounting firm for a few years and work towards owning my firm. I’ve always been the type to take lead. So why not be that person in my field of interest.

Vote for Deja O’Conner

 

The boy and his quest for Understanding

by Avik Gomes

Over the years, like most students, I have grown to detest school, not because I feel like it is a waste of time, I do not like school because it puts people in a thirteen-year cycle that is hard to break. It is kind of like an addiction something that you want to get rid of but cannot, and when you can, it is unbearable to let go. That is how I feel anyways, many people I know cannot wait to get out of high school and start their lives. But one of the reasons I feel like it is unbearable because as a student you get that one class that makes your day better. For me, that class is Advanced Placement Calculus B.C. (or AP Calc B.C.). Now most people would look at me like ‘this kid is a nerd’ when I tell them my favorite class is a calculus class, but to me, it’s not just a calculus class. It is the first class where understanding the concepts mattered more than my grades, and that means a lot because it prioritized learning the actual subject rather than a number. That is what made it more enjoyable than other classes. In other high school classes, almost everyone just memorized the facts and wanted to pass. No one (or at least no one I knew) was curious about the topic; we just wanted to pass. That was not the only aspect of the class that I enjoyed; I also enjoyed learning calculus. It is much different than learning any other type of mathematics. The simplest of things were broken down and made into really complex concepts. Everyday activities were broken down with calculus, and it made sense. I found myself thinking about the rate at which my shadow grows as I get closer to a light source when I was walking outside getting closer to a lamppost. Calculus was a different class all on its own, and I hope I can use the knowledge I have acquired in calc, to solve Computer Science problems in the future. Because although I’m not following a career in calculus, the knowledge I’ve acquired in it will help me in the field of Computer Science.

Vote for Avik Gomes

 

A Look Into My Favorite Subject: Psychology

by Alexandria Testut

Psychology is the study of the mind and its innerworkings. It also happens to be my absolute favorite subject in high school. Nothing is quite as mysterious or unknown in the human body as the brain. It’s the body’s control center, controlling how we think, what we feel, even when we need to eat or go to the bathroom. Scientists know how and why some of these things happen and have empirical evidence backing them up. Other things about the brain, not so much.
The allure of something not being completely discovered is perhaps part of what draws me into psychology. That and the idea of knowing how the brain works is extremely helpful when it comes to convincing parents to let you get that really cute pair of jeans. Psychology for me is completely fascinating. I love how that there is an explanation for almost everything, even if it’s just theological. Yes, the study of psychology has a lot of gray area, it’s far from just black and white, but in a way, that’s truly the beauty of psychology. There are little nuances for everything. I can also relate it to my everyday life both in the idea that life isn’t black and white either and that it has helped me in life.
I love psychology so much, I did decide to major in it and make it into a career. The career part at first was quite intimidating because there were so many things I could do with a degree in psychology, it’s such a broad field. Only recently did I decide to go into law enforcement with it. It was after the 1 October shooting, which had completely flipped my world inside out living in Las Vegas, when I realized that I could do something with a degree in psychology to help catch people like the shooter or even be able to prevent something like this from happening to someone else. I am starting off with general psychology, in case I change my mind on the whole law enforcement thing, but plan on getting a Master’s degree and eventually my PhD in Forensic Psychology.
Psychology is not your normal everyday subject. It’s nuanced, it’s varied, it’s undiscovered. That perhaps is the best part of it.

Vote for Alexandria Testut

 

The Subject that Keeps Growing

by Brandon Li

Elementary school and middle school was a blur. Classes were generally boring and I don’t remember loving anything in particular. Then during sophomore year, something must have clicked. Honors chemistry, period 5, with Mrs. Holstein. What I initially found interesting was the way it explained life. It explained the things around us, both the things we can see and the things we cannot. It helped explain basic things like why this table is solid, and also global phenomenon like global warming.

As I learned more and more, the subject only became more interesting. I could ask more questions, conduct experiments, find my own answers, and learn more about the world I was living in. Chemistry was a topic that truly was not bounded to the textbook or worksheets we had in class. But what made this subject so different than any other was the continual discovery and ever-changing environment. On the news every day, there is always a new discovery and a new way that chemistry is solving tomorrow’s problems. Furthermore, the field of chemistry itself is always evolving as there is always more room for growth.

As my hunger for evolution and discovery grew, I found myself leaning more and more towards the chemistry of medicine. The medical field truly embodies the idea of progression and change, and chemistry is arguably the most important aspect of medicine.

My love for chemistry ultimately helped me find my career path. In addition to taking our school’s AP Chemistry class next year, I also found more opportunities to explore my passion for chemistry and medicine through a research opportunity at Rutgers University. Collaborating with professors in pharmacy, I helped design nanoparticles that could deliver a medicine to the lungs in order to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Not only did this harness my chemistry skills, but it also forced me to hypothesize, experiment, and analyze in ways that I had never done in the classroom before. This, and many other experiences, has pushed me to a career in both medicine and research, combining my love for chemistry as well as problem-solving.

When I look back, I realize the great journey I’ve embarked across in just a few short years. And despite branching out to a very specific area of science, I will always be grateful for where I started this journey from–high school chemistry class.

Vote for Brandon Li

 

Economics

by Madie Edwards

In high school, I took many classes that I enjoyed, but my favorite class was economics. As a junior, I was part of the first AP economics class at Skyview High school. Economics is required to graduate, but I didn’t expect to enjoy the class as much as I did. There was a lot of reading outside of class involved and because it was an AP class, the work load was more that usual. The first week of class, the amount of homework made me dread the class, but as soon as I gave it a chance, I found I really loved it. I understood the material and I found it interesting. I was surprised to find I was very business minded and enjoyed learning how the economy affected it. My favorite part about the class was the Econ Summit held at Boise State where many classes from many different schools attended a competition. We were split into groups of five and we each chose a country prior to the event and prepared a plan to increase our country’s quality of life. In class we held mock summits and worked on assignments that were required for the event. The summit taught us more about the economics of a country by giving us hands on experience. My group was Jamaica, a third world country. We had to form alliances, trade resources, and find ways to increase our GDP. Overall this experience taught me a lot about the world as well as about myself and it played a big part in my decision to major in business administration. I have decided to study business because I’ve found I understand it and enjoy it. I hope to someday open a restaurant using the skills I’ve learned in this class as well as the new skills I will learn in college. All in all, I am so happy I decided to take economics and am excited to see the role it plays in my future.

Vote for Madie Edwards

 

Growth as an Actor and Growth as a Human Being

by William McMahan

My hunger for overall learning developed from my childhood, when my dad and I would read DK Eyewitness books every night on different subjects. My mom also purchased Kids Discovery magazines every month for me to read, and I would study them in my free time. I attribute my affinity for being academically well-rounded to these experiences. With English, I enjoy being expressive when I write, and I see it as an art form, much like music or dance. I like to add my own flair to what I write, and often times, it is an outlet for when I am upset or stressed. With Math, I enjoy the challenge of being able to comprehend advance topics and to think logically. With science, I like learning about how nature functions. With world languages, I like learning about different cultures and world connections as well as personal connections.
However, one subject that I have repeatedly taken a liking to was history. I found myself drawn to it year after year, and found it fascinating to learn of another person’s story from 10, 20, or a thousand years ago. I saw a bigger purpose in history, past the memorization of important dates during the Civil War or of what goods were most commonly exchanged during the Columbian Exchange (Hint: It’s a trick question. It was diseases). There were always themes to be taken away from each country, usually in the customs of the nation or culture. I explored this in great detail when taking Comparative Government and Politics this year. I was drawn to the challenge of understanding the daily customs and unique way of going about life that was specific to every country we studied. This could come in the form of the handling of civil liberties or the atmosphere surrounding political culture. As an acting major, it is imperative I continue to sharpen the skill to empathize and emulate within my own capacity. Growth as an actor is growth as a human being, and I know that by focusing on history (or any subject that piques my curiosity), I will be exposing myself to a broad range of cultures that will diversify my knowledge and acting skill.

Vote for William McMahan

 

I Won’t Give Up

by Margaret Becka

Science has always been the most challenging subject for me. From mitosis to ecosystems or layers of the Earth, all of the information seemed to fly over my head. Middle school me had no confidence in her ability to comprehend, or even just memorize scientific information.
That changed my Freshman year in high school. I chose to take AP Biology, a course known for its rigorous nature and demanding time commitment. For the first half of the year, I struggled- I had to reach chapter of the textbook five times in order to begin comprehending the information. I would take hours upon hours to take notes, reviewing them countless times for them to be able to stick in my brain. I began to feel as if I was not made for taking challenging courses, not just in the science department, but at all.
And then we got to the genetics portion of the course. Something about genetics has always intrigued me- why am I the way that I am? Which parts of my genes impact aspects of myself? It was in this unit that I became fully engrossed in biology. Not only did I study for tests and complete my homework, I was doing independent research into subject matters that I genuinely cared about. I have even gone as far to make this my career, as I plan on becoming a genetic counselor to take the topic I am passionate about and helping others.
It is since then that I have realized my potential. I have applied myself to each and every class that I have chosen to take, I assign myself extra work at night, and I have taken advantage of every opportunity afforded to me. Since taking the AP Biology exam, I have taken 5 more AP classes along with a dual credit class. I decided that merely being an average student was not enough, and I have put forth the effort to contribute to my high school’s largest and most highly qualified high school seniors to date. I will not give up on my education, and it is my passion for learning that allows me to do so.

Vote for Margaret Becka

 

My Favorite School Subjects

by Diandra Perron

Throughout my time in school I have developed an attachment to two subjects a little more than I did the rest. I have never had any dislike for certain subjects but I have found that some a more fun than others. My biggest attachment is that to the subject of art. Coming in second would be English. I could not just pick one to write about because they are both so important to me.

In many ways these two subjects could be seen as very similar. Maybe that is why I like them both so much. One thing they have in common is that they both can form unexpected points of view. They can take turns that you would never expect whether it be in a written story or a piece of art. I have found that in both subjects you can be as creative as you want. Some people will love it and others will hate it but you can always find some creativity there. In English it is more about the words you use to engage and draw attention to certain parts of the story. Whereas in art you can see exactly what the artist put on the canvas and interpret it in any way you would like.

My favorite thing about English is that there are so many different roots you could take with it. You could find a career in writing if that is what you are passionate about or you could find one in editing other people writing if you would rather go that way. I love that you can choose whichever piece on English that attracts you the most and make something out of it. Being able to formulate what you love into words and be able to do something you enjoy in any career is phenomenal.

I find that same thing in art. There are so many different mediums of art to try. I have been in art classes all my years in high school and I have barely dipped my toe into the kind of art that can be created simply out of someones own mind. Art classes have benefited me so much in the ability to work on specific skills and be able to develop into a greater artist and get me to a point where I can use my own creativity and passion to make something beautiful.

English and art are two individual subjects that you can find similarities between in every way. You have the ability to be yourself within them. And leave the interpretation up to the viewer about who you are.

Vote for Diandra Perron

 

Headlines and Deadlines

by Erin Stedt

My love for journalism started when I was just a child. I began making home videos pretending I was a newscaster when I was around 7 years old. I used a cheap video camera and would sit in my playroom and read cue cards that my brother would hold up. I would discuss updates about political news, sports scores, and weather forecasts. I became familiar with local and national news at a young age in order to make these videos. I am now studying journalism at the University of Florida. My favorite class I had this semester was reporting. In this class, I learned what it was like to be a real reporter. I had to interview many people and write articles while under time constraints. This helped to further my love for journalism. This class is very difficult at my college, yet I achieved an “A”. I also had the chance to publish my articles which allowed me to interact with potential employers. I found that this class was not very difficult because I was doing something that I love. The field of journalism is important to me because I can communicate with others. Journalism is an important field because it allows the public to know about important events going on around them. Many people would say that journalism is a dying field because of the increase in technology. However, journalism is so important that without it many people would not be able to have knowledge on current news. I also have a strong passion for writing, which I can foster through journalism. I love how efficient it is to communicate with others through written word. I plan to continue my education and graduate with my degree in journalism. My goal would be to focus on sports reporting and work for the SEC Network reporting on college football.

Vote for Erin Stedt

 

Passion for Entreprenuership

by Jonathan Male Li

A few years ago, I stumbled upon a show on CNBC called The Profit. It featured an investor named Marcus Lemonis who traveled around America trying to save failing businesses by supporting and investing in them.

Marcus preached a business strategy called “People, Process, Product” where he wanted all his employees to be happy, efficient, and proud of their work. I was intrigued. I wanted to help people the way Marcus did. I wanted to be him.

However, at the time, I wasn’t sure about my future. I always loved numbers, statistics, and stocks, but I knew I wanted to be my own boss—I wanted total control over my own career.

During sophomore year, in attempt to finally use my skills in math and statistics, I competed in my first entrepreneurship competition. I was pitching a transportation app that allowed users compare the prices, efficiency, and environmental friendliness of different forms of transportation.

Even though I didn’t win due to potential legal restrictions from Uber/Lyft APIs, I was still a finalist because of my creative prototype.

More importantly, I finally found my passion in business, technology, and entrepreneurship.

Vote for Jonathan Male Li

 

My Relationship with Math

by Ethan Shaw

In the sixth grade, myself and around a dozen of my peers passed the math pretest in the very first week of school. After spending just three days in a pre-algebra classroom with the rest of the sixth graders, our small band of misfits was plunged into the accelerated algebra class downstairs with the seventh graders. For the next three years, I had a love-hate relationship with math. I was good at it- great, even. But it was hard, and an incredibly stressful environment. I just didn’t enjoy it at all.
Then I got to high school. I had Mrs. Rusch for pre-cal, and she was the most down-to-earth teacher I had ever met. Her classroom had a couch at the front of the classroom, which you only earned the right to sit in by being one of the top three students in the class. After fighting long and hard, I managed to earn a spot. There I sat, next to Patrick Silva. A junior at the time, he was taking calculus-based physics and planned to pursue a degree in math or physics when he graduated. He was an inspiration to me, a fresh mind with a talent, who showed me the beauty of mathematics. Suddenly, vectors had a purpose. Graphs were more than just lines and dots. Functions were not just machines, but relationships between numbers. It absolutely blew my mind, and I began to pursue math less as a chore and more as a mysterious new land, brimming with possibilities and new discoveries.
Now, in the fall, I will be attending NC State, with a mathematics major. On my transcript, they saw seven math classes and five science classes, more than six of which had never been offered at our school before. Not only did I find a love for math, I managed to inspire it in a few of my peers, and together we push the frontiers of what we’re capable of. To me, mathematics is as amazing as it is for a thousand reasons, which all boil down to:
Mathematics is not the science of nature, or the science of reality, but the science of science itself. It is understandable, rigorous, subject to clearly defined rules, and yet is malleable enough to solve nearly any problem. It is awe-inspiring, beautiful, terrifying, and yet inviting, almost as if daring you to dive.

Vote for Ethan Shaw

 

A Mathematical Life

by Felisa Barrientos

I have always had a love for mathematics. I enjoy the precision and challenge that mathematical problems embody. There are many things that I do not have to do in order to solve equations. Mathematics does not require me to be a great speaker to become good at it. I do not have to memorize historical dates, worry about my grammar, or write five paragraphs.
To incorporate my love of math into my life, I will be majoring in Accounting while at Louisiana State University Shreveport. My first academic goal is to graduate in three to four years with my Bachelor of Science in Accounting. Throughout those years, I will also be working local jobs to ensure that I do not accumulate a large amount of debt in my pursuit to attend and graduate from college. With this in mind, every penny really does count in helping me pay for my education. Hopefully, after a few years of working year round and acquiring a second job during the summers, I will have the financial stability to complete my second goal.
The next step is to attend graduate school. LSUS does not have a Graduate Program in Accounting; however, I will enroll in an online course or transfer to another institution to acquire a Master’s degree. Having a Master’s in Accounting degree would help me with fulfilling my career goal of becoming an environmental accountant. Besides loving math, I also love opportunities to improve how we treat the environment. As an environmental accountant, I would calculate and reduce environmental costs by determining alternative chemicals, designs, and processes. I would be helping in the process of managing how a company impacts the Earth.
Math has shaped my life and will continue to do so as I base my future on my love for it. It is a universal language. Understanding and solving mathematical problems lead to a higher level of thinking and that would benefit the world.

Vote for Felisa Barrientos

 

An Artistic Computer Girl

by Taylor M. Trice

I’ve experienced a lot of emotions during high school. Yet the one that has affected me the most is feeling lost. I couldn’t figure out what was meant for me after high school or what I was even going to study in college. I enjoyed a few classes, but they didn’t seem like subjects I’d want to pursue as a career. I was also pretty messy with clubs, mainly because my dad wanted me to focus more on grades. I’d jump in and out of them, never being able to fully enjoy them and see if it was something I was interested in. There was also the additional pressure to partake in subjects that led to “substantial careers”. These subjects included math, science, technology, and computer science courses. I enjoyed the computer science courses, yet I felt that it didn’t completely capture my attention as something I’d desire to do.
Although I didn’t know what path I was going to take in college, I definitely knew who and what type of person I was. I’m a creative, artistic, and individualistic extrovert with technical and logical skills. These many characteristics of mine caused much confusion of what I would be really good at and would love to do. I was given so many different titles from different people. One group would tell me I’m the next popular fashion designer. Another group would tell me I’d be a great counselor or teacher. Another group would tell me I’d be a famous painter. The list just went on and on. I just wanted to find a subject that combined almost every aspect of me into a career that I would enjoy.
Luckily this past senior year is where I stumbled upon a class that did just the job. Adobe Video Design has been my most absolute favorite class throughout all of high school. In the class, I’m able to work on projects where I can film, edit, draw, and story-tell. It allows me to express my creativity and ideas while also using my technical skills. The experience has opened my eyes to where I could possibly see myself in the future. In the world of media and technology, I could create video games, film, engage in special effects technology, or animate. I can’t wait to see where I land within these fields and I owe it all to Adobe Video Design.

Vote for Taylor M. Trice

 

Why Pharmacy?

by Mihret Woldeyohannes

I have taken many science courses, but there is one subject that has been an obstacle for me which is Chemistry. All courses that are related to chemistry have challenged me all my life. I have been struggling with Chemistry since the beginning. I thought if I worked hard and tried my best, I would have earned a good grade, but that wasn’t the case. I even asked for help from my classmates, but there was no change. I would sometimes miss class because I couldn’t fully understand it. At times I would be so angry that I was the only person who was struggling with the course. Every time a person would mention Chemistry, it reminded me of the hard time I had. The funny part was when we got a new teacher, that was when I realized Chemistry was a fun subject to learn. I was loving chemistry more and more that it wasn’t a hard subject for me. Now, I understand it was due to the lack of the interest I had for the subject but I now like Biology and I’m thinking about majoring in it to become a pharmacist.

I want to pursue in Pharmacy because of two things. One is because I want to challenge myself and see if I can achieve it and become one. I know I have to spend my seven years in university which will be hard for me, but it is worth a shot.

Second, where I had lived, Ethiopia, there is a whole bunch of traditional herbs. I was always curious how those medicines worked because my mom always takes traditional medicine when she feels sick. Therefore, I got really fascinated by it that it actually works and wanted to know more. It is not only traditional medicine but also the modern ones too.

That is what led me to become a pharmacist. That I can learn, practice and get experiences from my teachers and professionals to make people feel, that they are well taken care of and helped in a meaningful way.

Vote for Mihret Woldeyohannes

 

Love over Money

by Beatriz Galvez

During my two years at North Central Texas College (NCTC) the subject I have enjoyed learning the most about is Sociology with an emphasis in Behavioral Science. Since high school, I have always been interested in world cultures, diversity and how the world functions. I’ve always had many questions and have been eager to share my ideas with friends that had similar beliefs. At NCTC, I learned much from an insightful professor who inspired me and challenged me to learn more about my passion. I believe that learning about our world’s culture, diversity, people’s social lives, etc. is important in order to make the world a better place and in fact, this passion has had a profound impact on my own life and has fueled my desire to help others. I am currently considering majoring in Sociology and becoming a Social Worker at the University of North Texas. This is an important career goal for me because it will help lead me in a career that prioritizes helping others. Often I am told that being a social worker does not pay well and that I should pursue another field but this disappoints me more than discourages me because people place more influence on the money they will make, and not on the difference they can make in this world and people’s lives. My passion is about changing the lives of people for the better. I believe I can achieve this by simply focusing on understanding people’s needs. Another aspect that interests me is understanding why people do the things they do to accomplish a desired outcome. Too often people are not aware of their actions and how those actions contribute to the final results or outcome. Understanding this behavior is a simple yet complex notion that can help people prioritize their goals and work towards their dreams. I am interested in this topic because I grew up in an environment that focused on caring for others and helping others without enabling negative behaviors. From an early age, I learned about the importance of helping someone help themselves. My dream is to help people help themselves by making informed and constructive future-oriented decisions. Thank you for taking the time to read about my goals and dreams. I hope you also believe in me and help me help myself and others.

Vote for Beatriz Galvez

 

My favorite Subject

by Riley Prichard

When it comes to the topic of school, I was never one to be bored. Yes, I have my days in which I wish I was home, but every student encounters those. However, I think that school was something that was so interesting to me, and I’ve always loved to learn. However, I’ve always had an interest in dinosaurs, ever since I was young, so you may think my favorite subject would be Science, which it is an extremely close second, but my favorite is English instead. Why English? Well, I personally thought I had a penchant for it, not to say that my grammar or knowledge was sublime and superior to others’, but I still was fairly accomplished with the subject. Now, I feel as though I have a strong grasp of the language, and possibly am able to tutor others on it. I in fact edit essays for my friends sometimes, or they may come to me asking because they too are aware of my ability with it. I knew English was always going to be a fun subject because I felt I was a bit precocious in terms of knowing the lexicon. Therefore, I was always looking forward to learning the next, most advanced part of speech or writing style in English, because I had already mastered what we were on. Despite my love for the language, I branched out to other things, like Spanish, Sciences, and my passion, music. Upon the discovery of music in the way I did in 6th grade band, I knew I couldn’t turn back. I had already decided that this is what I wanted to do. I knew that my focus would be on it, and there is no way anyone could convince me otherwise. I went through sort of the same experience with music, although I can more certainly say that I was more advanced than my classmates with knowledge and ability in terms of playing my instrument. However, I knew that when I had to lose focus on English I wouldn’t completely forget it. It stayed with me, and I was always improving with it too. Being involved so heavily with music in fact strengthened my ability, and now gives me the ability to multitask better. So while music is my dream, I refuse to let go of English.

Vote for Riley Prichard

 

Chemical Change

by Be Owusu

I’ve always been good at school. While other students were struggling learning to read, or having trouble understanding the complexities of calculus, I was sailing by without trying much at all. The work was so easy it was boring, and I expected to glyde all the way to my diploma. I held that expectation all the way until tenth grade chemistry.

For the first time, it seemed like I was the only one who didn’t understand. I was the only one who didn’t get how anything as small as an atom could have any discernible mass, or how an equation could be unbalanced. It was the first time I had to force myself to figure something out for myself. I had to start from the beginning, from the smallest pieces of information I had and understood, and work my way up to the complicated web of chemistry I was expected to know. I spent more time studying than I ever had, reserving library rooms and going to whatever Starbucks would provide the best quiet study space. I was giving up fun for work, and finding pleasure in it. When I cracked an especially difficult problem all on my own, I tore the paper out of my notebook and hung it above my bed as a reminder- All this work will pay off.

After all this, it would make sense for me to say that high school chemistry was my favorite class, but it wasn’t. My favorite class didn’t come until later, until I took chemistry again at the college level. I felt every feeling from high school chemistry all over again. The only difference was I was ready. I knew I didn’t have to be stressed, I knew I had the tools to figure out all of my problems. I got to work hard and reap the rewards but at a higher level, and with more confidence. I didn’t need the paper above my bed proving I could do this anymore; I was proving it every day.

Now, as a college sophomore, I’ve dedicated myself to the humanities. My world revolves around politics and history, government and economics. I considered chemistry and science as a profession, but I know my talents are better used elsewhere. I can read the writing on the wall with humanities in a way I struggle with chemistry, but I’ve never enjoyed a struggle so much.

Vote for Be Owusu

 

The Life Changing Class: High School Freshmen Biology

by Mythili Bhethanabotla

In freshman year, biology was a required course. I, like all other students, took the course not expecting much, and just expected to be similar to the material I already learned in middle school. That class ended up being one of the best courses of my life and it was all thanks to the teacher. My biology teacher taught the subject in a way that was different from my other teachers. I could see she had a genuine concern for her students and cared that they were actually enjoying the material. She explained the human body in a way that fascinated me and caused me to wonder what I could do to fight all of the diseases out there. I took it upon myself to spend some time researching about Alzheimer’s disease, particular because my mom would talk about her grandmother who passed away from Alzheimer’s and how it was a tough time for the family. She said that when her grandmother had Alzheimer’s it was like she wasn’t there anymore – since she had forgotten everything about her life – and that the beautiful relationship she and her grandmother had built over 50 years was shattered into a million pieces. I started off my research by studying more about the disease. After scrolling through countless articles and videos, I started to develop some ideas about what I could contribute to the field. I looked at all of the different compounds that could potentially combat the effects of Alzheimer’s but with a catch: I only looked at compounds that could be found as common household items. It was important to me that the research I did could actually help people in the future because one of the main problems in today’s pharmaceutical industry is that a lot of the research done in labs doesn’t reach the patients that actually need them. I tested the practicality, side effects, and effectiveness of the drug by testing for measurements such as the docking and toxicity scores with online tools and databases. I spent months’ research this for hours at a time and was so caught up in my work that I wouldn’t even notice how much I time I spent. I presented my work at the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium and earned the semifinalist award, but more importantly I learned how much of an impact just a high school student could make to such a broad field. The research I did with Alzheimer’s truly inspired me to pursue more opportunities in a professional environment related to medical diseases and I aspire to use modern technology to combat the problems that the human body gives.

Vote for Mythili Bhethanabotla

 

Physics: An act in challenge and humor

by Nicole D’Amato

As part of my senior year of high school, I took college classes at the local technical college. It was at this technical college that I took Physics I, or calculus based physics during my last 7-week term. Physics was perhaps the hardest, most demanding class I’ve ever taken. There was no slacking, and there was always work to do. Yet, physics has been my all time favorite class. This is because along with that hardship, I have never felt so accomplished with anything else that I’ve taken.

For one, there was homework due every Monday and Friday. Half the time, I didn’t understand what was going on, whether I read the book or not. This was okay, because the professor always graded for completion and attempts at trying, but it didn’t make the homework any easier despite that. Many of my mornings were spent in the student lounge, working with a few fellow students on trying to find the solution to the problems. This was enjoyable, because it had been a while since I had taken a class which required that level of rigor to just think through homework problems.

Then, of course, there was lab. As physics is a science, students who take it are required to have lab time. In the chemistry course I had taken the previous semester we were only required to write two lab repots throughout the course, so it was a rather large shock when our physics professor told us there would be one due every lab. I found that at first it was frustrating for me to write them, but soon I had gotten it down to the point where I was at 45 minutes compared to 1 hour and 30 minutes. I also just enjoyed the labs overall, because it gave meaning to the physical relationships we were exploring in class.

Lastly, there was the professor himself. At first I didn’t take too kindly to him, and was frustrated by his notations. However, over time I grew to enjoy the hilarious ways he demonstrated the realistic concepts of the course. While the math was obviously hard, he tried to answer our questions and balance the ability for us to enjoy the course as much as possible. He pointed out how the things we learned could apply to our respective fields and that was enjoyable. I truly think that the balance between the challenge that I was presented with, and the humor and tenacity of the professor was what made the class so enjoyable.

Vote for Nicole D’Amato

 

POTUS and Math

by Diego M Benites

On my first day of pre-calculus, I could not have foreseen how a math course would affect me not only academically, but also personally as a leader, as deeply as it did. It soon became clear to me that I was very good at the subject getting A’s on all my exams. My love for math and pre-calculus propelled me to study harder than I ever had and to enjoy every minute of it.
In pre-calculus, I learned who I am as a student, and a classmate. I was so inspired by my instructor’s teaching style that with the passing of each day, I put more effort into the course, and I learned a great deal. Though the class was quite challenging, I enjoyed conquering it and wanted to ensure that my fellow classmates, most of whom seemed to struggle greatly in it, would enjoy learning the subject as much as I did. They seemed unsure of whether to ask for help fearing what others might think. That made me want to help them more by encouraging them to get out of their comfort zone and seek help. Though I assisted them with no expectations for any rewards, my efforts did not go unnoticed by the teacher and my peers. Over the course of two pre-calculus courses that I took, in two semesters, throughout my junior year, I received the highest awards for outstanding contributions and academic excellence.
Not only did I thoroughly enjoy the content of the course, I loved helping my peers which inspired me to step into a leadership role and run for student body president at the end of my junior year. The popularity I gained in those courses helped the wider student body perceive me as a compassionate leader. That propelled me to win a widely contested race. My experience paved the way for the kind of student and leader I aspire to be: a dedicated scholar who takes advantage of every rigorous academic opportunity to learn, and a compassionate and inspired leader who can “inspire” others to help bring out the best in themselves.
My ultimate career goal is to become President of the United States. This experience has not only empowered this goal but has given me the first-hand viewpoint of being a bold leader. I am confident that I will have to do a load of math as President, calculating nationwide wins!

Vote for Diego M Benites

 

Most Enjoyable Subject (Literacy)

by SELENA FERNANDEZ

Throughout my academic journey I would have to say that literacy was the most enjoyable subject for me. My mother and father immigrated to the United States from another country and spoke another language to my siblings and I at home. Considering that English wasn’t my first language I often times indulged in reading literature and wrote poetry to stay ahead of my literacy class. I can truly say that Literacy was most enjoyable because all of my teachers were very creative. I can remember in 1 st grade learning how to print sight words in a sandbox on the playground. The sand served as a kinesthetic source for children with sensory needs and it made writing fun. I was also introduced to fables and fairytales at a very young age. These types of narratives led me to embrace fundamentals and strategies that would make me successful in literacy such as book orientation and learning text sequence. In addition to creativity and fun activities that I experienced, literacy became a part of my life. The more I read and wrote both personally and in the classroom setting I felt it as a way of escape. All of my journaling in print and story reading was done in English therefore most of my immediate family could not interpret my thoughts. In conclusion I currently work in an Early Childhood Education setting and our literacy approach is similar to what I experienced in grade school. One of my goals is to not only collaborate with the lead teacher to implement a heavy presence of literacy in the classroom but to one day possibly publish various childhood books. I want to create a literacy curriculum that provides students with age appropriate material that will further enhance prior enrichment learned within the classroom. This literacy curriculum will also provide educators with strategies that they can use with their students that wouldn’t require a dramatic budget to fund these resources. I am grateful for my literacy experience and one day I would like to pass on the enjoyable moments that I experienced to young scholars.

Vote for SELENA FERNANDEZ

 

For the Love of Spanish: How Spanish Class Opened My Creative Doors

by Gabrielle Oldham

I stood at the front of the classroom, presenting my Spanish project. My tongue rolled and danced its way through the beautiful sounds of the foreign language and my heart filled with joy at the look of approval on the instructor’s face when I finished. At that moment, I knew that Spanish was, and would always be, my favorite school subject.
I first heard Spanish when I was about nine years old. My family had driven to from North Texas to Central Texas to visit my mother’s grandparents. When we arrived at their house late at night, we were surprised to see a car with Mexican plates in the driveway. We went inside, and I stopped short inside the doorway as the most beautiful sounds I had ever heard filled my ears. My mother’s aunt and cousin, who were both from Mexico, were sitting on the couch and conversing in rapid, fluent Spanish. I stood and listened in amazement. In that moment, I knew that I desperately wanted to learn to speak the language that my relatives could speak so well.
When I got to middle school, I could finally take Spanish classes. I was shy and hesitant at first, but as my knowledge grew, so did my confidence. I fell in love with the Spanish language and culture all over again, and Spanish quickly became my best class. When I spoke and wrote in Spanish, I felt like I was painting a picture with my words. Spanish class helped me creatively express myself in a way that none of my other classes did, and every time I walked into class, I felt like I was coming home.
I took three years of high school Spanish, the most that I could take, and then I transferred to a homeschool program. Even after transferring, I kept my Spanish skills alive through online programs and conversations. Now, I am preparing to go to college, where I will study psychology and further my language skills. I dream of the day when I will be able to speak Spanish fluently and combine my passion for the language with my love for helping others by serving Hispanics and others as a trauma counselor. I love Spanish and Hispanic culture just as much as I did when presenting that first Spanish project, and I believe I always will.

Vote for Gabrielle Oldham

 

Building A Foundation In My Favorite Class

by Wraith Hostler

In my sophomore year of high school I was given the opportunity to apply for the technical program of my choice. I made the decision of applying for the Computer Maintenance Technology program, or better known as Information Systems Technology. This became one of the best decisions I have ever made.

As I walked in on the first day of class, I was certain I had made the right decision. I quickly realized that this was not just something I liked but that it was a passion. I loved learning about and working on technology. Being able to work with my hands and learn simultaneously fascinated me. I looked forward to the class every day. It never seemed like work to me and now I understand why it is said, “you will never work a day in your life, if you do something you love”.

I value so many different things about the class. I like having the opportunity to interact with students from schools other than my own. I find the class environment to be a refreshing break from the average classroom. Additionally, I enjoy being able to work on group projects with other students as it promotes teamwork and diversity in ideas.

I appreciate that this class is similar to being employed. Unlike regular academic classes, after learning a new skill a student is then deployed to fix problems as they arises within the school. This aspect of the course is my favorite, because it allows the student to practice what was learned hands-on. As a result, I was able to experience scenarios that typically would only be learned through going out in the field. Over the course of this two year program I have been able to use my acquired knowledge to resolve problems that I could possibly face while employed as a computer technician.

In the fall, I will build on the foundation of knowledge acquired through the Computer Maintenance Technology program by attending college. I will major in cyber security to continue working towards becoming a security architect in the computer technology field. Until I reach my goal, I plan to obtain employment as a computer technician where I can use the skills that I have acquired through this course.

Vote for Wraith Hostler

 

Black Lawyers Matter

by Amari J Spencer

AP Government and Politics has gained my utmost interest throughout my entire high school career. I saw injustice in the system when I was eight years old; my brother was falsely accused of murder and convicted for homicide “without physical evidence”. They took him away when I was in third grade and suggested that a slight chance of his parole will not rear its head until I am 33. I feel the struggles of having an incarcerated brother and confidant; my nephews have a father in 21st century servitude. At the time, I wished I could have done something; now I know it is not too late.
Examining his trial’s circumstances and acknowledging the tendency of black unity, I realized the emotional commitment and an empathetic understanding black lawyers have for their black clients. This is not to justify crime, but to present an opponent to over-sentencing and mass incarceration. I wanted to be one of the unwavering attorneys who could curb black incarceration rates and revolutionize the various conditions of black people in America and abroad. However, this inclination will remain unadorned without the accompaniment of a law degree and bar certification.
For the time being, my plan is to double major in political science and African-American studies at the remarkably prestigious Howard University. The core of my occupational desires rests with black consciousness and empowerment, treasures I am grateful to be a beneficiary of. I am immensely inspired by black fighters whose spirits and determinations drive me to an insight that cannot reach its full potential unless on HU’s campus.
Attorneyship is not my only aspiration. I will collaborate my educations in political science and Afro-American studies as a tool for the restoration of the black community. According to the great Frederick Douglass, “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” Supported by both of my baccalaureate degrees, I will also strive to establish a chain of black independent schools throughout our country and abroad to prevent the ills of miseducation and eradicate the potency of the school-to-prison pipeline. Due to my firm belief in selflessness, intergenerational progress, and community service, my chosen career path will never be viewed as a task, but an obligation.
Therefore, my heart does not foresee rapacity over Howard’s fruits of education. I vow to incite campaigns, movements, and clubs to give back to the campus. My mentor abilities, leadership, and ambition are as much necessities as my personal belongings will be on move-in day. I already have visions of providing the Howard Middle School with a mentor program similar to the one I engage in at Frederick Douglass Elementary School. Because I intend to continue aiding youth in attending their chosen institutions with tutoring, resumé building, essay workshops, and networking, my HBCU Awareness Campaign has capability of interstate and international effectiveness. I along with other prospective HBCU students have invoked plans for an on-campus Black Panther Party, a collegiate sector of the All-African People’s Revolutionary Party, a black business exposition forum, and a plethora of other programs that would benefit our communities.
Receiving this scholarship will not only be a benefit to me, but to every coming generation of America, because no one can see liberation until all are liberated from oppression. Howard University will provide me with a new standard of discipline that will not only facilitate achieving my goals, but usher me into a state of womanhood and maturity that could never fail. To fulfill my obligatory duties as a black woman with accreditation from Howard University is a fierce and unshakable desire of mine that will never rest unless accomplished. The organization will make no mistake in sewing a seed of faith into such a determined and avowed young leader.

Vote for Amari J Spencer

 

How Art has Inspired Me

by Hannah Gonzalez

I have always possessed a deeply rooted love for everything artistic. Even when I was quite young, I was a very artistic person; I loved to draw, paint, dress up, and perform. When it came to school, there was no subject that I loved more than art. The few art classes that I got to take in elementary and middle school were the classes that I look forward to the most when coming to school. Back then, my love of art class did not even have anything to do with trying to be a good artist, but, rather, the fact that I wanted to learn. I wanted to know about new forms of art, be able to try something new, and let my ideas fly free; that is why I loved the class so much. I believe I was so interested in art back then, and still am now, because I have always felt an artistic calling. Every art class I ever took always inspired and encouraged me to create and bring my thoughts to life, and I believe this has had a great influence on my choice to go into costume design. One of the things I enjoy doing most in life is both designing and creating. There is nothing more amazing to me than seeing a design I have created go from being an idea on paper to coming to life right before my eyes. It was in high school when I realized I wanted to do what I loved for a living. At the time, I had been tossing around many ideas, all relating to art, when thinking of a career choice to go to college for, but none of them truly felt right until I discovered I could major in costume design. Art has always been the subject that I have loved most for as long as I can remember, and I believe I will continue to love it at all times. It has helped shaped who I am today and I am very grateful for what it has taught me.

Vote for Hannah Gonzalez

 

The Subject That Caught My Eye

by Ezekiel Arambula

If I had to choose just one subject in which I enjoyed learning the most about, I would have to say Reading. Reading is just the building block into proper communication, it is the gate and within is any story or life you can dream of, Reading is the mother of all knowledge, To whichever other subject I could have chose, it would require me to read and that is what led me to enjoying every possible chance of gainable knowledge. Although I enjoy the subject of reading I don’t think I would pursue it as a major, however it did cross my mind to pursue an English Major as well as the career of becoming an English Professor. Besides the fact of not focusing my career around Reading specifically, I will always come across the factors of reading itself.

Vote for Ezekiel Arambula

 

Standing on the shoulders of giants

by Jamie Black

March into battle with George Washington and fight against the Redcoats for freedom. Help Martin Luther nail his 95 theses to the door and reform the Catholic church. Sail the Atlantic aboard Christopher Columbus’ ship to discover the Americas. All of these are possible with a little imagination and by studying history. This is why history is the subject that is the most interesting to me. When teachers engage their students by using exciting lessons to captivate kids, students learn lessons they’ll never forget.
Because of this great nation’s attention to historical records, we are able to take field trips back in time, dig in deep, and figure out why the world is the way it is. This focus on history (both good and bad) is what allows us to improve the future for generations to come. We can see what was successful in the past and use those practices to improve our communities today. We can research the people who shaped our world, and learn from the giants who are holding up civilization as we know it.
By taking a trip back in time we can also view our mistakes. We can reflect on our world’s tragedies, like Nazi Germany, and take steps so that events like the holocaust never happen again. More than anything, I am most interested in this subject because I had teachers who allowed my imagination to run free and who took me on adventures through history regularly. When I think about my future career of teaching, I focus my motivation around these teachers.
I want to be a teacher so that I can send my kids back in time on those field trips. My dream is that I can lead them on adventures in the classroom where they will use their imaginations to see the dinosaurs, to see the first independence day, and to walk on the moon with Neil Armstrong. Because of my teachers’ interest in historical giants, they became giants in the eyes of myself and other countless students. Someday, I hope I am a giant of sorts to my students, so that they can stand on my shoulders and propel themselves into the future and into history.

Vote for Jamie Black

 

Reading can be essential.

by Elizabeth

In school, the subject I enjoyed learning the most about was in my reading class. My reading class was like no other class, it was the class where we challenged our ability to be open minded and where my teachers would take us on an adventure through a book. I remember how much I enjoyed it when my teacher would call to us “Carpet Time!” that meant we had to gather around in the carpet while she read to us. I enjoyed learning about so many things in this class like learning to increase my vocabulary, learning to write, and most importantly reading at a higher level. I felt determined to become a better reader because when I saw the chapter books length I knew that was my next goal and once I made it nothing could top the feeling of finishing a book. I was interested in this subject more than others because I loved to challenge myself to how many books I could read or what my next Lexile would be if I was dedicated. I realized that reading could take you wherever your imagination couldn’t take you because reading was something that made me forget about my problems and seek the opportunities I could have in the future. I plan on pursuing a career around this subject because I feel very passionate about reading and writing. I aspire to become a publisher in the near future at a leading publishing company like Harper Collins, Penguin Books, or Random House after I graduate from college with a bachelor’s degree. However, my mission is to ensure children in developing countries have access to books the way I did because it was essential in my life and I believe it’s the solution to poverty, I wholly believe my love for reading has lead me to pursue a career in this field.

Vote for Elizabeth

 

What subject you enjoyed most learning about. Why do you think you were interested in that subject more than others? Do you plan on focusing your career on that subject?

by Sarene Morgan

I have taken a variety of classes as a student at Cass Technical High School, while also balancing work, academic and civic clubs, and 4-years on the volleyball team (JV and Varsity). The subjects I enjoyed most learning about in high school happens to be two classes: Science and English. I think these classes have interested me more than others because I have noticed that I am capable of excelling and being challenged by the rigorous course work. Therefore, at the end of each lesson I feel like I have made a great accomplishment and finally got through the hard part of my classes. These subjects trump any other because of how well I use them together. Considering I am an Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate (APIB) student in many of my science classes, I have had to write plenty of essays or complete big projects that included a play on words while also integrating science techniques.

As a child I envisioned myself as a veterinarian, but as I grew older my career decisions changed frequently as I thought of being a lawyer, anesthesiologist, and real estate agent. After giving myself time, consideration, and thought, I’ve noticed that I always come back to the idea of working in the area of medicine as a career path. Therefore I will focus my career on a combination of English and Science in my studies. My current occupational goal in life is to get a bachelor’s degree as a registered nurse, and then go back to school to get a master’s degree to practice as a certified nurse midwife. I have been accepted to many colleges and universities and have decided to attend Florida A & M University. I am so excited to start on the next step of my education and I am confident that I will succeed.

Vote for Sarene Morgan

 

Favorite Classes

by Jack Vose-Gimbel

Physics and calculus are by far my favorite subjects in high school. The reason I prefer them is that they relate to my career choice of being a civil engineer. Since I was five and a big fan of Bob The Builder, I wanted to be in the building industry in some capacity. I was brought up around construction and it has fascinated me throughout my life. I was engrossed in it so much that I would be asked for my opinion of floor plans at a young age. I was “hooked” and knew that I would either become an architect, a builder, or an engineer. I have always loved to see the process in which structures are created. No matter what the structure, the thrill is always there.

Physics and calculus both relate to my career choice because knowledge of these two subjects is necessary in the critical work behind civil engineering. For example, the natural forces of the environment that affect the longevity of the building and the materials used to construct such a building relate directly to physics and calculus. Physics aids in the structural design because one must understand the forces in the surrounding environment to have a successful and well built design. Calculus allows you to perform the calculations needed to understand the physics.

I have selected Civil Engineering as my major. I am excited to envision all that I will be able to do upon my graduation from college and Graduate School. Maine has a depletion of civil engineers in the state. The state has many bridges and infrastructures that need to be replaced and repaired and too few engineers. I am thrilled to think I will be helping with these problems. Not only will I be pursuing a career that I love but I will be helping with construction issues for the state as a whole.

Vote for Jack Vose-Gimbel

 

We The People

by Andranik Zubyan

The subject that I enjoyed, most learning about would be Government. I was so passionate about this subject, not because it was about how the Government works, although it was pretty awesome to finally understand that part of the class. But the politics portion of it, it was so interesting to me on how a regular bill from a citizen could become a law in seven months time. Or how a bill can be vetoed by the president but can be overturned by Congress with a 2/3rds vote.I also loved learning what the people can do the cause change, such as sending a bill to their local City Hall and making a change in the community. This is the reason I love America, you have the freedom to make a change, and no one could stop you.
Most recently the Armenian Parliament voted on a Prime Minister Sargisyan. The people were outraged, not only in Armenia but in the diaspora. The people of Armenia went out marching in protest to the very corrupt new leader Sargisyan. They were met with outrageous police brutality, starting from being hit by batons to being bitten by police dogs, take in mind that this was a peaceful protest. The Diaspora (Us) were astonished by these actions and decided to take action. Since the United States gave the right to peaceful protest to the people, we the diaspora decided we will march to show solidarity with our brother’s, and sisters of Armenia. My whole point is that by going to my history class I found out all the rights, and freedoms that I have as a citizen.
As for my career, I plan on becoming a District Attorney and gaining my experience as a lawyer for the Government. Then proceeding to have my own Criminal Justice Law Firm, to practice law on my own with my team. I would finally like to thank the School Tutoring Academy, for giving me this opportunity to share my interests and goals.

Vote for Andranik Zubyan

 

Mathematical Madness

by Eric

Math, it’s all around us. But the way I see math is much more than just equations, adding, dividing, and so on. I see math as a form of nature that is encrypted into our work ethics. Today, math is being used to its best of its ability.
Since sophomore year, a passion for math grew inside of me like never before. I started seeing how math was integrated into every one of my class subjects and how we use it in situations we never thought math would be used in. I learned how math was used in the angle at which a football player would kick a football, or the volume of a gas tank in how many gallons it can withhold, and especially, in how math is used in financing to predetermine how certain interest rates can boost up your total savings. In my IB Math Sl class, I began learning the connections between math and careers. From that moment, my passion for math grew since I knew I wanted to develop my own business. I knew that math would be an important aspect of my business major. When our math class went into the topic of finance, I knew that that would be the perfect time to fully integrate myself into the lectures and make sure I fully understood what was being taught. Those around me saw how excited I got when our math class got into these sorts of topics that would help me along my journey in developing my business company in technology. I began taking advantage of my math class and would push myself to excel in it by going into my teacher’s classroom during lunch to ask questions about finance and the different components of it. In addition to that, I would use the internet to search videos about finance, interest rate, calculus, and statistics.
Now, as I move onto college, I plan on taking rigorous math courses that can enhance my mathematical abilities and can help me to better understand what the best strategies are in making a profitable business.

Vote for Eric

 

SchoolTutoring Scholarship Essay Contest

by Madison Milam

Subjects in school get harder as the years go by, and become more advanced depending on your skill level in them. Some subjects can also become a little easier depending on which one it is. As for me, my favorite subjects over all of the years are both math or science. I wasn’t as huge a fan of geometry, but the algebras and calculus i thoroughly enjoyed. I also thoroughly enjoyed the biology’s but not so much the chemistry’s. I can’t choose between math or science because I like them equally the same, and excelled in them equally as well. These subjects peaked my interest more than others because I was good at them, I enjoyed learning them, and they always gave me a challenge to push myself to learn and try my hardest to pass them as well. Depending on how much focus and effort you put forth towards them. Math is a exceptionally hard subject if you don’t focus, study, or put forth the effort to excel and do your best. In math you either do well or you just can’t make it. Math is a subject that builds on the years before it. Everything you learn from the beginning in math builds on everything you learn later. Science, however, doesn’t all build on everything you learn in your earlier school career. I am currently undecided about my career I want to venture in, but I am more focused on being a pharmacists. I could take both math and science to my future career. You need science to know the way drugs will interact with one another, and how they will act alone. You can take math to know how to count, calculate the strengths, and factor the important information of the drugs.

Vote for Madison Milam

 

Letting my Dreams Take Flight

by Bradford Backlund

I was in my eighth grade technology class when Mr. Kenny began telling us how planes fly. He started talking about the ailerons, elevators, and Bernoulli’s principle. When I got home that night I dug into my textbook to try and make more sense of it, but my thirteen-year-old mind was still confused.
That weekend, my family and I flew to Montana for my uncle’s wedding, I started telling my Dad about all the different parts of the plane. After listening to the whole lesson Mr. Kenny had given us on airplanes, he said, “Maybe you should be a pilot when you grow up.” That’s when my dream of becoming a pilot took flight.
Since that time, I have been exploring what the life of a pilot would be like. I love looking at and reading about planes, watching them fly and talking to pilots any chance I get. One time, my family and I were in Washington D.C, and we drove to a park that sits underneath the landing pattern a few hundred yards from Reagan International Airport. I stared in awe as the airplanes descended right over our heads. A man named Dave Goldberg came up to us and told me he was a pilot for JetBlue. After he said that I asked him every question I ever had about flying, and by the end of our conversation I told him, “I want to become a pilot and wish you could get me a job right now.” Now I go out flying with anyone who is willing to take me up. Next year, I will begin pursuing my dream at Purdue University in their Professional Flight Program.
I believe that I was so interested in this subject because of how little I knew about flying. I go on a plane once or twice a year, but it wasn’t until my teacher started teaching me about this subject that I became dumbfounded by the idea of thousands of pounds of metal and steal flying thirty thousand feet above the ground. Then, the more I started understanding, the more I thought about someday flying one of those huge aircraft. Now, four years later, I am preparing to follow my dream in college.

Vote for Bradford Backlund

 

Writing: a gateway to freedom

by Yhaya Bey

School can be fun, boring, and stressful, but most importantly school plays a major role in your childhood. A common question people ask to students pertaining to school is “What is your favorite subject ?” When asked this question, my response is : “My favorite subject in school is Literature”. To be more specific, I love writing. When writing you are given the opportunity to express yourself, create stories, and go on literary journeys.
To begin with, I believe that I am interested in writing / literature more than the other subjects because I was given the freedom to express myself through a different form of communication. Writing is my gateway to telling tales, telling my truths, and conveying my imagination. Even though I enjoyed Math and Science, both of these subjects involve writing. Writing to me is the basis of all subjects in school.
In addition, I plan on studying vocal performance in college. At first glance this may not seem like it has anything to do with writing. However, writing has a big influence on singing. Without writing, lyrics to your favorite songs wouldn’t be able to be read during karaoke, sheet music in Chorus wouldn’t exist, and songwriters would never be able to write their music. Although writing will not be my major in college I plan on furthering my knowledge with writing through music.
Furthermore, I began to love writing in elementary school. I would write stories and write every single note the teacher displayed on the board. I really started to have a passion for writing when I learned cursive. I taught myself cursive and I loved how the letters would flow together with a effortless wrist movement. It seemed like I was talking, but on paper. I write to-do lists, songs, stories,letters, and occasionally about my day/ diary entries.
In conclusion, Writing is my favorite subject in school. It gives you the ability to communicate your ideas, tell stories, and write music without talking. I plan on writing music as well as diary entries and personal writings in the future. Writing is a gateway to freedom. “The art of writing is the art of discovering what you believe.” – Gustave Flaubert

Vote for Yhaya Bey

 

The Beauty of Language Arts to Achieve Literacy

by Alicia Longmire

She walked up to the board and spelled her name for the first time. She began to cry tears of joy as she put the chalk down. She was a step closer to achieving literacy in language. This was my experience in Honduras that has shown me the power and beauty of language arts, my favorite subject. Without knowledge of language arts, literacy is impossible to acquire. It gives power and resonance for those with a voice or just a simple writing utensil. One speech, ‘I Have a Dream’ by Martin Luther King Jr., brought unity among many blacks and whites of segregated United States that inspired our nation to finally be ‘free at last’ by having strong minds and soft hearts. This is an example of how language arts can change the world. Unlike many subjects in school, language arts occasionally does not have a right or wrong answer because I can clarify my answer out of anything. By expanding my outlook on the world around me, language arts gave me a taste of literature and pop culture while providing an in-depth knowledge of history and philosophy that echoes the words of the people and their past to now influencing the 21st century. Within my experience of language arts, it forced me to step out the small box of my self-centered thinking by exposing me to the world that people are living in. Language arts is one of the few subjects that allowed me to fully embody the character or author and walk in their shoes.
Although my future career as a teacher working abroad includes many aspects of language arts, such as literature, vocabulary, and even foreign language, incorporating that into teaching has the power to change many lives, including the increase of the literacy rate. Currently, there are 775 million people in the world who are illiterate, with another 152 million children set on the path of illiteracy because they are unable to attend school thus continuing the never-ending cycle of poverty in many countries. By helping my students achieve literacy, I believe I have the power as an educator to battle poverty, improve health through informational readings, progress social growth, and expand political and economic contribution. Today, my passion has extended to over 100 hours of service over the years to help students in America, Honduras, and Nicaragua to reach literacy and improve their reading, writing, and vocabulary skills. Today, I have watched many students write resumes, beautiful essays, and learn how to think critically by educating themselves of the world around them through literature and extensive vocabulary. Sometimes, my students have thought differently from others, but great things transpire when somebody thinks entirely different. I believe the cure for cancer or AIDS is possibly hidden in the mind of a student who cannot obtain literacy due to economic factors, political factors, or for simply being a woman. As a future educator, I believe I have the power to help students achieve literacy regardless of the circumstances.

Vote for Alicia Longmire

 

Science Prompted Me to Seek Change

by Alyssa Luber

I intend to major in the field of biology and pursue a doctorate degree. These intentions are guided by my passion for science and more so, a drive to help those intellectually disabled obtain proper diagnoses and treatment. All the while, advocating for the inclusiveness and better understanding of mental, and psychological disabilities.

I have always been a very engaged and intrigued learner. I have taken various Honors/AP Science courses throughout high school. The rigorous work load, although difficult at times, was always done with a sense of internal motivation. I persisted in my work because the curriculum fascinated me. From anatomy to chemistry to biology and psychology, I would leave every class captivated by the lecture or lab. In these classes I was encouraged to develop my own understanding of the world and its components. In biology I uncovered the intricacy of our relations with the rest of the world’s organisms; in psychology I delved deeper into complexity of the human mind . Through it all I left class stimulated and with hundreds of questions. With every answer came twenty more questions that no text book had the answer to. The burning curiosity I had about the world pushed me to find ways to generate my own answers through personal research. The endless search for answers to questions is what drove me to pursue a career in the medical field. I want to uncover the answers behind human psychological disorders and uncover the right solutions and treatments so families of the mentally disabled have answers to their questions.

I intend to make a difference in society by pursuing a career in Pediatric Psychiatry. My interest in the field was fined tuned in my psychology course. The depth in which we delved into psychological disorders and the lack of familiarity many students showed towards the subject left me intrigued and unsettled. There was a reminiscing stigma surrounding psychological disabilities; something I intend to change as I further my education. I want a chance to show society that psychological disabilities are not limitations if you understand the disability and the individual who has it. There needs to be a greater knowledge base on intellectual disabilities and a greater sense of optimism.. In college I plan to learn and engage in meaningful research to uncover ways for people suffering from mental challenges to reach their full potential.

Vote for Alyssa Luber

 

Cut. Strip. Crimp. Repeat.

by Audrey Ahlenius

Cut, strip, crimp, repeat. I joined FIRST Robotics my freshman year and fell in love with electrical engineering. I had always known I wanted to study science, but until I joined this program, I never thought of engineering as an option. The feeling of excitement when faced with a problem that can be solved through the miracle of electricity is almost indescribable. I had entered a whole new world; I stopped thinking about Netflix and sleep after school, and I started thinking about crimping and soldering (okay, I still thought about sleep). It all made sense to me because electrical engineering is like a puzzle, which is how I view engineering in general: a puzzle that needs solving. I fell deeper in love with the discipline when studying electricity in my physics class; from simple circuits to electromagnetic induction, I was eager to learn more. Somehow, when my peers were struggling to understand the abstract concepts of electricity, it all clicked for me. Currently, I am working on a research paper and lab about the efficiency of solar panels with different wavelengths of light because helping end climate change is one of my long-term goals as an engineer. I am incredibly interested in the electrical engineering problems and solutions that arise with renewable energies, and want to continue to research on that topic in college. Unfortunately, my knowledge about electrical engineering is limited because we worked with similar circuit boards every year in robotics, which is why I’m ecstatic about furthering my education in college. Having the opportunity to build new and exciting robots all the time, discovering how to power a city off of renewable energy, and helping save lives by designing machines that perform surgeries are just a few of the reasons I love electrical engineering. The possibilities of a career in electrical engineering are endless, and I am incredibly excited to start my journey.

Vote for Audrey Ahlenius

 

Engineering Technology

by Liam Thomas Orman

My academic career began with entering a technical school. I loved robots and wanted to work with them, so I decided to enroll in the engineering program, one of the most heavily-loaded shops offered at the school. I saw this as a chance to prove to everyone that I was meant to design and create. All of my classes and teachers have been good, but none of them have felt like home to me the way my SkillsUSA class has. I love being there as it is fun, exciting, and a challenge for any student looking to go for gold. I only made it to the district level of competition in my sophomore year, but my junior year proved to be better as my team cruised through districts and scored second place in states—a great personal achievement. I also participated in a competition called SourceAmerica where my group helped a handicapped person with a particular task: we had to make it easier and more efficient work for the handicapped person to be able to hold a mortar in place so they could use pestle and make sure it crushed the mineral well. These two competitions really showed me how engineering was my true calling and how it will soon be my career for life.
I was interested more in this subject than others due to the fact that I wanted to work with new and advancing technologies as engineers are always creating new and advanced inventions that keep pushing the world forward. Other shops and classes don’t offer the opportunities of working with tools and equipment to create whatever I could imagine like engineering has. Entering this class has taught me that anything is possible with hard work and effort.
I plan on focusing my career around this subject as I have grown to love the career the more I worked with it throughout the four years. I am going to college at WPI (Worcester Polytechnic Institute) and looking to have my major be in robotic engineering. The career would allow me to learn electrical, mechanical, and computer engineering. My minor I am unsure about but my career will easily allow me into the world of engineering.

Vote for Liam Thomas Orman

 

Power = Work Done/Time Taken: My Love of Science

by Gabriela Turner

I’m basically a doctor, or at least I think I am. Since I was four years old, I have been a science fanatic. I had the unique opportunity of attending Wildflower Montessouri in Ruston, Louisiana for four years. At Wildflower I was given the opportunity to develop my own learning path, and I filled it with nature. I monitored eggs until baby chicks arrived, I “grew” baby turtles and released them into the wild at my teacher’s pond, I studied reptiles,body systems, chemicals, and ROCKS. Everyday I would collect rocks during recess and hide them in my socks. When I got home from school, I would classify them. I was not the kid that looked at clouds to find weird animal shapers, but I could tell you if it was stratus, cumulus, or cirrus. Science was life. I was so obsessed that my mother was worried that I would not learn how to read. I remember my mother scheduling teacher conferences and asking my teacher if this focus on science was normal. My teacher, my beloved Mrs. Leigh, assured my mother to let me follow my path. So, I filled my path with butterflies, reticulating pythons, comets, gravity, and recycling. Eventually, my love for science fueled my need for reading. I wanted to learn as much as I possibly could learn, and I have.
Throughout my education science has been my favorite subject. I attribute my love of science to all of my wonderful teachers. I hope all students find their Mrs. Leigh, Mrs. Ramona, Mrs. Angie, Mrs. Angela, Mrs. Katie, Mrs. Mitchell, Mrs. Simmons, Mrs. Milam, Coach Riser, Mr. Kavanaugh, Mrs. Freeman, Mrs. Mabou, and Mrs. Pike. I have been so lucky to have teachers that love science as much as I do.
In the fall of 2018, I will be attending Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. I plan on pursuing a degree in science. Even though my mother has tried to steer me in the direction of a more lucrative “science” career, I am destined to be a science teacher. As a science teacher, I will continue to learn more about my favorite subject and hopefully inspire students to do the same.

Vote for Gabriela Turner

Humble Beginnings

by Michael Pantoja Collasso

Without question, I can easily say that the subject I am most interested in is geology. Every time I mention that, it is common for me to receive confused faces with awkwardly forced smiles. I’ve always wondered why that is. There is so much that goes into geology that some people overlook. While it may seem boring to some, a lot of physics and multivariable calculus must be applied in order to get an idea of how our world works. Perhaps it’s because geology doesn’t seem like a very interesting field of study for some people. Sure, many geologists aren’t known for their complicated, yet elegant, mathematical proofs and theorems. And sure, a lot of geologists aren’t truly known for creating a new field of study in terms of physics. But that’s okay. Geologists are much more than just licking rocks and staring at a mineral for days on days. It’s much more than that. It’s about being more in tune with our surroundings and realizing just how lucky we, as a human species, are even able to be alive. It’s crazy to think just how many bullet points had to be crossed off to even have a chance to sustain life. Some of these ideas including the fact that we are just in the sweet zone in the solar system where we are able to have warm days without having to worry about burning up as well as cold winters without having to worry much about another snowball Earth. How fortunate we are to have a moon to help guide the tides and help circulate the ocean waves. The Earth is so magnificent and there is still so much more to learn and that’s why I am trying to get my bachelors of science in Earth Sciences at the University of California, Santa Cruz. I plan on using my newfound knowledge and networks to then give back to the community and educate the masses about our precious planet. I plan on doing this by eventually creating an organization under the name of Connected Universe. A universe that helps spread the idea that everything in this universe is made up from the same materials, and in the grand scheme of things, we are all connected to each other and every thing that exists.

I am furthering my education in geology and earth sciences because I believe that in learning more about our planet, we can learn more about ourselves.

Vote for Michael Pantoja Collasso

 

Western Civilization With Watts

by Hailey Reid

My favorite subject all of throughout 1 2 years in school would have to be my western civilization class with Mr. Watts my junior year. In his class, we learned about early the growth of mankind throughout history and famous event evident during such time periods such as, hunter-gatherers, warriors, soldiers, opposing nations, famous wars, plagues, different culture, religions, and so on. History has never been a subject I have been major fond of, however Mr.Watts made the material interesting, and how they were described posed a major impact on the importance and interesting nature of the subject. I believe this subject was more interesting to learn about because of the effects certain nations had on the other nations when they caused an event to occur such as the Battle of Thermopylae and the events of troy and the trojan horse. Even though I thoroughly enjoyed this subject, I do not believe I will pursue higher education or a career in the subject because it is the only study of history that I truly enjoy, and I do not believe that it suits my education or future plans for my life after high school. Nevertheless, I loved the subject and hope that other after me will enjoy it as much as I did!

Vote for Hailey Reid

 

A Future Female Engineer

by Winnona Li

It wasn’t until sophomore year when I designed, built, programmed, and tested my own robot in a Robotics class that I saw the fusion of math and science, two subjects that I always enjoyed, come to life. I was intrigued and from then on, I obsessively pursued engineering. It was a place that housed creativity and innovation. We designed and analyzed objects and systems in motion. I was equally shocked and amazed, as I applied what I learned from school to design and offer solutions to a problem. I was most attracted to the flexibility and diverse application of engineering disciplines that was encompassed in this field.
I believe that engineering will allow me to apply my skills to all different types of fields and aid different communities. A future project involves a personal goal of applying my skills and knowledge to aid underserved medical communities. Many of these communities have difficulty obtaining treatment for a disorder or such because the ones that are available seem too extreme for me. I hope for a healthier and more accessible solution, and I hope to be a contributor to this change. I believe that the creativity and innovation captured in engineering can aid in creating new and safer treatments. This does not just only apply to the medical field, but many other fields may benefit from the emerging technologies produced by engineering.

Vote for Winnona Li

 

Mathematics

by bethany

The subject in school that I enjoyed most learning about was first spelling. I would always be the one to get one hundred on my quizzes. Even in the spelling bee, I would win but take third place because I was too scared to go up against other schools. I always loved spelling in elementary school, but as I continued to get older, I realized it was not a subject and that I needed something more fascinating. I then became super interested in learning math. My dad is a mechanical engineer and loves math as well, so he would always be the one to help me with my homework all the time. To this day, I still love math and get my dad’s help when I am struggling. I think I am more interested in this subject than others because history makes me want to fall asleep, English is too confusing with all the readings, and science makes me want to fry my brain. It runs in the family because my sister is a mechanical engineer as well and my grandma is a school teacher who specializes in math. Math is the only subject that I enjoy learning and the class is the only class I enjoy going to and will take more time into learning the material and letting it all soak in rather that studying for history or writing papers. I think I might want to include math in my career since it interests me so much. My dad was thinking that accounting would be a good major for me to try. He always says if I do not like it that I can always change it. Since I want to be an FBI agent, he said that by getting an accounting degree, that would be a way of me being unique from all the others because the others will most likely have a criminal justice degree.

Vote for bethany

 

TV Production

by Spencer C Kiley

I learned much in High School, but the subject I enjoyed learning about most was TV Production. While I’ve always been a history buff, TV Production offers a course like no other. First off, it is a very hands-on class. Every week students are in the field, utilizing equipment and software to create projects in their image. There is ample freedom and plenty of tasks to keep one stimulated. Already, this sets the class apart from other subjects in a major way, as boredom is the primary killer of enthusiasm in High School. But being able to play with cameras is just the half of it. Not only are students able to enjoy themselves making creative or informative projects, they are also trained to use industry-standard equipment and programs in the process. Students are given tips of the trade, taught professional techniques, and are even trained in all positions on a news crew. Students are offered plenty of extra curricular opportunities to exercise this knowledge as well, whether it’s recording the school play or hosting the town Christmas Parade. All of these events are captured and broadcasted to local channel 21, allowing students a taste of the real world of TV Production. Given this small preview of life in TV Production, I certainly would love to pursue a career in this subject. It’s easy to forget that this is a school class when you’re having this much fun. The projects are stressful and the deadlines are tight, but I love the challenge. It’s important to me that this line of work is very cooperative, as I work best as part of a group. I love the synergy that comes from bouncing creative ideas off of each other, and I love telling stories. TV Production also offers a perfect blend of creative and technical duties. Utilizing cutting edge equipment and software to create masterworks of art, allows you to truly experience the best of both worlds. There is a sprawling industry out there, and it continues to grow every day. You can find work in news stations, commercial agencies, film companies, and TV channels to name a few. Not only are there plenty of jobs in the market, but many of them are lucrative as well. I am hoping for a dream job in the film industry that will allow me to balance my life and career for a beautiful storyline.

Vote for Spencer C Kiley

 

Public static void main(String args[])

by Ashika Verma

I had already messed up the day before by accidentally trying to go down a nonexistent staircase and showing up late to class. I felt a glare as I bashfully sat down, which was amplified further as the teacher gave me, a freshman, a Programming II course syllabus. This… will be fun.
My teacher assigned me a seat in between two seniors, both of whom irrationally intimidated me. Our first project was to sort even and odd numbers, a simple review from Programming I. I was set. I knew how to do this, why was I worried?
I opened up Notepad and began. Wait. uh. What was the first line again? “Something.. Public.. Main.. Something about strings.. uhhhhhh.”
My face flushed dark red. I had been working so hard to not to embarrass myself on the first day – to prove my worth – but I never learned how to write the first line. My computer at home always filled in that line for me, but how could I neglect learning that line? I panicked. I was too scared to google the answer because I was afraid that my senior neighbors would see me googling such simple code and think less of me. I was too scared to pull out my phone because I didn’t want to get in trouble. I stared blankly at the white screen, which was waiting patiently for me to sort these numbers.
Eventually I befriended all five boys in the class, even the intimidating seniors, who both had major cases of senioritis. I quickly got to know the sophomores in my class, and together we learned the art of writing malicious scripts that ejects CD drives every minute. I watched as my new, unexpected friends pressed Enter, sending 420 copies of our school’s winning score to our rival school’s printer. I participated as well, showing everyone the website I had made and the secret Konami code that redirects to a mashup of my teacher and principal’s faces.
It was this comradery that truly fostered my love of computer science. The supportive environment let me experiment with whatever technology I desired to play with, including coding the robot to my school’s first all girls robotics team and making my own video game. Two concepts became more and more familiar to me as I progressed through high school. Learning to collaborate effectively with others is important for success and for personal growth. I would have never been able to learn so many new things without communication and teamwork. Those programming problems that the five of us tackled were finished together, even when the teacher wanted us to do it alone. I also discovered that the people I’m used to seeing won’t always be by my side, but the fact that I might be the only girl or I might be the youngest is not a factor that will stop me. Just like I powered through and made the best out of my Programming II class, I can power through obstacles and reach any of my goals.
And hey, I even learned that first line.

Vote for Ashika Verma

 

Why Race Gender and Equity is my favorite class

by Kaelyn Baucum

While I have always been interested in social justice issues it was not until I took a class called Race, Gender and Equity, when i realized my true passion is to have a significant role in inspiring and contributing to social and economic equity. In my Race, Gender and Equity class I learned so much about not only myself, but the world around me. This class pushed me from discussing familiar social and political issues, to discussing foreign and perplexing ones. The class quickly became my favorite as I would eagerly take part in the lessons and discussions about microaggressions, gender equality, intersequality, rascim, privilage and so much more.
Race Gender and Equity holds a special place in my heart for a multitude of reasons. For starters this class became a safe space for me in a unique way where I was pushed to think outside what I would normally determine acceptable, but also was a place where I could unload all my hardships and concerns with how the world was. My experiences and hardships were no longer bizarre and incomprehensible. Discussing how race affects disputes was not an ambiguous concept. I was very fortunate to have a teacher who did not let our conversation stop at unloading our problems. My teacher would listen to our concerns than push us to try to come up with practical solutions while also remaining realistic and unbiased. This class left such a lasting impression on me that instead of spending time in my study hall, I go over and participate in her class again.
This year especially, Race Gender and Equity has solidified my desire to pursue a career where I will make a change in the world socially, economically and politically. This class has fueled my desire to want to help those who are under represented and often overlooked. To make the world a truly inclusive environment. One where we are not limited in just the freedom to be yourself, but to create an atmosphere where others are enthusiastic to learn about your culture and identity. To make the world accepting of mistakes for it is in those mistakes learning and growth flourish. My goal is for imperfection to not be seen as a setback, but a stepping stone. Others failures are not seen as an opportunity to one up another, but to help, encourage and collaborate.

Vote for Kaelyn Baucum

 

Politics and People

by Tristan Avalos

The subject I’ve enjoyed most in my schooling would have to be political science. The thing is, I’ve only taken one class in the subject. The professor teaching the course had been a law clerk for a judge on the Ninth Circuit Court of appeals and a 20-year district attorney veteran. Along with those, he was highly educated in history, complementing the political course in a way I did not expect. Listening to someone with his experience and general professionalism was eye-opening in many facets. He used court rulings like Gonzalez v Raich and Washington v Glucksberg to teach us about important Constitutional Amendments, and the ability for the Supreme Court to read and interpret the Constitution in many different ways. I learned things I didn’t know about the Founding Fathers, about how they didn’t agree on many of the Amendments and worded them ambiguously so those who came after would have room to apply them to their very different lives. He showed us how authors’ political leanings can affect how they write their text books. His lesson in this was for us to always get information from as many different sources as possible to avoid being blinded by one side of an argument or issue and become a well-rounded individual. It opened my eyes more to the idea that while you may have a view, belief, or societal preferences, you should listen to others who disagree. It will improve your standpoint whether you agree or not. I understood the point of the class: learn the workings of our government. That was easy enough. Beyond the basics, he taught why the political aspect exists, what was going on in the world when the policies were put in place. He didn’t just tell us about it and move on.

Even though the subject can fascinate me, I will not be pursuing this field as I don’t believe I could do well in it. I am studying human behavior, and this class did show me that there are reasons people do what they do, and because it may seem ridiculous now, it wasn’t necessarily so when they did it.

Vote for Tristan Avalos

 

Language Connects Us!

by Ashley D’Altilio

Did you know that Eskimos have over 50 words for “snow” even though we only have one in English? That, my friends, is linguistics!

In school, I have grown to love Linguistics. Although It is not a common field or subject for most students, such as finance or business, I find is fascinating because linguistics is tied into everything human; how we communicate, how we work, and how we develop. I know that language itself is a science and that it branches from far in the ancient past, into far into the future! From word origins to natural language processing and speech-to-text technology, language is universal in time and it will never fizzle out as long as humans are around. I find it fascinating that humans are born with the intention to try and speak, such as babies saying “da-da” or “ma-ma,” but babies never try and write on their own — that is purely cultural and not biological. I find that incredibly fascinating.

In high school, I took three foreign languages: French, Latin, and Spanish. I love French dearly, and I loved Latin for the knowledge it gave me in etymology, or the origin of words. I was always so different from other students because they dreaded taking languages. I knew that I wanted to do something related to French, and now I realize after taking Linguistics that I want to learn more about it; I cannot get enough of it, and all I want to do is indulge myself in it more.

I want nothing more than to become a college professor and teach Linguistics. I would love to specialize in Sociolinguistics or Language Development (whereas many people in Linguistics get into Computational Linguistics or Psycholinguistics/Speech-Language Pathology). I love the idea of doing research within the field of language development in culture, such as gender pronouns within language, and other changing topics in culture such as slang. It is my dream and I will do whatever it takes to make my dream come true.

Vote for Ashley D’Altilio

 

History: Learn or Repeat

by Benjamin Scarbrough

Throughout my junior high and high school years, I have always had a passion for history. For anyone to study history, they must first determine their view point. I have had many incredible teachers who have helped me grow to love history. I have received both liberal and conservative interpretations of history from different teachers. It is the same history, but the perspectives are different. Each teacher highlights different aspects, giving me a new insight on incidents from each educator. This learning experience has enabled me to have an understanding of history, so that I accept the wholeness of history, not simply the aspects I with which I agree. In addition to various viewpoints, my teachers gave me a deeper understanding and love of history. They provided me with the history in such a way that I learned what I needed to know in an enjoyable manner. My teachers taught me this way by helping me make connections from past events to current events. We could be talking about the close election races of Bush and Gore or Cleveland and Harrison, and then compare those specific election to the 2016 presidential election. After we talk about the similarities, my teachers would discuss the differences between these elections as well. These connections enable me to easily understand those events and to understand our current events even better. My instructors also enabled me to learn that there are reoccurring themes throughout history. For instance, there have always been conflicts throughout history and these battles can often have similar reasons as battles throughout time. My educators have instilled within me a great love of history. I love to learn about history because I have learned that the old saying is true, “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”

Vote for Benjamin Scarbrough

 

Science and Why I Love It

by Carson Anderson

Ever since I was young I’ve had an immeasurable amount of love for science, but a very particular type of science! I truly enjoyed learning about medicine and people. Ever since I was a kid I have always had a knack for wanting to help others. My father, who has had both knees replaced and multiple surgeries, let me help him with his medical needs growing up. It made me feel overly joyous to be able to help him which made me go do research, I wanted to help more people. As I got older I learned more and more about medicine and human anatomy. I learned about many surgeries and even the exact surgeries that were done to my dad which was very perplexing! Any time someone got a gash trying to fix something in my house or someone got hurt on the court while we are playing basketball I felt it was my duty and pleasure to help fix them right up.

In school, for the short amount of time we learned of medicine and human anatomy, I was always intrigued. This particular lesson has always held my interest solely for the fact that I could potentially pick up another small detail which could further educate me on helping others medically. It has always held a special place in every science book through the years that made me excited to get to.

My interest in helping others and the medical field has driven me to pursue practicing medicine. In college I fully intend on staying on track to become a doctor, starting with studying hard in premed. I’ll then proceed to medical school, where I will study for more years and become a doctor. Making my profession not only medicine but helping people every day of my life would be a beautiful dream come true. Helping others and medicine has always been and will always be what drives me to study hard and keep pursuing my dreams to become a doctor.

Vote for Carson Anderson

 

Microbiology: The Miracle Of Life In Its Simplest Form

by Madeline Jones

During one of my first college labs, my microbiology professor stood at the front of the room and addressed us with a simple fact that I have not quite been able to shake–“Each cell, whether its prokaryotic or eukarayotic, membrane bound or non-membrane bound, simple versus complex, is a miracle.” Being 20 with little clue regarding my passions or interests, I was struck by the idea that life in its simplest form was, indeed, a miracle. I quickly developed an interest in the presence of life, its development, and growth.
Within the first week of my lab, microbiology quickly became my favorite subject. During this course, I had the opportunity to watch the miracle of life unfold in the adaptive life of bacterium. I began my education by exploring my campus and collecting environmental samples. After collecting the samples, I transferred the samples onto growth plates via a meticulous process in hopes to achieve isolation of each sample. I, then, had the opportunity to view each sample under a microscope and choose which sample I wanted to pursue for the remaining semester period. I chose the bacterium sample swabbed from the buttons of a vending machine. I then underwent a series of tests to research my sample, and unlock the mystery of the exact type of bacteria I had successfully collected, isolated, and cultivated. I first performed a simple stain with my sample. The simple stain showed the cell shape as appearing rod-like. This led to the interpretation that the environmental unknown cell shape was rods. In the second test, or the gram-stain technique, the bacteria appeared purple when viewed under a microscope. This purple stain proved that the bacteria had fewer lipids and more peptidoglycan in its cell wall, indicating that the bacterium was gram-positive. The test that followed, the motility test, reflected a cloudy appearance with red growth that dispersed beyond the initial stab line after incubation. These observations indicated that the bacterium was in fact, extremely motile. Finally, the catalase test was administered. An immediate reaction occurred after the addition of hydrogen peroxide to bacterial sample. The reaction, or presence of bubbles, indicated a catalase positive result. Immediately following these tests, I identified the organism. The results successfully identified that this bacteria genus as Bacillus. Bacillus is extremely interactive in everyday life. It is the cause of many infections, cases of food poisoning, and other medical traumas; however, it is also used for insecticides and in many remedying antibiotics.
I believe I find this subject so interesting because I had the opportunity to not only identify an organism I interact with daily, but I also had the ability to alter its environment and growth. This subject inspired me so much that I decided to declare my self as a pre-nursing major with a focus in microbiology, and I am constantly reading about microbial life and environmental factors.

Vote for Madeline Jones

 

It’s not art or math

by Jordan Metzler

I have many subjects I enjoyed learning about in high school. Because I want to attend college for architecture, most people would think that art or math would be the focus of this essay. Art and math are my favorite subjects, but the subject I enjoyed learning about the most in school was geography.

I don’t think many people realize how extensive a subject geography is. Most people think it’s all about capitals and maps, but it is so much more. Geography covers basically everything from the ground up. The three main categories of human geography, physical geography and cartography are just the beginning. Under each of those categories are many different subcategories that over-lap with many other subjects. I have been lucky, throughout my life I have had good geography teachers. In high school, my teacher allowed us to discuss a variety of geography related topics freely and openly. I learned many new concepts and different ways of looking at world. Even though I do not plan to go directly into a discipline of geography, I do plan to minor in the subject. There is a relationship between geography and architecture that I plan to explore and implement in my future career. If you think about the design of different buildings around the world, those designs have a lot to do with where the structure is located. That is just one example of how the two areas of study are intertwined.

Another reason I enjoyed learning about this particular subject is the family connection. My mom has her bachelor’s degree in human geography. Learning more about this subject gave us the opportunity to talk about something we both enjoy. Discussing cultures and places with my mother was a positive experience I will cherish. I was also naturally good at geography and got good grades, so that was nice too.

Vote for Jordan Metzler

 

How the World Works

by Zayne Freshley

With the understanding of how the world operates comes the power to change it. Subjects exploring the inner workings and complexity of the world have always interested me, whether it be of the physical world (science), the government or economic world, or the world of the humanity and its habits. My interests cover a vast number of topics which makes it hard to choose one subject and it also attributes to why I have not decided on a major. AP language and Composition offers insight on how humanity has changed and how it has remained unchanged over the centuries. One of the interesting books we read in this class is Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. This book attests to the inherent evils and cruel capacity of humanity– a lesson that is wise to learn before submerging oneself into society. In AP Physics C Mechanics and Electricity & Magnetism, one is exposed to the workings of the physical features around us. Aside from the specific math and physics principles, this class pushes us to come to terms with our own insignificance and the vast nature of the universe even at the atomic level. AP Statistics teaches how to process information, how to seek truth, how realize the cogent pretense of other’s statistics. AP United states Government & Politics and AP Macroeconomics also teach one how to process information and makes one realize the impact of the United States on other countries and the impact of other countries on the United States. Finally, Spanish opens one’s eyes even more to the uniqueness of Spanish Speaking countries. I know that the prompt asked for one subject and in reality all of these subjects fit under the overarching tent of understanding how the world works. To say that any of one these subjects is paltry, is complete ignorance.

Vote for Zayne Freshley

 

Music in the Heart of My Education

by Ampiire Bikangaga

My earliest memory of school involves me sitting in Ms. Fanni’s junior kindergarten music class learning different rhythms and melodies. She was unaware she was laying the foundation for a lifelong appreciation of music. Since then, there has not been a time where I have not been studying music and enjoying what I have learned from taking part. I have taken music class throughout elementary, middle and high school. I am a senior attending an arts high school where I major in piano performance. My love for music in school has led me to go through the Royal Conservatory of Music’s curriculum where I am training for my associate diploma. I think music has resonated with me throughout the years because as someone who growing up, struggled with communicating with others, music has been my means of relating to others. Through listening to music and performing, I could learn how to convey my emotions and how to grasp the emotions of others. It also helped me in more ways than one, including improving my interpersonal skills, neural processing, memory, and my work ethic. This is my formula for success which I attribute to music. Music has shaped who I am as a student and as a person. Going forward, as I embark on my next journey towards my degree, I cannot imagine music not being a part of my life. That being said, although my aspirations to one day be a dentist may not have a lot to do with music, I plan to incorporate music into my practice. Music could therapy in dental practice to reduce anxiety, and I could see why as throughout the years, it has been my form of therapy. Music has made school easier for me and has carried me through many difficult times. It has taught me to set goals and how to believe them. I enjoyed learning about music because it helped me learn about myself and I will carry what I have learned with me throughout my life

Vote for Ampiire Bikangaga

 

Business

by Hamat Bawa

As a child, I had the opportunity of observing my father in the business world. He owns a heavy duty equipment company based in Lagos, Nigeria where he specializes in providing industrial pieces of equipment for the construction of infrastructure in Nigeria and the broader world. Growing up in the business atmosphere as well as working with my father on various occasions fostered my love for the ever-growing business industry. However, despite my growing love for the world of business, I was very much undecided on what area of business I wanted to specialize in. At least, not until my sophomore year of high school where I had the opportunity of taking an Intro to Business/Technology course. In that class, I was able to stimulate my passion for business as well as develop an interest in the crucial role technology plays in many business organizations. With the knowledge I gained from the class, I decided that a career in Management Information Systems would not only be the best line of work for me but the only one for me. With a degree in Management Information Systems, I would hope to be able to help a large number of business organizations adjust to the ever-increasing complexities of today’s world through reducing the lack of clarity around broader organisational strategies and directions as well as ensuring that there is a good balance of forward-looking indicators and lagging indicators which would help provide a clearer picture of business performance which to me, is truly the greatest success.

Vote for Hamat Bawa

 

Science Lover

by Amber Williams

In school I have always enjoyed my science class because I loved learning about the ways scientists came up with things that made our way of life easier. During school I’ve connected so well with science that it’s so natural to me when I do have it on my schedule while in high school. Science is fascinating because it makes us as humans look/see the way the world is made around us and how things work together to form things that we use on a daily basis. Most people feel that science is very difficult to understand because it’s so much involved in learning science. Science also gives you a way of sharing your ideas and thoughts with others trying to figure out why these things happen in the science world. Science is composed of multiple things it really just depends on what type of science you are trying to gain knowledge in. Science has always been so interesting and extravagant that there is always something new to learn or something new being made at this present time. One day I hope to be a person who makes things to improve humans way of life. Science has always been like a fresh breath of air to me always been eager to learn something new about a scientist or a new formula to solve science-math equations. I do plan on focusing my career in science by majoring in biology with a minor in chemistry when I start college in the fall. I feel that it’s very important that I follow my dreams and succeed in the subject that I enjoy the most in life. I plan on studying biology and chemistry so that I can become an anesthesiologist a person who gives the patient medicine before a surgery. My career is basic science how much medicine that past scientists created do I give the patient before surgery. After completing college I plan increasing my knowledge on my favorite subject which is science in the medical school for the next four years.

Vote for Amber Williams

 

Multicultural classroom

by Charis

Riing riing. My teacher’s desk vibrated a little with each ring of the Skype call. A click and then an unfamiliar face of a man appeared on the computer screen. “Buongiorno!” the man spoke with a thick Swiss accent with foreign pronunciations and idioms. We then discussed some cultural anecdotes and differences and how that affects relationships in the workplace.

The next time I heard that ring and click, the face on the other side of the screen was a man with shiny black hair who spoke with a dense Indian accent. Then there was a Chinese man, an English family, and various other people from abroad.

At least once a week, in Entrepreneurial Leadership class, we video called someone from across the world and the US. We, the students, had the chance to ask questions about cultural differences related to working with people from across the world, the challenges that brings, and how to deal with that.
Being one of the few international students in that class, I found the topic of cultural differences very interesting and necessary. I had come from my cultural background into a country with different cultural standards, customs, and traditions and I had to learn to live and relate to the different people in this new country. What better way than a class that intentionally focused on bridging cultural gaps between the American culture and other cultures.

Furthermore, I have always wanted to travel the world. Because the world is made up of cultural groups radically different from that of the city I grew up in Nigeria, I figured taking a class that addressed how to overcome cultural differences as a barrier to effective communication would benefit me in the future.

Entrepreneurial Leadership was only a semester long class, yet it impacted me for life. In addition to connecting with people from all over the world, this class was a catalyst in my passion for learning about different cultures which resulted in a higher cultural and emotional intelligence. These skills, although not strictly related to my future career as a neurological consultant, will be a very essential part of my life. There is no doubt that as a medical consultant, I will be working with many people, and because of my high emotional intelligence, I will better get along with my coworkers and employers even if they’re from a very foreign place like Switzerland.

Vote for Charis

 

How I Turned my Favorite Subject Into my Passion

by Gabriela Moore

In grade school I was always excelled in English. At first, I only enjoyed it because it came naturally to me. As the years went by it became more difficult, and yet I loved the challenge. Reading and writing were what I enjoyed the most. I loved that through writing I could express myself in deeper and more descriptive ways than I could when I was having a conversation with another person. It gave me a voice. Over the years this voice of mine has strengthened and matured. Writing was, and continues to be, my most cherished creative outlet.

When high school came around I began to dread writing essays and reading for class. I soon realized it was because I had to write and read about things that were not interesting to me. I learned to balance the school work with reading for pleasure and writing what I enjoyed. I used my favorite subject in school to help me determine what career path I want to take.

I am currently majoring in Communication Studies with a minor in Public Relations. Anyone who works in the field of Public Relations will tell you that the one skill utilized most frequently is the ability to write proficiently. I am glad I chose a career path that will not only allow me to exercise my writing skills on a regular basis but use those skills in different ways on various projects. For example, I could be writing a press release one day and a blog post the next. The field of Public Relations will provide me with skills I can use in advertising, journalism, and other career fields as well. I am a free spirit and I love that I can take what I am learning in college and what I will learn in a Public Relations job over to other possible career paths and venture into new things as well. A strong writer is always a valued employee. Over the years I have learned to treat every writing project as if it is my last. I put my soul into everything I write even if it is as simple as a description or a headline. I strive for the quality of my work to be immaculate and for that to be my legacy.

Vote for Gabriela Moore

 

Words, Sweet words.

by Rion Paige Thompson

I love words which makes English my favorite subject. From the time I was small, music has been my passion. I love how the words marry the notes as they bring joy to my heart. It’s my greatest desire to focus on bringing music to the world as I write songs and sing words that uplift and encourage. My degree will reflect that commitment.

My mom tells me that from the time I was little I loved talking. To this day, the biggest joy in my life is to talk to others as I tell them about my birth defects and how, with the help of so many, I have been able to overcome them. I was born with Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenital (AMC). This condition causes my hands to curve inward. From birth, it was assumed by others that I would never be able to live a full life.

My condition is evident to everyone. I’m often asked what happened to me. Questions open doors for me to discuss that everyone is different. Some have problems that are easily overcome. I’m able to share the ways that I adapt in order to be self sufficient. Most times I am greeted with open hearts that are eager to help me open bottles of water or a door. I believe that most people are kind and generous when given the opportunity to meet me personally.

I had the opportunity to compete on the reality program X-Factor. At the age of 14, I finished fifth. The show opened doors to me as I travelled all over the country singing and speaking. There are many things that I can’t do, but there are many more things that I can do. It’s my choice to focus on the abilities that I have, no matter how that looks to a “normal” person. I prefer to call my disability “diff-ability”.

Talking about our lives brings about an intimacy that is rare in this time. We are “a mile wide and an eighth of an inch deep” in this society according to my grandma. Language brings us together so that we can resolve conflict, encourage one another, know one another on a deeper basis as we learn to live at peace. I’m eager to see how the words and the songs from my heart impact this world.

Vote for Rion Paige Thompson

 

“Mathematics is the Language in Which Science is Spoken”

by Tian Troy “Garrett” Crossnoe

I have always been interested in numbers. From as far back as I can remember I have enjoyed working and thinking in terms of mathematics. This interest led me in high school to undertake challenging math classes. In particular, I enjoyed AP Calculus (AB and BC). In an effort to challenge myself I took these two calculus classes my junior and senior year. What surprised me was how much my postsecondary and career goals would be influenced by my enjoyment of these classes. I determined to learn about each concept and was excited to move on to the tougher topics, knowing that calculus is a valuable tool for almost everything from finance to aerospace engineering.

In college I plan to major in physics, not math. One might reasonably question why I would choose to not major in my first love of academics, math. I’ve heard it said that mathematics is the language in which science is spoken, and I find that to be a very true. I plan to use what I have learned, and will learn as I further my education, in math and calculus in particular in the research that I want to perform. I continue to be fascinated by math and how many ways there are to approach and solve problems. Calculus is a great example of this. It allows the learner to view unique and individual paths to problem solution. One approach can be equally as valid as another.

Calculus and math have been my favorite subject in school. I anticipate and look forward to these classes in a different ways than my other class subjects. Throughout my years in school I have looked forward to learning something new and math has consistently offered me an ongoing motivation, interest, and challenge. I plan to take many more high-level math classes in college and potentially even take up a minor in the subject as well.

Vote for Tian Troy “Garrett” Crossnoe

 

Mental Health: How I Used Computer Science to Help Others

by Marissa Guzzo

As typical 4-year-olds do, I loved playing and reading and exploring. But I had anxiety. From that young age, I found it difficult to cope with everyday events and stressors. I visited psychologists and doctors, but I simply couldn’t escape the feeling of being alone, of others not understanding me. So, as I learned to live with my feelings, I began to question if others had gone through these difficulties as well.
When I got to high school, I learned I was not alone. Several of my peers would express to me their concerns and fears about mental health, but what stood out to me the most was that they needed treatment they could not afford. I had been fortunate enough to receive help, so I decided to give back to my school community by helping others with mental health.
Immediately, I scavenged YouTube for videos and taught myself to code. I developed an internationally recognized app entitled ‘Feel Good’ that integrated strategies, tips, quotes, music, games, and even an interactive blog to help others cope. I created a focus group where I gave the app to students to test and provide feedback, and most importantly, I made the app free and available to my community so everyone who is struggling with anything from anxiety to nerves before a test could access help at the click of a button.
For my community, the app was an essential development in removing the stigma surrounding mental health and opening up a conversation. Mental health is something that affects one in five children. I learned that I could no longer be a bystander in this issue, so I acted and utilized technology to change lives for the better. It has been the most humbling and rewarding experience for me to help individuals in a way that used to be nearly impossible. This is why computer science and psychology have been my favorite subjects and why I will continue to work on solving issues surrounding mental health by using technology.

Vote for Marissa Guzzo

 

From the past to the future in 50 minutes

by Maria Beatriz Avinte Freire

A “curious soul” is what my Grandma used to call me. Since I was a child, I have a habit of looking, searching, so it wasn’t a surprise when my favorite subject from the moment I start school became History.

In the beginning was just interesting – learning new things about civilizations that existed so long ago like the Egyptians – I could listen for hours but after 50 minutes the class had to be over. However, during this little time I reached as much as I could, listening, questioning, writing. My imagination flew away with all those events, all those different people, times, and cultures; it was like new worlds were open every time the teacher entered the class. Therefore, which kid doesn’t like a good history?

However, during the years passed this childhood vision of just seeing history as a simple storytelling disappeared. When I got into High School, those simple old events became complex but enlightening. I wasn’t only knowing the past, but understanding better what was happening in the present. Better yet, what couldn´t repeat in the future.

The fall of Rome, The French Revolution, the colonization of Latin America and Africa (slavery and acculturation), The World war I, Apartheid, Segregation, World War II, Cold war, Vietnam war, The summer of love….These moments did not seem to be just as chapters in a book anymore, but as makers of the society, we know today. Creators of the good and the bad in it.

All those times when people unity themselves to fight for their rights and believes or to punish and judge some specific group with cruelty tells something about ourselves, and how can we be better while we try to go forward.

And yet, we still talking, fighting and learning about the same things centuries after (sexism, racism, religious intolerance…), meanwhile, some people can’t see to learn from the past mistakes as well to take as an example from the old fights.

Every time I see people talking about wars, prejudices, killings, as jokes or things with no importance, the only thing I can think of is: Do they never had a history class in their lives?

I always say making movies, being a director and a writer, involves a bit of everything, but with no doubt, the knowledge of historical events to make your own fictional history coherent and with a concrete message, it´s primordial.

Vote for Maria Beatriz Avinte Freire

 

I love Math

by Allie Herron

All of my math classes throughout high school have always been my favorite class. From Algebra II freshman year to Calculus senior year, they still remain my most looked forward to hour of the day. I am by no means an outstanding math student, but I cherish how in math there is only one potential answer. English falls below math because of the numerous correct interpretations, I find it overwhelming. I love the satisfaction of finding the correct answer after a difficult calculations. For a career, I unfortunately do not wish to pursue a math teaching degree, but I do wish to become a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. Although math will not be the primary focus in my future career, it will still be an important part of my degree.

Vote for Allie Herron

 

Genuine Excitement

by Kauyen (Abel) Chen

I fell in love with physics, more specifically electricity and magnetism, during my junior year taking AP Physics 2. While learning the theories and applying our understanding on paper was fascinating and definitely necessary, I truly realized how much I enjoyed and loved the subject through discussion and application to real life. One of my favorite clubsat school is our Solar Boat Club. We build a boat from scratch run by solar power to compete against other schools in Southern California. As my first year heading the electrical team, we spent a lot of time talking about ways to maximize efficiency of the battery and the circuitry. For one of our meetings, my team and I traveled to nearby Occidental College for a technical workshop. Throughout the trip, we discussed different theories and concepts with what I can honestly describe as fervent and passionate enthusiasm as we deciphered and connected the circuitry together. We also attempted to apply physics to just about every phenomenon we thought of or came across, such as the relationship between air pressure and flying or how different frequencies and pitches are created. When I finally returned back home, I realized that despite talking about physics for the past 6 hours straight, I was still extremely excited and pumped to research more about these topics. I also realized this was something I would want to pursue and learn more about, possibly even becoming a part of my career.

Vote for Kauyen (Abel) Chen

 

Theatre: My Art and My Love

by Jayda Johnson

The subject I enjoy the most in school is theatre. I love theatre because I have learned many life lessons, more than any equation or lecture. Theatre taught me about myself and why it is important to know oneself before becoming another character. It has taught me to know my inner self on a physical and mental level. We have done many team building and ensemble work-skills that I can apply to the workforce. I have learned how to lead others with compassion and know it’s okay to be led sometimes. In the workforce it is necessary to be able to give and take good constructive criticism and theatre has taught me how to do it. I have learned psychology lessons in human emotion and how to be both sympathetic and empathetic, English lessons in themes and motifs, and history lessons about different time periods and how they connect with my art.
I was always interested in theatre since my elementary school production of The Three Little Pigs. Since then I felt I belonged on the stage. I auditioned for my first show in high school and it was exhilarating. The warm bright lights and dancing in front of a sea of people was addictive. The acting bug bit me and I could not stop. The more I auditioned the heavier my addiction became. My preoccupation with drama inspired me to be involved with every aspect of theatre. My passion has allowed me to be on stage in several productions; from ensemble in freshman year to lead in senior year; and behind the scenes as sound technician in one production and assistant director for two productions. I even became an extra in an upcoming Hollywood movie starring Mark Wahlberg.
In college I will be majoring in musical theatre. I live to be on stage and entertain people for hours if that means sacrificing a “safer” career route. My career goal is to debut in Hamilton, a musical about one of the founding fathers. My dream role is to play one of the famous Schuyler sisters, Angelica Schuyler. I would love to be cast in a production like Fences by August Wilson or A Raisin In The Sun by Lorraine Hansberry because these plays show the inner and external struggle of African American families in dark and racially tough times. Theatre is my true love and a vehicle for my success.

Vote for Jayda Johnson

 

My favorite subject

by Caitlyn Gilcrease

The subject I most enjoyed at school was not exactly a true subject. My favorite subject was AFJROTC and all of the lessons that came along with it. I was able to learn about so many different leadership styles and my own leadership capabilities. I worked up the ranks through going to our summer leadership school as a cadet and then going back the following summer as a Junior Cadet Training Officer to help teach that group of cadets. After that I was honored to be given the title of Vice Wing Commander of my corps where I got to help lead my school’s own cadets.
AFJROTC was not only a class though. It is where I found myself and where I belong. Our unit is more like a family to all of the cadets who are involved. We all love each other as much as our own brothers and sisters. When people get along that well it makes it easy to teach and to learn. Unfortunately I am unable to join the military because of medical disadvantages. But I plan to help support my friends going into the military as best as I can.
My second favorite subject was film. My school has a broadcasting class called KPAW. In KPAW we get to learn about news broadcasting, video editing, and sound and lighting equipment. This class is where I decided what I want to do with my life. I am going to college as a film major and I hope to one day work with David A.R. White. My dream is to create movies that inspire people to be the best versions of themselves. I want to help people. I want to leave this world knowing that I made a difference in people’s lives and I believe that the film industry is the best way that I can achieve that goal.

Vote for Caitlyn Gilcrease

 

Forensic Chemistry

by Jade Casasent

Ever since I was little, I have always enjoyed my science and math classes. I was not terrible at English or history but I had no interest in it. As I got older, English classes got harder and history classes got more boring. Do not get me wrong, I still had good grades but I dreaded going to my English and history classes. To me science and math have real world applications. As I have gotten into higher-level math classes, I realized how hard it is and have focused more of energy on my science classes. The subject I have enjoyed learning the most about has been science but specifically chemistry. I think I have enjoyed learning about chemistry and other sciences because it explains how things in our everyday life work. I love learning about why chemicals react a certain way or why objects fall a certain way. I also believe that my science teachers played a big part in why I love science and plan on studying the sciences. I remember doing hands on science in elementary school. This is where someone would come into our classes and do mini-labs so we could see what we were learning in the real world. This really helped me understand how applicable science could be and how much I enjoy learning about science. Then in 8th grade, I took IPC (integrated physics and chemistry). This is where I fell in love with chemistry. My teacher had such a passion for chemistry and physics, which made learning so much fun and enjoyable. Then I had her again my junior year for AP chemistry. Although this class was hard, I loved learning and I loved all the labs. It showed how everything works at a molecular level. My favorite part of chemistry was the labs and the analytical part of chemistry. Because of all of this, I plan to study Forensic Chemistry. I am so excited to learn more about how everything in our world works and figure out problems with chemistry.

Vote for Jade Casasent

 

My AP Psychology Experience

by Francisco Arroyo

The subject I enjoyed learning about the most was AP psychology. AP Psychology was very interesting for me because I learned how our mind works and how it cooperates with the human body. This class has taught me about everyday things such as: why do we feel different kinds of emotions in certain places, areas, and/or situations and why do muscles stiffen when nervous? As well as situations we don’t think about very much, such as why is being in a group influences our decisions and/or opinions? Overall, I was interested in this more than others because it helped learn why we act and do certain things and how it happens inside our body.

Another reason I liked learning about this subject is that our teacher taught us certain topics by having us do little experiments. An example of these “little experiments” is when were learning about the association of the mental connection between concepts, mental state, and events that are caused by certain experiences. My psychology teacher taught us about our bodily reactions due to a conditioned stimuli, outside occurrences that indicate something is about to happen. In this experiment, we had a student volunteer to sit in front of the class and be blindfolded. The teacher had a spray bottle with water in it and the other students had to read a list of words. The teacher had to spray the student everytime the word “sat” was mentioned, but the student volunteer didn’t know. After some sprays, the student flinched to any word that sounded anything close to “sat”. Overall, these type of experiments are what made AP Psychology class interesting for me.

I really enjoyed my AP Psychology class, but I don’t plan my career around the whole subject of psychology. It may sound a bit surprising because I really enjoyed the class, however, I’m trying to get into the Graphic Designing field due to the plentiful amount of jobs that graphic designing can bring. In addition, I have always enjoyed drawing ever since I was a child. My drawings may not be as skillful as other people’s but I strive to improve. I may use certain psychological topics such as color psychology if I get a career relating to business since certain colors in a logo may bring certain emotions towards it.

Vote for Francisco Arroyo

 

A Subject for Life

by James Nicholas Catlin

When I first started high school, I considered going into a career focused on mathematics. I excelled in math from grade school on and thought about being a teacher or engineer. Then in my sophomore year, my World History teacher asked us to write what our future career choice. I wrote “author” just to have something to put down because I was not sure what I wanted to do. After that I looked into writing jobs and sports writer was listed in the choices. It was like a lightbulb switched on in my head. My lifelong love of sports drove me towards making this my career. As I started to consider writing as a profession I realized that researching subjects and composing essays had been the most rewarding part of my school experience. Mathematics had always been easier but I never felt the satisfaction finishing a math problem that I had from completing a paper. Ever since then I have pursued that career by joining both the yearbook staff and the school newspaper, the Pirate Clipper.
I am the sports editor for the Pirate Clipper and have written two stories for each monthly edition in the last year. I am on the writing staff for the yearbook and have worked hard to improve my writing skills. Recently, I achieved an affirmation of my chosen career by winning the All Missouri yearbook writing award at the Missouri Interscholastic Press Association Journalism Day at the University of Missouri. I also received two Excellence in Sports Writing awards at the same conference for my stories in the school newspaper. I wish to attend the University of Missouri-Columbia to earn a degree in sports journalism. The University of Missouri is expensive but it is one of the best journalism schools in the country. I am excited to start pursuing my degree next year to achieve the career of my dreams.

Vote for James Nicholas Catlin

 

Mi Amor, Español.

by Kase Kolder

Spanish became one of my favorite classes the first day I walked in. Before my eyes was the sweetest woman I had ever me. She had such a passion for teacher and Spanish that I couldn’t help but falling love with the language. Thanks to my teacher, Mrs. Walker, I was able to enjoy the next two years learning Spanish. She made the class alive, her teaching didn’t compare to the other teachers before me and no one has matched her since. I loved to learn from her so much that I would stay after hours and just talk in Spanish with her, about everything, the weather, her day, how she planned on teaching the rest of the years.
Mrs. Walker made Spanish the best class I have ever known. She was the teacher that I went to when I needed help even when I had only known her for a year. She made freshmen year fun and sophomore year exciting. I learned about past participles, irregular verbs, how to speak in different dialects, everything this woman could teach me. I would learn from her with a few other friends for more hours than any of the other students. We all loved Mrs. Walker, she had this personality about her that attracted everyone, it was impossible to hate her.
She made me rethink my entire career. I had always wanted to stay close to home and be an animator somewhere for Disney or Pixar but after hearing her stories of traveling to Spain and Brazil and All over Europe I realized I wanted to explore. Not only did I want to live an exciting life, Wanted to be able to speak the native tongue and live as they did. Even after I had to stop taking her classes, I never stopped learning Spanish. I devoured the language and I plan on minoring in it in college. It is the second most spoken language in the US alone so it will no doubt come in handy. With the future I plan on making for myself, I will become fluent, travel the world animating thousands of movies in everyone’s native tongues, and becoming someone she would be proud to have taught. Thank you Mrs. Walker, you opened my eyes and I refuse to let anyone close them!

Vote for Kase Kolder

 

Music, Math, and Science

by Jaren Logan

Ever since I was young, I have enjoyed being challenged intellectually. Science and math always appealed to me, for their innate sense of critical thinking and problem solving. Math became somewhat of a passion for me as I progressed through school. There was always something about learning new formulas, new concepts, new methods, that made me smile, and over time I gained a true appreciation for it. I even began to excel past other students in both understanding and grades. When it got difficult, I only saw that as a challenge. I never wanted to be beaten by words and numbers, I always wanted to find a way through it.
In eighth grade, I started to struggle with math immensely. I understood the concepts, but when it came time to apply them, I could never see how. This is when school started to get rough for me. I slept in classes, turned in half-completed assignments, skipped lunch. I was ready to fully give up because of one class. In the end I was able to pick it back up and finish with a B for the year, but I still learned something important about myself: when one thing goes awry, I tend to throw everything out of the window. This self realization helped me put things in perspective and become an all around better student. It helped me to realize that when something gets hard, this is simply a challenge for me to overcome.
For my career path, I am choosing to major in music technology, which is essentially music paired with math and science. Over my high school career I strengthened my passion for making music, and I believe in college that I would like to make my two favorite things meet. I have wanted to study the technical part of music since I learned what it entailed – it was like a mixture of my passions. It never struck me that music’s best engineers were also secretly some of the world’s best mathematicians, and I think that revelation is all I need.

Vote for Jaren Logan

 

Mathematics: The focus of the Universe

by Jorge Arnesto Lorio

Throughout my high school career, I always took advanced mathematics, and enjoyed learning about what lies beyond the current topics I learned. When I was in my freshmen year of high school, I studied within the IB system, and I took a class called Accelerated Mathematics, which included mathematical content from years 10th and even some basic trigonometry and logarithmic properties. In the final year of my high school career, I am undertaking AP Calculus AB, which has opened my eyes to different methods of calculating the phenomena around the world.

The reason as to why I enjoy mathematics so much is because it is the most versatile an applicable subject that is out there, and is the best attempt humanity has developed to explain the phenomena that occur in the universe.

Ever since I was young, I enjoyed learning about the functionality of objects around me, and ‘why?’ could be considered to have been my favorite question. For my graduation from kindergarten, I earned the ‘Critical Thinker’ award; and to this day I hesitate whether I deserved it, or if my teacher was grateful for finally getting rid of me.

My current self perceives mathematics as the foundation for modern physics, and has been used to develop the intricate architectural systems that occur in the world today. It can be also applied within statistical terms to social sciences, such as economics (which can serve to measure the health of the economy), medicine (in the architecture of the modern equipment used by doctors), sociology and psychology (as formulas have been developed that predict the behavioral patterns of people under specific circumstances), and even helping the environment (with the development of intricate technologies and supercomputers that have created formulas that predict safe patterns of performance for business methods of productions, as well as preventive measures of safety during times of international crisis).

My ultimate goal in life is to develop technologies that future generations of humanity can benefit from. My current decision for a major lies towards computer engineering, as with this major I believe I can be able to acquire the basic knowledge to develop intricate computer systems of various kinds (including the type of photovoltaic cells present in solar panels, to the dense alternate current circuits that make up power lines).

Vote for Jorge Arnesto Lorio

 

From a subject to a career… A way of life

by Kela Kidd

The subject I have enjoyed most in school has been band/music class. It’s not your average class. When thinking about the essay topic people usually think English, History, Math, or Science and choose between those four… but mine is definitely not. While I have excelled in all the courses I have taken I have really excelled in band. Band has been a course that I have fallen in love with. The music that we have played has spoken to my soul and has made me feel all the feelings one human can have. For our MPA concert view I had several solos in The Witch and The Saint by Steven Reineke, a story about twins and one of the twins had to die because in those days twins were known as bad luck, and the last thing in the music played was my solo and it was a symbol for the death and when performing it I felt dead and that is how I should’ve felt. Band has taught me many qualities such as leadership, time management, how to handle people, how to use tools and fix things, and of course play many instruments. Band has gotten me through my life’s toughest times. The music has always been there when I haven’t even been there for myself. It is a class I enjoy and because I enjoy it so much I have decided to make it my major. I plan on going to college for music composing, performing, education, and therapy. Music has helped me at my lowest point and I would love to share it with others through these paths and help them when they are in need through the act of music.

Vote for Kela Kidd

 

Building My Future

by Hannah Perry

Math, English, science, social studies, and physical education. These subjects have always been the basis of education but as for the basis of mine, I focused most of my time in the architecture room of my high school. Being able to go to a high school with an architecture program changed my life. I was interested in this subject because i had lived in eight different homes and each one was incredibly different. Architecture helped me put a name to each of the styles of houses I had lived in and encouraged my curiosity to learn more. My passion for architecture helped me get more involved in other subjects as well. Math and physics allowed me to understand the structural aspects of how a building stands and English allowed me to better my public speaking skills which is important to communicate to clients. Even though I think I have always been interested in architecture over other subjects, it has certainly helped me branch out to other subjects that are major contributors to my success within the study. I have the architecture course to thank for helping me realize that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I plan on going into a career in architecture. I will be attending Wentworth Institute of Technology to study Architecture and later, become an architect with my own firm. Not only do I want to contribute to my society by adding to communities but I want to reinvent the way we place buildings in different environments. A structure shouldn’t take away from an environment but only add to its surroundings. It was because of this subject at my high school that put me on the path to my future. I had always loved looking at the different styles of structures but never did I think I would be able to learn a subject that would literally help me build my future.

Vote for Hannah Perry

 

My Passion for Engineering

by Evan Lin

When I was in sixth and seventh grade, I always gravitated towards construction projects, such as creating a stable toothpick bridge or a pulley system to lift varying weights. In eighth grade, I took a CAD (Computer Assisted Design) course, and I loved it. The concept of virtual design fascinated me from the very start. In high school, I continued to participate in engineering classes which placed a heavy emphasis on the usage of CAD software. In my spare time, I often visualized ideas through design sketches. In taking the Specialized Computer Assisted Design course, I tested out many of my ideas by creating 3D models and taking into account their dimensions, shapes, and other design factors. I greatly enjoyed taking the Engineering Design class which placed an emphasis on creating stable architectures. Exploring the possibilities of design taught me the fundamental concepts of support, material, and dimension. In my Senior Research Project, I have been exploring the use of creating architectural designs in AutoCAD Revit, a CAD program designed for architecture, to encourage interest in CAD and to provide a readily accessible method to learn about CAD.
Along with a passion for CAD, I loved to watch my grandfather build. With simple tools (a spade and cement) and bereft of any level of college education, he was able to do so much. He became a significant inspiration for me to pursue my passions in civil engineering. Aiding my grandfather in whichever endeavor he was currently focused became a favorite pastime. Whether it be helping him to dig out space for a pond, laying the base for a stone pathway, to even hauling up concrete blocks to help him build a house, I delighted in helping him work. The work was difficult at times but seeing the result, in the end, was gratifying. Through my grandfather, I learned practical skills. Through my classes, I honed and broadened those skills. I plan to improve and build upon the experiences I’ve had and explore the possibilities and limitations of construction. At college, I hope to take this passion as far as I can through research and the classroom.

Vote for Evan Lin

 

My Journey to Public Health

by Emily Hou

My freshman year I began working as a Youth Tobacco Educator to address public health inequality in the Berkeley community. I joined to learn about tobacco and help educate my community and family to become tobacco-free.
Every day after school, I learned about different tobacco products, marketing strategies of tobacco companies, and the influence of e-cigarettes on young students, with a facilitator. Freshman through junior year, I worked five hours every weekend to organize community health events, such as the Heart 2 Heart Mobile Van, the Berkeley High Health Fair, and to prepare for presentations on tobacco prevention in Berkeley High’s classrooms. My team and I designed a workshop about electronic cigarettes to educate high school students. We taught them about the negative impact and all the myths because it is the trending tobacco product among young people.
Through outreach and community health events, I learned that a surprising number of my peers know nothing about the problems with tobacco. I urged my facilitator to conduct more workshops and presentations for Berkeley High students in order to prevent more students from smoking. As a result, my team and I held many presentations across the campus every week.
I also participated in the adoption of second-hand smoke regulation for multi-unit houses in Berkeley and the banning of tobacco products in stores like Walgreens, CVS, and Target, to reduce tobacco use by minors. By the end of the 2015-2016 school year, our awareness campaigns and community events led to the decrease of students’ tobacco product use by 30%. Our programs fundraised over $2,000 to provide free tobacco cessation services and continue hosting health events.
I became a youth educator because my mom was a lifelong smoker. Fortunately, I successfully educated and persuaded her to quit smoking. My family had been financially disabled because of my mom’s addiction to tobacco. Therefore, I’m proud to be an educator and address the health inequality in Berkeley. The experiences of building healthier communities have inspired me to be major in public health and become a professional health educator to assist others in need further.

Vote for Emily Hou

 

Mathematics

by Renee Robertson

I most enjoyed learning the subject math. Math is the abbreviated word for mathematics. Mathematics is “the abstract science of numbers, quantity, and space as physics and engineering.” The math course is one of the STEM courses. STEM is the acronym meaning science, technology, engineering, and math. While all these classes are my favorite because they go hand in hand, math just happened to stick.
I believe the mathematics caught my interest because I love numbers and solving problems. Math reminds me of a crossword puzzle. You know the riddle but have to figure out the word, the position in which it goes, and ensure you have enough blocks for the word you think is correct. In math it is exactly the same. You have the equation to use for the math problem (a+b=c), you have with given (a=3, b=6), and thus forward you find the solution (c=9). I say all this to say math allows you to use your mind in ways you can’t imagine. When I was just about nine I would go to my moms job and I would do her audits at the title loan place.
I also use to count her drawer for her and her safe deposit wallet to ensure she had the amounts of money she was expected to have. At her job I would also help her read time. Instead of saying “mom it’s 6:45”, I would say ”it’s a quarter till seven”. I’m eighteen now and she still struggles with the same thing. With all that being said I knew that numbers was something I was good with. Although I didn’t do much to help my mom with math, I knew that what I did know/do shocked her due to me being so young. Math then forward became my thing. If anyone needed help with math homework I was the girl they’d go to. I have always been a grade ahead in math since then. Just imagine a seventh grader already taking freshman algebra!
Although math is my subject choice I do not plan to focus my career around it. I want to be one a nurse and then later on become an OBGYN. That career requires more science than anything. It shouldn’t be so hard, science was always my second favorite. If nursing doesn’t work out for me, becoming an accountant is always an option.

Vote for Renee Robertson

 

Journeying to the Land of Milk and Honey

by Vincynthia Reeder

A subject that I enjoyed learning the most about in school was, *drum roll please* Chemistry! I know that probably sounds absurd but I found it very interesting. I went into the class nervous. All my friends had told me how challenging and hard it was going to be- even some told me they failed it. Hearing all the rumors made me anxious but then it also motivated me to dedicate a lot of time and effort into this subject. When the class first started I was so frightened because it was very confusing to me (I started to believe that I was going to end up like my friends) but once I started reading the book more and practicing the formulas I found it so interesting and mind blowing. It’s so amazing how everything is made from tiny atoms and molecules. All the substances we have around us can be combined with many different substances producing our cleaning necessities, make up, and so much more.

It was so remarkable noticing how much my teacher loved chemistry. She made it so interesting by showing examples during class of certain theories that are believed. The commitment and love she had for Chemistry helped me see the beauty in it as well.

Focusing my career solely on Chemistry is not what I want to do. I want to eventually get my Doctorates in Physical Therapy. But, this does include taking Chemistry classes so I am excited about that. Chemistry is a beautiful subject when the time and dedication is put into it. Chemistry can make a lot of sense when work is put into it. Truthfully, many subjects we take in classes are very interesting but it is on us to work and master these subjects to find the beauty in it.

Vote for Vincynthia Reeder

 

Math Nerds Rule!

by Levi Howard

From a very young age, I’ve enjoyed using math properties to solve mathematics problems. I always try and find a new way to solve a problem, even if there already is an order to find it. I noticed this in junior high because my algebra 1 teacher was the first teacher to allow her students to use any way they wanted to find the solution as long as it was correct. Before this most teachers wanted their students to adapt to the teacher’s thinking, now we had the freedom to find our own way. I loved this because I sometimes found the teachers way confusing and hard to follow. Having more than one way to find the solution makes it a lot easier. This teacher was also my teacher for a class called GTT (gateway to technology). She was the one who sent on the path to loving math and going into the field of engineering. I like that because now I’m going to Louisiana Tech in the fall and if my junior high teacher hadn’t allowed me to express myself mathematically none of this would be possible. Other subjects have strict guidelines that students have to follow to get a cookie-cut answer. Math is different, in the field of mathematics the solution has to be correct but the process of getting it can be completely different from person to person. Just the other year I was taking trigonometry and I saw that finding the difference between two given vectors was quite complex. I felt that there had to be an easier way to solve it so I began experimenting and found a new way to solve it using my own personal formula. I talked with my professor about it and he told me that I could have just created a new formula and that I should talk to the college math department head about it. At the time I was only seventeen, since then I’ve made great advances in the field of mathematics. I will be going into the field of biomedical engineering and I will get a minor in mathematics so I can teach math to upcoming students.

Vote for Levi Howard

 

Tell us what subject in school you enjoyed learning the most about. Why do you think you were interested in that subject more than others? Do you plan on focusing your career around that subject?

by patricia josephine

Every student has a favorite subject in the school include me. When i was in high school i have my favorite subject. It was math class. i think learning math is fun and easy. Also we learning to solve the problem in the fun way then we solve a problem on the other subject. Why I love learn math? because we do not need to remember too much like history or biology and we just count the number and solve the X. I’m typical person that do not like to remember things but i like counting. Some people said “oh…. learning math is so hard.” Other said “uughh i do not like learn math. Math is so difficult.” i think people said that it just they do not try hard and they just give up to solve the problem. In the future i will become an accountant or a math teacher or anything that related to math i will take that job. My second favorite subject is chemistry. I like learned about chemical things in chemistry. Also, chemistry is related to math so i like learned chemistry. when i was In the high school i always get A in both subject chemistry and math. Overall i hope people that do not like math become to like learn math.

Vote for patricia josephine

 

Dreaming In Spanish

by Deena Fayyad

Spanish (n): melodious, pungent, and full.

At eight years old, I fell in love. A curious, foreign type of love. My love for you, Spanish.

I’ve always had a tune for foreign languages- probably because I’ve been around them my whole life. I am blessed to live in a community that appreciates and honors the cultures of others. Whether it was Filipino, Japanese, Hindi, Urdu, Arabic…. I would always bug my friends to teach me their families’ native tongues.

At ten years old, I was forced to say goodbye to my first love when my schools’ administration decided their budget was better spent in other subjects. I continued to fill my language curiosities elsewhere, but felt a void where you had been.

When I moved to a new school district for high school, I decided to give you another try… mostly because others’ told me French was harder. As a freshman, I had forgotten the times we shared watching Dora or singing tunes with Profe in school. I had found new teenager passions and you were no longer part of my agenda.

But as first loves often do, you didn’t leave me alone. You made me reminisce on our good times, reflect, and hope. So, I decided to give you another try.

Those first years were the rockiest in our relationship. I had forgotten the most basic elements of your personality and struggled with every Spanish class. But that’s what made me so much more interested in you than all the other subjects. You always brought new things to the table and made my life more exciting. My curiosity in you never failed to motivate me.

I love listening to you on the radio and telenovelas, reading you in stories, and singing your sweet melodies. And I know there is even more to you that I plan to explore in the future.

In university, I plan to minor in Spanish and continue strengthening my relationship with you. I also want to take you to new countries and learn Spanish cultures through a study abroad for one of my years in university.

I’ve learned that first loves are often the hardest to forget and easiest to embrace. With Spanish, I’ve found opportunities to connect with others and make a positive, global impact.

Hemos hecho más que empezar.

Vote for Deena Fayyad

 

Family

by Whitney Harper

My favorite class would be family relations, because I cant to learn how important families are and also the different types of families, and how those types of families work. Something else that was really nice to talk about was learning the different types of love so I know where I am at and where other people can be at since we are not able to understand or read each other the right was. its good to know when we are really in love with someone or if we just like them because there is a big different with so if we know the different it will help us. I will use this info in many ways, in making my future family and running daycare because my dare will be a family to be and I will want to learn different family types, the right way to express love to them. So its now up to me to apply this to my future.

Vote for Whitney Harper

 

Film Production as a Career

by Vincent DeSantis

Film is important to me because it helps people remember things. Whether a film documents a true event or is a fictional story, both can incite memories. Films can be watched for generations and generations passing down a combination of knowledge and recollection. Recently my grandpa was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s is progressive disease that destroys memory and other important mental functions. It is heartbreaking when my grandpa is not able to remember a certain prominent memory that we shared from the years prior. This is why I want to make films. Film is a way to convey a story that would otherwise be forgotten over time. They can spark emotional connections and fill the viewer with reminiscence of the past. Creating films has been my favorite activity for the last ten years. What started as a hobby slowly consumed my mind. In early middle school years I started messing around with cameras and editing short commercials and films with some of my friends. This led me to take a couple of filmmaking classes later on in middle school. In these classes we were able to make short films and at the end of the year go to the local theater and watch them all. I will never forget the feeling of seeing a project I created on the big screen. In high school I have taken all of the Video Production classes possible. By the time I graduate I will be in Video Productions 8. After going to New York City for the All American High School Film Festival I know that I want filmmaking to be the rest of my life. Meeting creative people who all have a passion for the same art was so inspiring. I am driven to achieve my goals of making a career in the film industry and I will stop at nothing to get there.

Vote for Vincent DeSantis

 

Imperfect Presidents

by Julianne Mahley

Did you know that Gerald Ford, America’s 38th president, was the first president to never be elected? Or that the first president born a US citizen was Martin Van Buren, elected in 1836? I didn’t know either, until I took AP US History last year. It was not a class I had been expecting to enjoy. I had heard from upperclassmen how much work it was and how strict the teacher is, but I signed up anyway, wanting to challenge myself in an advanced social studies course. Upon beginning the class, I realized the upperclassmen hadn’t been lying to me; the class came with a heavy workload and Ms. Sandling was indeed a formidable lady. That being said, she was also very engaging while teaching and knew how to catch our interests. We learned more than just dates and statistics (though we learned plenty of those) because she made sure to tell us about things that made US History fun, like trivia about the presidents. They seemed like icons, but after learning a little more about them it’s easy to see that presidents have plenty of faults as well (Warren Harding had liquor in the White House even though it was during prohibition). I think that was my favorite class because I had never been so interested in a history course before. Things from 300 years ago still affect America today in ways that I never would have thought of. A Model of Christian Charity, a sermon given in 1630, sets up the notion of American exceptionalism with its phrase “a City upon a Hill.” A speech given before America was founded gave this country a critical part of its foundation. Perhaps part of the reason I enjoyed so much of what I learned in that class is because I was surprised. I am dedicated in my love of math and have been since elementary school; all other classes were just boxes I needed to check off on my way to graduation. I didn’t know that I could enjoy a social studies class more than I enjoyed calculus. But here I am, writing about presidents instead of derivatives. However, that one class did not sway me. I am still left-brained, and plan on majoring in engineering. It was fun to take a class that interested me and did not include equations (though I prefer those to essays).

Vote for Julianne Mahley

 

Essay

by Alexia Revels

During high school the subject I enjoyed the most is science. I love science, because it come easy to me. I’ve always passed all my science classes. The lowest grade I had in science was a “B”. That’s why I plan on going into the medical field in college. I think I would be successful in college, because I want to be a Neonatal Nurse. I know it’s going to be much harder, but if I study and put my mind into it I believe I can do it. I first started to like science in elementary school when we got to dissect. I looked forward to coming to the class everyday because I knew we would have fun. In high school I took an extra science class. It was called Anatomy and Physiology. It was challenging, but it was fun. The fun part of the class was us dissecting. Also, it was very helpful because some of the things I learned would be needed for me in college. My 10th grade year I took pre-AP Biology. It was pretty tough, so I didn’t do good like I wanted to. That was the first science class with a “B”. I don’t think it’s fair that we are required to only take 3 years of science. I understand that science isn’t easy for others, but they can study more or put their mind to it. Everybody is smart in their own way. I’m not good in math, but it might be some that’s not good in science but good in math. Science require for you to study and understand a lot. I’m not the type of person to study, but I know I will once I get to college. I have to train myself to do it now. Nursing will be difficult, but I see myself as the best nurse possible. In order to do that I have to study my notes a lot. That is my favorite subject and yes I will focus on it in my career.

Vote for Alexia Revels

 

History or HIS story

by Marsalis Johnson-Blalock

In school the subject I enjoyed learning most was American History. I have always been fascinated by thing that happened in history. I think my love for history and fascination by how this country came to be what it is today is one of the reasons why I was more focused on this subject than the others. The way one thing in history caused a thing that was not expected to happen is amazing. Like how one shot caused the American Revolutionary War. The stories of bloodshed because the country was not being cooperative. How the slave trade led to the Civil War the fight where the country fought against themselves. Those things are what made me more interested in American History than the other subjects I had in school. Even though I am interested with American History this subject is not useful in what I am studying in college.

Vote for Marsalis Johnson-Blalock

 

The Future

by Jada Johnson

When I think about my future, three words come to mind: anticipation, dedication, and joy. I long for the days where I can successfully dive into the Performing Arts world displaying the knowledge and hard work I have accumulated over the course of four years at my desired institution . William Shakespeare once said, “It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves. Not only did I choose acting, but also acting chose me. The endless creativity, possibilities, and challenges is what I love most about this field. It’s where I feel at home— a place where I can truly thrive, and be free to be as crazy as possible. Acting is where my spontaneous ideas, artistic ability, and great deal of energy can run wild.
My goal is to live life to its fullest, and for me that means using my gift as an actress. I am going to discover the different perspectives of life through another persons shoes, whether that be a bold and boisterous person, a meek and conservative person, an incredibly smart and strong person, or even a completely horrible person people hate. I am going to immerse myself into the role and really make that character come to life. In doing so my hopes are to captivate my audience, make them laugh, cry, gasp in shock, and inspire them, just like when I was younger and still to this day.
My hopes of studying theatre are to become a well-rounded individual. I want to master: movement, voice and speech, stage combat, set design, costume design, Shakespeare and contemporary scene study. In addition, I would be interested in learning how to direct a play. Directing is a position that I find the most challenging, yet intriguing—getting to shape and mold the work and then watching it unfold and develop into one collective piece.
After graduating college, I plan to move to New York where I will begin my acting career on stage including work behind the scenes. Afterwards I will move to California at the age of 26 and begin my journey as a professional actress in the film industry. I am dedicated to mastering my passion for this field. For i was once told, “ if you do what you love you will never work a day in your life

Vote for Jada Johnson

 

Learning from Captain Atom

by Sriram Kotta

Growing up in rural India, I learned to live with unreliable ground electricity. When the power went out, I used to light a candle and begin reading my comics about the journeys of Captain Atom, an intergalactic electricity-yielding superhero. Although I could never yield electricity as well as Captain Atom, I imitated his sense of justice and duty by finding ways to conserve my own energy usage.
Although I knew conserving electricity was important economically, it was physics that made me understand and appreciate the science behind electricity and energy efficiency. Understanding how energy is used in our everyday lives as well as the importance of developing alternative sources such as hydroelectric power awakened a new interest for me. I understood the importance of tackling global concerns such as the depletion of nonrenewable resources while still finding ways to make our technologies more energy- efficient. What excited me most,however, was applying my first-hand knowledge through physics to solve real life applications, such as those encountered during my childhood in India. For instance, learning about the inner workings of a light bulb in class one day helped me understand why certain kinds of bulbs are more effective than others. In developing nations such as India, many citizens are unable to afford flourescent or LED light bulbs, which save energy and last longer than the conventional incandescent lights. As someone who grew up around incandescent lights, I understood why they required lots of electricity, and how that contributed to frequent power shortages.
As an aspiring electrical engineer, learning about such topics in my physics class was a gateway to my past. I was inspired to create change that could, one day, lead to accessible light bulbs for all people in developing nations. Wanting to learn more about the physics behind energy conservation, I had the opportunity to do a research project with Chevron the following summer. Working on this project to test different sources of alternative energy was an amazing experience as I got to connect what I had learned in the classroom to various applications. Upon the completion of my project on energy conservation, I knew that while Captain Atom might be saving the universe from evil villains, my knowledge of physics would be contributing to the preservation of Earth.

Vote for Sriram Kotta

 

 

Psyched on Psychology

by Lauren Hines

During school, my favorite subject I had the chance to learn was Psychology. This course caught my attention the most because it seemed the most applicable to my life. It allowed me to learn how individuals’ minds worked, how they behaved, and how they interpreted the world. The other subjects I studied didn’t intrigue me as much as Psychology. Math bored me because it was just numbers and history seemed redundant because it was in the path. And, while science was a big part of my father’s career, I did not feel a connection to it. A subject that was my favorite until I was exposed to psychology was English. I loved getting lost in stories, which I think is also part of the reason I like psychology. I love focusing on what is going on inside someone’s head, the struggles their facing, and how I could potentially help them. Because of this class in high school, I decided to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. Once I expanded my amount of psychology classes, my favorite psychology class was my Helping Relationships class. This class focused on aspects of the counseling relationship. Some of these aspects included active listening, building rapport, and remaining open and reliable. As a part of this class, I was placed in a helping role with a freshman female student and met with her three times throughout the quarter to discuss her chosen topics of time management and her parents’ separation. Throughout the experience I got to hone my skills as a counselor and learned what my strengths and weaknesses were within the counseling field. Following this course and subject of study, I have decided to pursue a secondary degree in Counseling with a Specialization in College Student Personnel. My skills from the previous classes I have taken will help me on my journey to earn my Master’s degree.

Vote for Lauren Hines

 

Inspired to Achieve Greatness

by Chloe Matsunaga

I was very interested in science as a child. I like how it’d analyze things, and then explain how it all worked. I was always a very curious child and enjoyed having answers to my questions. As a child I was always very curious about electricity, most people use it daily yet we don’t understand how it works. It’s bewildering how we used to live without electricity, yet now its so ingrained into our society. We need electricity, we depends on it, we are intrigued by it. It’s silly but I think Pokémon also lead me to be curious about electricity/electronics. I would wonder how would it be possible for electricity to be shot out of an animal? Could we ever engineer something similar to the pokeball condensing matter into a small sphere? What could we as people design?
Many questions were raised, but only some were answered. I now know that engineering a small mouse that can shock people is very unreasonable, but other engineering feats aren’t! I want to progress my knowledge in electrical engineering and engineer something new and innovative. I want more of my questions answered through my own personal research. I want to share what I learn with others in the hope of proceeding into the future of invention. What we think is unreal now, might be reality in the future. We as people have created things that in the past that would of been seen as magic, flights of fantasy, and pure fiction. I want to create new things that we see as flights of fiction now, but can be real in the future.
I want to be an electrical engineer; one who keeps their childhood curiosity and creativity no matter how silly. Big ideas lead to big inventions. I want to try my best and be the very best that I can be.

Vote for Chloe Matsunaga

 

My True Passion

by Alyssa Hinkle

My mere existence revolves around art. Not only the few activities and images that come to mind when that word is mentioned, such as canvas paintings, graphic design or sculpture, but the true art that exists in our world. The beauty in minute textures and arrangements of wildlife or architecture, the appreciation for methodically chosen colors in a household or wardrobe. I believe artists view the world in a unique lens designed to find the microscopic aesthetics in everyday life.
I’ve been drawn in to the art community since birth, or at least that’s what I’ve been told since my conscious memory hadn’t yet developed. My journey truly began around third grade, where my friend introduced me to cartoon dress up games, as silly as it may seem, and from then on, I looked up images and try to draw similar creations. A clear memory in my mind remains- a fifth grader sitting on the edge of a curb, asking fellow students walking by if they wanted me to draw them during recess. That had sparked my love for art, however, my technical growth began my freshman year of high school with my first art education class. Originally, I didn’t have room in my schedule for another subject, but luckily my school offered a block program where I could add on a seventh class that incorporated art into my biology and language arts courses as well.
Throughout all four years, art has seeped its way more and more into my life, providing a clear, blinding light at the end of a tunnel for me to reach towards. Every day I take a step closer to the aspirations I keep bound in my dreamscape. I’m constantly driven by my ultimate goal: to ignite deep emotion and mediation through stories presented in animation. I love the way art can portray the otherwise nearly undetectable expressions in peoples’ faces to where it’s relatable, because art is an area of exaggeration- where internal emotions can be presented externally in a fashion that pulls a connection from the audience. Whether it’s through a narrated video game, a short film or a television show, as long as I’m able to create, I’ll be fulfilling my true love, and hopefully conveying that same love through the screen.

Vote for Alyssa Hinkle

 

Why History is my favorite subject

by Taylor Tolbert

History is my favorite subject because it all is one big story. Everything that happens in the world is always the cause and or the effect of something else. World history is my favorite; being able to learn about what happens in different parts of the world and the different cultures around the world are fascinating to me. There’s so much you can learn from history. Plus if we don’t learn from history we are doomed to repeat it. History is a very straightforward subject there are no expectations because all the events that you lean in class actually happen.

Vote for Taylor Tolbert

 

Biology

by Makayla Kahoe

Out of all the classes I have taken in high school science has been the most fun and difficult. So, overall I can say I have enjoyed learning about science the most but more specifically biology has been my favorite. I have taken biology, medical terminology and biology two in high school and they were all so intriguing. These classes were fairly difficult for me, more difficult than my other classes so I have spent more time on those classes. I think that, that is part of the reason I like science the most. Biology is about living organisms and us humans are living organisms . With that being said learning biology helps me learn about myself and how my body works which is very interesting. I also have a passion for animals and I get to learn about all kinds of animals , their functions in the world, and why they do the things they do. Yes, I do plan to focus my career around biology and science in general. I am planning on majoring in nursing and the classes are primarily based around sciences. Nursing is in the medical field which means my undergraduate and graduate classes are all based on biology. After typing up this essay i have realized I have a real passion for biology so, thankyou for helping me realize that.

Vote for Makayla Kahoe

 

Mathematician

by Cameron Miguel Babineaux

Growing up I have always had the desire to do math. Number have always come easy to me. Everything revolves around numbers, in businesses and everyday life. When I was younger I was fascinated with the understanding of money. Money being something everyone across the world comes across, and how our currencies are different. I have always enjoyed math more than any other subject because math is challenging and I enjoy a good challenge. Trying to come up with the answer quicker than others was always a energy rush. In my future I will be attending school to pursue a career in being a doctor. Knowing measurements and doses is a big deal when being a doctor and I believe that math has been a big influence on what I desire to be.

Vote for Cameron Miguel Babineaux

 

My favorite Subject

by Shania Sherman

The subject I enjoyed learning the most about in school was Anatomy and Physiology. I enjoyed learning about the different parts of the body and how they all work together to make our body function. In this class, I also got to dissect a frog and a big heart. When I first signed up for this course at the beginning of the year, I was a little concerned that I would not like dissecting animals, but it was not a bad as I thought. I kind of enjoyed looking inside of these animals/their organs, to see how it was all connected and how they would work if the animal/organ were still alive. I have always been interested in science and math. I like to find the answers to problems and solve things logically. I think I enjoyed this class more than previous science classes because it allowed me to learn more about how the body works, and to memorize different areas of the body.
Over the summer I looked into Diagnostic Imaging as a career. I did a job shadow for a few hours and enjoyed it. That is when I first decided to take Anatomy as a class. I knew that Anatomy and Physiology were a considerable part of radiology. To understand how to take pictures of internal organs, a person has to know where they are. Rather than focusing my career on my favorite subject, I chose the career I wanted to pursue and found a subject that I enjoyed learning. If I had not decided that I wanted a career in Diagnostic Imaging, I would have never taken Anatomy and Physiology, and I would have never found a class that I enjoy. I often find it funny how things seem to work out like that. I look forward to continuing to learn about this topic as I move beyond high school.

Vote for Shania Sherman

 

Making History in My Career.

by Hannah Kissell

My favorite subject in school was history. I loved learning about how our country, and other countries, came to be. Learning about the Presidents, and the Constitution, and our laws were fascinating to me. I plan on going into law enforcement. I want to work my way up to the CIA. I’ve wanted to be in law for a very long time. I plan on studying Criminal Justice and Psychology, and I’m going to work at the KBI in Topeka to learn the ropes of what to do.
While history might have been my favorite subject in school, I’m not focusing my career around it. But I plan on making history in my career. .

Vote for Hannah Kissell

 

The Influence of Science

by Madison Limerick

From elementary school science class to Principles of Biomedical Science in high school, I have always enjoyed learning about all branches of science. It is one thing that connects all life and everything in the world. This subject and all the different categories have fascinated me above other subjects. I enjoy science, specifically biology and criminal science, so much that I plan to pursue a career in forensic science.
My favorite thing about science class that made me love it above the rest were labs. I love the hands-on experience of performing experiments. By doing things myself, I am able to learn better than by reading or listening. This is what makes science so appealing to me. In the future, I plan to work in the lab, getting my hands dirty and discovering things for myself. I will never stop learning.
In a career of forensic science, I plan to work with bodies in the lab as a morgue assistant or medical examiner. I will be able to work with bodies post-mortem in order to discover how and why they died, learning about the specific circumstances of their death. My job in this field is not only biology, but also physics, anatomy, and chemistry, combining all branches of science. While it will not be easy to acquire a degree in this field, but I am excited to work and reach my goal.
I am thankful for not only my science teachers, but every teacher that has influenced and taught me. Without my seventh grade science teacher, I doubt my interest in science would be so great. My two high school science teachers encouraged me to be curious, and they showed me the world of forensic science. Without them, I would not have found the career where I feel I belong. My life has been forever changed, and I cannot wait to further my scientific knowledge.

Vote for Madison Limerick

 

Why Culinary Arts is my favorite Subject

by Martin Cervantes-Marty

At my school, the subject that I enjoy learning the most is Culinary Arts. I always loved learning new ways to prepare and cook new foods in different ways, and learning life skills as well on the way. I believe that I ended up getting interested in this subject due to having been exposed to cooking and culinary my whole life. Since I was a child, I was always fascinated with the way my mother made food in the kitchen. The aromas of fresh garlic, lime and cilantro became part of my everyday life. She taught me the science behind cooking, the logistics of finding the perfect recipe, the process of cooking, but also the opportunity to express my emotions and creativity and use food as a canvas to show off my skills and imagination. In my high school’s culinary arts course, my teacher and chef have taught me useful tips, techniques, traditional cooking methods and the brigade system, but also he has taught me leadership skills, the importance of teamwork and the ways of managing a restaurant or a food business. In addition, as part of the course, we have the opportunity to work in a real world scenarios by getting the experience working in both the kitchen and dining room. Not only the culinary arts course has become my favorite subject but also it reassure me that field is the path to follow.

After working with my mother and being part of the culinary arts program at my school, I knew that I wanted to choose a career in the foodservice industry. I plan on continuing my education in culinary arts, business management, and restaurant administration. I already have been accepted at the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts where I will attend next fall after high school graduation. I plan on focusing my career around this field because my goals are to become a professional chef and to own a restaurant where I can provide customers with the best experience through my creative food. I believe this career will help me gain the knowledge and experience necessary to become successful and to live a financially stable life.

Vote for Martin Cervantes-Marty

 

Social Science and the Refugee Crisis

by Michael Mikail

As a child of Eritrean immigrants, I regularly heard my parents recount their hardships as oppressed peoples and refugees in foreign countries. Each tale resonated with me from a young age; it was these stories that sparked my passion for the social sciences. By the third grade, my love of history had merged with a newfound fascination with government. I was instantly captivated upon hearing my teacher say “Governments have all the power–they choose peace or war.” As a child, I never understood why any government would choose the devastation that war and conflict brought over peace, but, as I grew older, I learned that this decision was much more complex than it first seemed.
Armed with this knowledge, I joined my school’s Model United Nations team to demonstrate that war could be avoidable. At my first conference, I represented Iran in the Security Council; I co-authored the only peaceful resolution on nuclear disarmament to be passed in my committee. From these MUN conferences, I have learned that, through compromise, mutual understanding, and compassion, peaceful solutions can always be reached. I have also discovered my passion for public-speaking, debate, and problem solving, which have driven my ambition to be a force for change.
Because of this newfound desire, I have chosen to take three social science classes this year: AP Government, AP Economics, and IB History of the Americas. These classes have allowed me to further develop my knowledge of the underlying concepts of government and relations among different countries. Through this, I have been able to compare and contrast fundamentally different opinions and attitudes towards basic political, social, and economic practices. These experiences have enabled me to educate myself on both sides of issues and their accompanying perspectives. This all brings me closer to my goal of one day creating meaningful and comprehensive policy reform on an international level.
Thinking back to the struggles my parents and too many other refugees faced and continue to face, I look forward to being an agent of change, working to ensure the security of refugees and end the cycle of displacement.

Vote for Michael Mikail

 

Psychology

by Carleen Grant

Psychology is a very interesting subject. At my school my teacher talks to us about all the different types of mental disorders that people face in today’s society. We also talk about Sigmund Freud and his theories and how controversial they were. We get to watch a lot of documentaries/movies about these different disorders and how real people deal with their day to day life while having mental/genetic disorders.

Vote for Carleen Grant

 

Math

by Tyler Simmons

Math makes the world go round. Without it there would be no science, no technology, and no innovation. It is the common denominator to all of the great advancements in the world. Math was the reason I first became interested in engineering. I was told that if you excelled in the subject, engineering would be a smart career choice. I researched what engineers do and how they create the technology that we use everyday and realized this field sparked my interest. Every year, there is a least one lesson I learn in math that makes me really appreciate the subject. Last year in AP Calculus AB, we learned how to solve related rates problems. This was so fascinating to me because now, through math, I could figure out how something in the real world changes in relation to another factor. When I solved these types of problems with the right answer I would feel a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. One day when I went to the Macaroni Grill for dinner with my family, the staff gave out crayons to draw on the tablecloth while we waited for our food. My little brothers immediately began to draw pictures on the paper but I instead looked up a related rates problem and solved it since I knew drawing was not one of my talents. I stuck to what I was good at and what I enjoyed doing. Math made sense to me. There was always a correct answer, it was not arbitrary like English. It has always irritated me when people question when they will be able to use their math skills in the future. I will need math in the future, and I enjoy doing it. With math, it is possible to figure out how the world works. I can find out how fast a ball was going just by having how far it flew and its time in the air. Math is ubiquitous to life; even if everyone is not using it directly, it is incorporated in the technology we use in our daily lives.

Vote for Tyler Simmons

 

Why Accounting?

by Alyssa Ardai

When I was in middle school I watched a family friend do some accounting work at home. I was fascinated. It looked like so much fun. In high school I signed up for accounting 1 honors and found that I loved it. I took accounting 2 honors my sophomore year. After that I decided to do dual enrollment at my local community college to focus on business prerequisites including principles of accounting 1 and 2 and introduction to corporate finance. My goal is to both save some money and get a head start in college in order to do a triple major in Accounting, Finance, and Financial Planning. From an academic perspective I always try my best and tend to do well academically
I plan to attend a 4 year college which offers all 3 majors. Since they have the same business prerequisite classes, utilizing my dual enrollment credits which cover many of the general ed and some business classes, I will be able to obtain a triple Bachelor’s Degree within 3 to 4 years. While at college, I plan to explore try new activities as well as become active with United States Figure Skating Association intercollegiate skating program. Afterwards I would like to start working while continuing on school for a Master’s in Accounting and become a certified public accountant.
Professionally I would like to work with low to middle income people. I would like to teach them financial planning and ways to use finances in order to become more financially independent. Personally I would like to have a satisfying job doing something I love, that helps others, and allows me to be able to financially take care of myself. I feel this schooling and career path will allow for both.

Vote for Alyssa Ardai

 

Are we alone?

by Sanjana Namreen

There is no greater mystery that interests me more than the question of whether we are alone in this universe. Every time I look up at the night sky, I cannot help but feel that, with so many stars and galaxies, the universe must be teeming with life. I first became fascinated with the subject of life elsewhere in the universe after learning, during my Chemistry class, that the elements that make up life are very common throughout the universe. My enthusiasm only grew when I became a US resident and was able to do a tour of three NASA space centers with my brothers, who are both Aerospace Engineers. During these visits, I learned that the search for life might not need to wait for the invention of interstellar travel, but may begin in my lifetime as some of the moons of Jupiter and Saturn, like Enceladus, show substantial evidence of hydrocarbons and liquid water.

Although I dream of exploring these moons as an Astronaut one day, I know that robotic spacecraft will invariably be our first eyes and ears on these inhospitable worlds. Becoming an Engineer will allow me to design the tools and spacecraft that will play an integral role in the search for microbial life on these moons. In order to prepare for a comprehensive Engineering program, I have taken every science and mathematics course that was available to me during my ‘O’ Level and ‘A’ Level examinations. Some of these were advanced courses that required understanding higher mathematics, mechanics and statistics, and my passion for these subjects allowed me to achieve the highest grades in all of them. As President of my school’s Physics Club, I tried to apply the lessons I learned in class when I led a team tasked with designing a pressurized water rocket capable of carrying and safely landing a fragile payload by means of a parachute. I am certain that majoring in Mechanical Engineering in college will let me work on even more interesting projects and enable me to research on designing rovers that can explore alien moons and planets.

Vote for Sanjana Namreen

 

The Human Body

by Emily Poole

I am Emily Poole, senior at Grand Lake High School. Science classes have always interested me, but I have really enjoyed my Biology II class I am currently taking, and it is by far my favorite. I have enjoyed learning about all the body systems and how they function. I think I have always been interested in the way the body works because it does so many different things both voluntarily and involuntarily. It amazes me how our heart beats on its own and how we can move our fingers without having to think much about it. The way every part of the human body works has always fascinated me. When I stop and think about how the body functions, I think about the amazing way God created our bodies to work the way that they do. Being so interested in the body, several years ago I decided I wanted to be a nurse. I have also always had a desire to help those in need. My parents and other couples I am close to have experienced fertility complications and were told there is no possible way for them to have children. I am here as a walking testimony and desire to pursue a career as a fertility, or reproductive, nurse. This biology class has made me even more certain that this is the career field I want to go in. I desire to help women and couples struggling with fertility issues and give them a hope; a hope that they can experience the joy of having a baby. I cannot wait until I am sitting in my college biology classes and my nursing classes learning more about the way the female body holds and cares for babies. I cannot wait until I achieve my goals and get to help my patients have the children they long for. This Biology II class has definitely opened not only my eyes, but my heart with dreams of one day becoming a fertility nurse.

Vote for Emily Poole

 

Taya Carter Essay Answer for Spring 2018

by Taya Carter

Being a cinema, television, digital media major many classes I have taken have been intriguing, but cinematography has become my most enjoyable class. Cinematography is unlike other class because it teaches me how to enhance and challenges my creativity by giving projects that require elements of cinematography used in a scene and how it is suppose to make the audience watching feel. Many other classes require writing essays, but in cinematography the only writing I am required to do is writing a script that has to be a certain amount of pages. Unlike other classes cinematography does not give me a specific topic to do a presentation about or multiple rough drafts. Cinematography is also opinionated rather then meeting the requirements of the teachers writing curriculum.

Cinematography interest me more then other subjects because I do not have to sit in class for over a hour instead I am allowed to go outside in fresh air and film. Cinematography allows me to create a story that allows everyone who is watching relate to the topic being shown and get a personal relationship with the story plot. Cinematography has also taught me how to extend my extraversion, conscientiousness, and hardworking characteristics through images instead of verbally. Another reason I am more interested in cinematography is because I can be versatile by direction, cameraman, producer, wardrobe, audio, and many other positions. Cinematography allows me to be expandable instead of fundamental.

Although cinematography has many different positions that create a film I plan on becoming a director because I love being a leader and the director not only leads, but helps them grow. The director also controls the crews emotion by making them calm or nerves about meeting the deadline of the film. As a director the actors and crew will be putting their trust in me as we film and I am a trustworthy person. As a director I will not only be telling a story, but making the audience feel a personal and deeper connection to the story rather then watching it for enjoyment. I not only plan on directing other stories, but stories that I have written. These stories will be about people between the ages of 10-20 years hold who are struggling with many personal experiences such as rape, bullying, suicide, puberty, sex, and many other circumstances that are not commonly shown in films or TV shows. The feeling of witnessing a film that I not only directed, but written is a overwhelming feeling of joy, excitement, success, and happiness. I am more then focused on becoming a successful director and I know that cinematography will lead me to my career of being a director.

Vote for Taya Carter

 

My Struggles with Egyptian Rat Screw

by Catherine Irwin

I don’t think I have ever won a game of Egyptian Rat Screw. For those who are unfamiliar with the game, its rules are pretty simple: each player lays down a card until a specific pattern shows up. It could be two of the same card in a row. Or a “sandwich”, where there is a card of one number, then a different number, then the first number again. When one of these patterns shows up, you slap the deck.
Noticing the patterns isn’t my issue. Ever since I was little, I have seen patterns and numbers everywhere I looked. So I can find the patterns pretty easily. But my brain is able to make patterns out of almost every card that someone flips over. Two cards multiply to equal the third that came out of someone’s hand. Or there is a combination similar to a sandwich where adding together the first and third cards results in the second card. Sifting through all the patterns I see to find the ones that actually mean something in the game really slows me down. And it often leaves my competitors with stinging, red hands when I slap a fraction of a second too late.
Although this tendency to see patterns everywhere is a real handicap in Egyptian Rat Screw, it gives me a unique passion for math. I don’t just like math because I’m good at it; I like it because it helps me make sense of the numbers and patterns that I see everywhere.
As my math classes get more advanced, my love for math continues to grow. This year, I am taking my second year of calculus, and it is definitely the best so far. Calculus has shown me beautiful new ways that numbers can be manipulated to answer questions I didn’t even know I had. Every intricate method and sophisticated proof makes me even more intrigued by the subject because they all make so much sense. They are complicated and weird and creative, but they make so much sense.
Next year, I look forward to applying all the patterns I see in the world back to the world through engineering. I will continue to take complex math classes, which will continue to amaze me. And I will continue to struggle with Egyptian Rat Screw because that’s just who I am.
I’m a wicked cribbage player, though.

Vote for Catherine Irwin

 

How Biology Shaped My Career

by Courtney Durham

Although most subjects in school are very boring and don’t have much meaning to me, biology is the complete opposite. While every other subject is very dry and uninteresting, biology is a class that I truly have a good time in. Subjects such as math, history, and English do not really have any aspects that interest me or that I would want to use every day, but biology is so interesting to me, and I feel like I would definitely enjoy working with it as my everyday job. It always seems like there is more to learn, and it is very enticing to me to learn about how our bodies work. Before I had biology class, I wasn’t totally sure what I wanted to do after graduation. As I sat in that class day after day, I realized that this subject is one that I would not mind basing my future career off of. Because of this, I began researching different careers that one could attain with a biology major, and I finally found one that I was really passionate about. As soon as I saw physical therapy, I was captivated. I had been to physical therapy in the past for a knee injury, and I knew that I admired what the therapists were doing, but it never occurred to me that I could do the same. One day in biology, I realized that by majoring in biology and learning how everything in the body works, I would be able to become a physical therapist. After this realization, I was undoubtedly sure that physical therapy would be my future career. Now, I will be attending Shorter University in the fall to major in biology, and I then plan to attend a physical therapy school to become a physical therapist. Without the realization that biology provided to me I may have never known what I truly wanted to do in life, and for that, I am forever thankful.

Vote for Courtney Durham

 

Scholarship Essay

by Brooke Szarzynski

Throughout my years of schooling, there have been numerous events that have inspired me to pursue a degree in Education. As soon as I started schooling, I always wanted to be in the shoes of my teacher. I absolutely loved learning and was always excited at the start of each day to learn something new. Though I only have vague memories of my Elementary school years, my middle and high school years make up for it.
In middle school, I loved my English curriculum and the books I read and studied throughout those years still have stuck with me today. My English teachers pushed me to be a better writer as being an author was always a dream of mine. I looked up to my English teachers and how they created their lessons to match their interests. Even as I experienced some of the worst times of my life in middle school, I always looked forward to my English classes. Reading my class books gave me the ability to transport myself to a whole other world and the issues I was dealing with vanished.
As high school came around I became more passionate and enthralled by the world of teaching. I wanted to change the lives of those around me through education, just as my past teachers had. Due to me being inspired by my teachers, my junior year I had chosen a class called Tomorrow’s Teachers which I would take my senior year and it still remains to be one of the best decisions I have ever made.
In this class, I have been given the opportunity to create lesson plans and teach my fellow peers about topics that I am passionate about. I have observed classes within my school and studied the teaching style of those teachers. In addition to this, I have begun student teaching at the local middle school as apart of the class. Having the experience of being in the classroom environment and having the position of teaching the students is incredible. This ultimately led me to make my decision of becoming an Elementary Education major.
As I begin on my journey to achieving my dream of being a Middle School English teacher, I will work my hardest to make sure that I will become the teachers that had inspired me so incredibly much to pursue this career field. And I do hope that by receiving this scholarship, I will know that others believe in my dream too.

Vote for Brooke Szarzynski

 

European History and My Future

by Ora Damelin

My first day of AP European History, Mr. Rosenberg limped into the classroom and transformed the past from a stagnant list of facts and figures to a deep and detailed tapestry. We discussed historical turning points, the events that change the patterns and course of history, like the French Revolution or the discovery of North America. My class listened to classical symphonies; we read excerpts from novels and philosophical treatises. European History quickly became my favorite subject.
I’d always liked history, but now I began to fall in love. History is an all-encompassing field of study. To truly understand history, I needed to learn about culture, music, and literature; politics, religion, and sociology; and science, military strategy and economic theory. I always had a desire to learn as much as possible about every subject; Europe’s rich past gave me the opportunity to delve into almost every area of study.
I became interested in how periods of great conflict, such as World War 11 and the American Civil War, affected the general public and the media. I was fascinated by historical movements in art and literature and how they reflected and reacted to the political, economic, and philosophical climates of their era. I wanted to know about how ordinary people lived their lives in previous centuries and how the great wars and artistic movements affected their lives. I was only beginning to understand how much they affected mine.
Mr. Rosenberg constantly reminded my class that history didn’t exist in a vacuum. Likewise, neither does my love for history. Though I intend to work in the film industry as a screenwriter and director, I am positive that my passion for the past will influence and inspire the stories I hope to tell.
Ultimately, I scored a five on the AP test, but European History gave me so much more than just a few college credits. The time I spent studying my favorite subject taught me so much about human behavior and beliefs, social norms, and political patterns; history gives me a greater understanding and appreciation of humanity. It makes me a stronger storyteller and will, perhaps, help me to become a great filmmaker.

Vote for Ora Damelin

 

Nonessential Class, Essential Experience For Me

by Delaney Vallese

When one thinks of going to school, which classes come to mind? Perhaps biology, mathematics, or world history. These core classes have come to be defined as essential to one’s educational experience. Although the subject that has changed my life may be thought of as unnecessary to many, it has shown me heights of beauty I could never before have imagined: theatre. I knew I loved performing from a young age, but, I never knew in what capacity. School provides us with our education, but, is also the place where we can explore ourselves. We can dip our toe in the vast
water of academia, and see what temperature suits us. Once I found drama class, I knew found my perfect stream. When I stepped out onstage, feeling the warm lights showering my silhouette in
illumination, I could feel my pulse quicken. I felt my soul being elevated, and my heart settle into its true home. I could burst out of my shell. When I was handed a script, I knew I could make it my own. I could create a character. I could interpret a story, and tell that to an audience. Drama class was where I learned that I am capable of more than I ever thought possible. And, through this class, for the first time, I felt like I shined.

With this new knowledge, of not only the subject, but of myself, I know what I want to do with the rest of my life. I know that I want to tell stories that affect others for my profession. I know I want to learn every technique I can, and then use that knowledge to infuse in my jobs in the future. When I can’t sleep at night imagining my interpretation of a character, or can’t think of anything else when I hear a new song I want to choreograph to, I know I have made the right choice.

I now know I cannot live a life without the theatre arts in my life. Although this was a “nonessential” class by my school, it is essentialin my life. Through the arts, I have learned how to express myself, how to feel enlightened, fulfilled, and a real use to the rest of society. Drama has changed me by allowing me to discover who I truly am, and, therefore, shaping how the rest of my life will be.

Vote for Delaney Vallese

 

Why English is My Favorite Subject

by Logan Reboja

Creativity. This one aspect makes English my favorite subject and is what allows me to sit through many monotonous hours of studying literary elements and painstakingly criticizing writing from two centuries ago. Writing is one of the greatest expressions of creativity because it allows a person to literally transfer their thoughts and feelings onto a paper for others to experience. Reading the creative expression from authors both past and present brings me joy as I can experience the world from a different point of view. Studying the different writing techniques reveals that all authors are artists and their work is unique to their own creativity. Although works such as the classic Jane Eyre may be difficult to decipher at times, the amount of creativity and imagery that goes into these works makes the archaic language entirely worth the extra work. Also, reading older texts help to build my skill in understanding and analyzing complex writing within these novels. The aspect of reading texts from the past is especially interesting to me as I can learn of the world through the mind of the author and receive a true understanding of what it was like to live in that time period. Although I thoroughly enjoy the creative freedom of the English subject, it is not a career I would pursue. I am sure whatever career I find myself a part of, I will be utilizing skills in writing and analyzing that I learned through English class. Although I do not plan on entering a career related to the English subject, I know that I will continue to grow my knowledge through reading classic and modern novels and experiencing the beautiful perspectives of these artists of literature. Overall, the immense creativity contained within writing and the English subject is what draws me to it even with the confusion that sometimes is brought from creative writing.

Vote for Logan Reboja

 

Psychology

by Jakob Milrad

To date, the subject I enjoyed learning most was psychology which I am currently taking during my freshman year. I enjoy this class more than others I have taken in the past because the topics are so relevant and I like to use the information I learn in class to try to better myself in the real world.

The introduction to psychology is more of a history lesson to learn about how this subject came to be, those who were instrumental in shaping this discipline to where it is today and original theories. A birds-eye-view of this course makes one assume it is solely a social science class that focuses on behavior and the mind, but that is only the beginning. Psychology could easily fall under the auspices of medicine, natural science, biology and humanities. Being able to understand my brain and how it works is a tool that I can use to help get through many obstacles in life both personally and professionally.

Enjoying a psychology class is not just a path to being a therapist. Studying the subtopics allows me to know myself on a deeper level to better myself and be sympathetic to others because I can understand their point-of-view.

Another reason I am enjoying this class is the professor. His passion for psychology and sharing it with students is evident and he has succeeded in making this a class I have really learned something and not just a class I am using to fulfill a general education credit. No subject can be your favorite without a superb teacher.

It is said we only use about 10% of our brain so it’s exciting to note that this is a discipline that will continue to grow and change as we learn more about the brain. This leaves a never-ending opportunity to continue to learn more about psychology and open up options for me to take additional classes to delve deeper into a subject that has awakened a new love for school.

Vote for Jakob Milrad

 

Nursing School

by Christian Navarro

Dear Faculty,
​My name is Christian Navarro Vargas. I am a first generation college student, currently enrolled in the Bilingual Fellowship Nursing Program (BFNP). As a first generation college student, my academic and professional goal is to graduate from community college and obtain my license to become a registered nurse (RN).
​Promptly after high school graduation, I enrolled in community college, albeit undecided as to my specific career goal. I always had an interest in the medical field, so I naturally gravitated towards this field of study. After some time of attending college, I discovered the availability of a nursing program for bilingual students. So, my goal was to be accepted into this program in order to obtain my nursing license and become a registered nurse. ​
​As with many things worth having in life, acceptance into the BFNP was not easy. I interviewed with the admission committee twice before I was accepted into the program. The first time I interviewed, my Spanish was not as strong as I would have liked it to be and being fluently bilingual in English and Spanish is a requirement to be accepted into the BFNP. With some practice, my Spanish improved, and I decided to try again. Fortunately, my Spanish had improved by my second interview, which took place almost three years after my initial interview. My trials towards my academic and career goal did not end there.
​In August of 2017, I began my First Block of the nursing program. I was now a full-time student whereas before this I had always been a part-time student. I did not know what to expect, but I was excited. During this month, soon after starting school, my wife and I welcomed our third daughter. I also continued to work, now on a part-time basis. Needless to say, I was overwhelmed and did not know just how to develop healthy study habits. At the end of this block, I was disappointed because I failed to meet the academic standard to be promoted to the next nursing block (there are four in total). Although discouraged, I had much support from my family and program faculty. Thus, I decided to request readmission into the program, but I was not called back into the program by the deadline that had been set by the faculty. So, I thought I was not going to start the program until the fall of 2018.
​To my surprise, I received an email inviting me back into Block One for the spring of 2018, although classes had already started the day before I received the email. I was excited and nervous, but I jumped onboard. Now, I am well into the semester and doing much better than before. I have learned the study strategies that best work for me.
​Now, I am looking forward to finishing up Block One and continuing my educational goal of completing my associate’s degree in order to also fulfill my professional goal of becoming a registered nurse. Upon completing my associate’s degree in nursing I could sit for examination (NCLEX) and subsequent licensing (contingent upon passing the NCLEX) as a registered nurse. Thereafter, I plan to exercise my nursing knowledge in an intensive care unit while also pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).
​Like I have mentioned, my journey to even get into my desired program of study has not been easy. However, I have learn perseverance and am more motivated that ever to continue towards my goal. The faculty in the program have always encouraged me, as well as family and coworkers that have gone through similar programs. I have been employed in patient transport at a hospital for the past two and half years, which has taught me a lot and has expanded my curiosity and interest for the medical field. I look forward to being able to do more and help people with their medical needs and care.
​Without all the experiences that I have had in the past several years while attending college and working in the medical field, I can honestly say that I would not be where I am at right now. My college years have taught me to continue pushing for my goal and stay on my path. My job has taught opened my eyes to all things in the medical fields and what to expect later on. And, my family has given me more motivation to pursue my education and career. In concert, all these things keep me pushing and working towards my goals.

Vote for Christian Navarro

 

Open.

by Akanksha Surve

As a student in the International Baccalaureate program, I am glad to say that I had the opportunity to take Social and Cultural Anthropology. Prior to taking an anthropology class, I was under the impression that the burqa symbolized the subjugation of women in the Middle East. However, after reading an ethnographic piece written by Lila Abu-Lughod about the importance of the burqa in Afghanistan, I learned its true significance as a tool for feminism.

As Lila Abu-Lughod explains in her anthropological reflection, most Americans believe that the burqa suggests weakness and obstruction of women from self-expression and individuality. Although its history is rooted in the domination of women by the Taliban, Muslim women have come to use the burqa to represent their liberation. Instead of considering the burqa to be demeaning, Muslim women utilize it to their advantage by eliminating the emphasis on physical appearance. They believe that improving physical appearances are a form of oppression and presume that American women are likely to spend more time and money on cosmetics. But, Middle Eastern women believe that the burqa eradicates the distraction of outward appearances therefore, they are able to focus on causes that have a more substantial impact in their culture, to them causes like education and welfare are far more essential to address.

I was interested in anthropology because not only did my original belief change, but I was able to question my knowledge about other subjects. Anthropology gave me the ability to realize the importance of cultural symbolism. Social and Cultural Anthropology helped me recognize the beauty of culture. In this day and age, knowledge and understanding are extremely necessary. As a learner, I am constantly overwhelmed with curiosity and fascinated when my views are challenged, incidents like these permit me to grow and cultivate my own opinions.

Vote for Akanksha Surve

 

The Importance of Computers.

by Joshua Nathaniel Bowman

The subject that I find most interesting is computer science. It is a great and intriguing field to explore; I loved it so much, because I began to see all the things that can be created with a computer, and it began to feel as if the gates of freedom to a new world were being opened for the first time. As I began to learn, I began to want to learn more and more. While learning about computer science I got so excited that whenever the course ended I kept pursuing to get better at computers and to learn more; and to be able to know how coding, and app designing works. Currently, I am still learning more about computer, because the technology is so huge that it could take a lifetime to learn everything, but I believe you can still learn more every day about how something works, and how to get a better usage out of something. I am planning on continuing my journey in college, but narrowing my field towards Computer Software Engineering, because I believe I can learn the most from that field, but I can also start developing apps and games as I have wanted to try since I was little. I feel as if computer software engineering will be able to help me to accomplish my goals, as well as be able for me to teach others the interesting aspects that go into coding a game, program, or even a car, because almost everything in today’s world is run based off computers. So to stay ahead of the curve it is a necessary thing to learn how to code, and understand machines now, because more than likely it will just become more complex in the future. So if we can learn now how to code and understand computers, our future will become better than ever.

Vote for Joshua Nathaniel Bowman

 

Science is my Piece of Mind

by Ashiah Roan

As a child, you begin to brainstorm what you want to be in life and it’s usually something as simple as, a doctor, a police, or maybe even a teacher. We went to school, read books on the many occupations you could do and how you could make your community better. I particularly loved going to my science class and learning about the human body, chemical changes, and the cycle of life. Until this day, I have had a strong learning passion and school has always been a number one priority in my life. Beginning my freshman year at Cedar Grove High School I knew I was destined for greatness and had all the tools I needed for success. I began in a healthcare science class and from that point on I knew what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Science has been my favorite and it has always stood out to me. It has always interested me WAY more than other subjects because of how many things you can learn, and coincidentally science can progress over time. History is all in the past and repeats itself but science is always a new learning experience. Learning how the human body works, seeing cells up under the microscope and seeing the change in chemicals has always excited me and still excites me. I am an aspiring midwife and have plans to go to school and major in Nursing and eventually attend nursing school. Being in the medical field is mostly science and it has always been something I loved. I’ll incorporate all my previous knowledge from grade school up until nursing and beyond. I’m still excited to build on to my favorite subject and see what the future holds for me. Science is my piece of mind in this jungle we call life.

Vote for Ashiah Roan

 

Thinking About Thinking

by  Sofia Mena

Although I intend to study film, I’m very interested in studying (and possibly minoring in) psychology. I’ve always been intrigued by how we, as humans, have discovered how to think about thinking. Social studies has always been my strongest academic subject, from elementary school through high school. Now that I am taking AP Psychology as a senior, my interest in psychology has blossomed even further. Most of what I knew about psychology before taking it as a major was from television shows- namely Law and Order: SVU and Grey’s Anatomy- and my childhood babysitters.
I have a distinct memory of one of my favorite babysitters testing out an “experiment” she learned in her child development class on us. The entire afternoon, she would randomly say “pineapple”. After a few hours of hearing intermittent “pineapples”, I decided to blurt it out myself. It was then that she explained social mimicry to me, which just about blew my 10-year-old mind. From there on out I developed a love for studying the human brain, a love that can be applied to all disciplines, be it film, english, or science.
Since then, my enthusiasm for psychology has only grown. I would consider AP Psychology to be one of my favorite classes I have ever taken. The capacity for the human brain to analyze its own processes never ceases to amaze me- just thinking about it feels slightly metaphysical in nature. When I create characters for my films it is important for them to be true to life- that’s where psychology comes into play. Filmmaking is my number one passion, but psychology is a close second. There’s so much to learn about our minds, and I think it’s truly exciting.

Vote for Sofia Mena

 

The Language I Love

by Jacob Goryance

The French department at Arroyo Grande High School is frontlined by Madame Lorde. Though she hails from England, Madame lorde chose to teach the French language in the States. Her immense lexicon of French showcases her passion for the French language, and the fact that she teaches five classes of three levels of French extends her passion of into her students. I was one of the students that developed an immense passion for French.
I studied hard in the classes, from French one through three. The whole time enamored by the language of love. As a result of my passion and hard work in the class I attained an elevated state of comprehension for reading, writing and speaking French. I almost always found a way to communicate my ideas in two languages.
After French three I was hoping that we would get an AP French teacher for the next year, as there was no program at that time. My hopes were at an all time high once a prospect teacher from France visited our classroom and promised an AP French class for the following year. There were 20 students who pledged to take the class, and everything was in place for a new addition to the French program. Then a few weeks into the summer my counselor notified me and broke the news that the AP teacher fell through and I would have to find a replacement class. I was very disappointed that I would not speak French to anyone for a long time.
In a grand coincidence, I got to reinvigorate my passion for French during the summer. As the ice cream shop I worked for had welcomed foreign exchange students from france in for an ice cream trip. One of these students couldn’t speak any English, and was having trouble ordering. I caught his eye when I asked him qu’est-ce que vouz voudriez manger? Afterwards I felt an odd sense of relief that I would still enjoy the French language, and pursue some form of fluency during my time in college.

Vote for Jacob Goryance

 

The World of Science

by Natavia

My favorite subject is science. I’ve loved science from 1st grade all the way till now graduating high school. The reason science is my favorite is because it’s so vast and so many people can get in to and relate to all the different areas of science. If you like nature and plants you can do and learn about plant science, if you like learning about the body and bones and muscles you can learn anatomy and physiology or if you like to learn about how the body moves and is active like me you can study exercise science. Another thing is science is easier to learn and wrap your mind around it. English and math you get tool like equations or vocab but the rest is on your own to write that essay or figure or an problem, but with science you learn to see how things relate to one another and make connections. If you study DNA you would make the connection of how maybe this mutation on this chromosome leads to this disease or if you study plants you can connect how this soil and amount of water affects the growth. Which I think more people can get in to and understand. Science is what I’m majoring in, in college this up coming year and it’s going to be my job. Im studying exercise science to be a physical therapist. Growing up I’ve always wanted to be a doctor to help other but then once I got in to middle school I started to get in to sports which is another passion of mine. Physical therapy gets me the best of both worlds. I’m still a doctor of some sort but I’m also still dealing with sports related injuries and still maintain the active style. Science gave me that opportunity. If I went an English path or a math path I wouldn’t get to have both aspects of things I love, being a doctor and helping people and being around sports and that active style.

Vote for Natavia

 

The Business of Art

by Caroline Lu

There has always been a love and hate relationship between my art classes and I. On one hand, I enjoyed them because it allowed me time to practice my creativity and learn how to integrate traditional art styles into fashion. On the other hand, art teachers tend to limit creativity to certain extents. Criticizing art pieces became so analytical, that I think my critical thinking skills came from that rather than my academic classes. Creating a piece can also pose one of the most difficult puzzles of the day, especially under a time constraint. If anything, art taught me the things my formal education was supposed to.
My absolute favorite aspect of art is the blending of culture and creative diversity. In design, there is no gender barrier, homophobia, or racism. All that matters is the ability to create original pieces, create good quality pieces, and the ability to develop a strong identity. Anyone can succeed in this industry as long as their passion is reflected in their work. This creates an international community with diversity that is currently impossible to fathom.
Unfortunately, I do not have the guts to follow my dream in the art industry as an artist. Instead, I have decided to use my other passion, business, to enter the art world. I will be attending NYU Stern this fall (can you tell why I am applying for this scholarship?) because of its location. I will have easy access to the fashion capital of the United States and the finance capital. Plan B’s are always required to live an anxiety-free life, and my Plan B will be Wall Street. Hoping it does not go to that point, I want to pursue a career in the fashion industry as a management figure. By doing so, I would be able to experience financial stability and follow my passion for the arts.

Vote for Caroline Lu

 

The Subject With One Correct Answer

by Mary Joy Lauas

My name is Mary Joy Lauas, and I am in my sophomore year of college. The subject that I enjoyed learning most about was Math. The other subjects were tolerable to me, but Math was like that trick your friends could do, and you were really interested in how they were able to do that. That was Math for me, except I was able to understand and answer the “how?” and “why?” questions.

I enjoyed learning Math the most because I knew that there would always be one correct answer. The subject was simple, and fun to solve. There were formulas created years and years ago to help me figure out the answer. The other subjects were confusing for me. “Why are there so many rules to follow in English?” I grew up in a multilingual household, and I was already struggling to master the Filipino language, now I needed to perfect English for school? “How am I going to remember all the dates of these wars?” I had to memorize my friends’ and relatives’ birthdays and phone numbers, why remember war dates? These were questions and thoughts I had about the other subjects.

I’m currently pursuing a degree in Elementary Education, so, unfortunately, I won’t be primarily focusing my career on Math. However, I will be implementing Math concepts into as many lessons as I can. As an educator, I will also teach my students to not be afraid of Math and that it isn’t just a boring subject they’re forced to learn. I’ll show them that Math is something that they’ll see and explore out in the real world. Math is incorporated into tons of things that kids enjoy. Their pizzas are a circle, their board games use numbers for turns, they’ll count their allowances, and even the slime they create use measurements.

Vote for Mary Joy Lauas

 

Policy Debate

by Mabel Baumgardner

Policy debate sounds like it should be a boring activity. Debaters spend unprecedented amounts of time researching unlikely geopolitical catastrophes and obscure continental philosophers only to shout at each other about it in campy classrooms for up to twelve hours straight over the weekend. Anyone would think it’s absurd to enjoy an activity with seemingly no real world application. Speed reading is incomprehensible to people outside the activity. No other high schooler and most scholars haven’t heard of Heidegger. None of that really matters to me though because for as inaccessible as it is, debate creates a tight, well-read community with its own language, inside jokes, and even note-taking methods.

It’s not just a club they offer at my school. The community surrounding it and the amount of commitment it beckons makes debate something more than could be easily explained in words. My high school does a poor job funding the debate team: it doesn’t. Most of the time, our triumphs aren’t on the morning announcements. For the most part, unless you’re friends with a debater at my school, you don’t know we have a debate team. This affects our team in material ways like when we have to charge a fee at the beginning of the year for returning members or when it costs an unreasonable amount to go on overnight trips for national tournaments. Although it’s not supported the way I wish it were, the team has made do and I’ve tried my best to help fundraise for the team. Thankfully, my partner and I were still able to go to a few national tournaments and we broke to double octa finals at Gonzaga, securing us a state bid.

Debate isn’t all about the glitz and the glory. Despite the plaques and speaker awards I’ve won throughout the years at local tournaments, the thrill of a debate isn’t about that. From the beginning, I only got first place at a couple novice tournaments because I was genuinely interested in the more philosophical arguments my debate coach had pushed us to make. Policy may be an important part of the activity but for me, it was immediately side-stepped by Foucault. Under the surveillance topic, many debaters focused on the necessity of reforms to specific bills while I questioned the panopticon.

Through necessity or through repetition, I’m proud to say that I’ve memorized arguments based on their most popular authors. Names like Berlant or Bostrom bring a clear idea to my head. It’s incredible to me that I’m at the point where I can have conversations about different schools of thought and cite specific authors in my day-to-day life. That’s ultimately the reason why I love debate. It’s not something as simple as researching; it’s researching to persuade and to discuss.

Vote for Mabel Baumgardner

 

Why I want to become a nurse.

by Tayloranne Lakso

All throughout school I have loved science. Biology, Chemistry, Human Anatomy, Kinesiology, and even Wildlife Biology, have been my passion and love. I think these subjects are so interesting to me because I have always been interested in nursing and caring for many different people. I have loved these subjects because I also want to see how we can heal others through medicine and chemistry, because there may be a cure out there that has yet to be discovered that could cure millions. I think I have more of an interest in these subjects than other people because I really want to make a difference and help people and I think the human body and the way it works is the most interesting thing a person can study. Becoming a nurse is my ultimate dream and I hope I can reach my goal through the driven nature that I think I possess.

Vote for Tayloranne Lakso

 

Becoming a Game Warden

by Grant Thomas

I have been accepted into the University of Wyoming to receive a degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology and Management in pursuit of achieving my dreams of becoming a Game Warden. Up until recently I didn’t know the means of being able to leave my mark on the world. I didn’t think college was in my near future, at least I had never realized its true importance in the role it would be playing being able to fulfill my dreams and my goals in life. I have always wanted to pursue a career that is involved in helping the community as a public servant. I have always felt at home in the forest and being around animals. From a young age, I have been bewildered by the behavior of animals and have been respectful of them. It would be a dream of mine to be able to have a career that allows me to work with those in my community while ensuring their safety. I am excited to protect and serve local members of my community and also to protect and preserve wildlife and forests. In order to receive my degree, I am going to be leaving California for Wyoming. Wyoming is one of a very few select colleges in the United States that offer this degree and that is respectively close to me. Meaning, I will be leaving my family members behind and going off on my own to leave my impact on the world. This move will require me to pay out-of-state tuition. Receiving this scholarship would help me in my balancing of student loans and working to minimize my student debt while attending the University of Wyoming. If I were to receive this scholarship, it would help me in pursuit of acquiring my degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology and Management and eventually becoming a Game Warden in the state of Wyoming. Once I am a Game Warden, I will be able to start making a difference in the world. I can live my dreams of being the protector of the animals and the forests of Wyoming. And in doing so, I can ensure the preservation of nature and make sure that future generations can experience the outdoors and explore its vast greatness as I had done when I was young and will continue to do until it is my time to go.

Vote for Grant Thomas

 

Writing and Me

by Tyler Colebrooke

I am someone who places an incredibly high value on knowledge and learning in general. For that reason, a wide range of subjects in school appeal to me, and I always want to know the most about them I can. Science, history, language arts, and math- even non-core subjects like debate and music theory. However, if I had to pick a true love, it would be creative writing.
For a long time, I abhorred writing. It had been fun at first, with our fourth grade FCAT requiring us to write a narrative for the test. After that, however, the fun and games abruptly ended. Every essay from my fifth grade year on was expository or informative. Bland, boring, factual pieces which offered little to no expression or creativity in how I was to do them. That wasn’t to say I didn’t do them, of course- I knocked each essay out of the park. However, I didn’t enjoy it.
In the tenth grade, I finally took a creative writing course, and the very first assignment had a profound effect on me that still lingers to this day. The assignment was to write about the picture we saw on the screen. Years of being trained to write in the blandest, most academic way possible led me to writing out exactly what I saw. Then, I asked the teacher if what I wrote was good- he asked me right back, “Do you think it’s good?” It wasn’t. Then, he told me to just write- write whatever came to my mind upon looking at that picture. Immediately, miraculously, I understood, and I was held hostage by a litany of ideas. That day, I wrote four pages worth of a prologue to a potential story.
What I loved so much about reawakening my love for creative writing was how many ideas I have. I need to share them with the world, regardless of if they become popular or not. There are so many things spinning around inside of my head, things that need to be put onto paper and carried out somehow. On screen, onstage, through a concept album, whatever it takes to share my ideas, I will do. Once I earn my Ph.D. in Mathematics, I am immediately going to work on my creative writing major- and in the meantime, I will be creating and refining even more stories that I will tell.

Vote for Tyler Colebrooke

 

Math: The Best Subject

by Keyelle M Thomas

My favorite subject I would have to say is math. Ever since I was younger, math has always caught my interest. Not only am I good at it, but it challenges me and pushes me to go the extra mile. Also, there are numerous fields of mathematics to study. Most of all, I love how it requires critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Math is interesting because there are so many types. There is algebra, geometry, calculus, probability and statistics, and so much more. There are also branches of math that are not very popular, such as number theory, logic, combinatorics, computation, etc. Because math has so many topics within it, there is much more to learn. It is very likely that you will study some math that is not familiar to you. And not only can you learn a lot of different topics, but you can learn them on different levels. For example, honors algebra, AP calculus, IB statistics, or accelerated geometry. Those curses are usually for people who really enjoy a challenge to overcome.
Struggling in math can sometimes be good, as long as you learn something and become successful in the end. My personal experience has actually given me confidence and better understanding that everything in life will not be simple. Growing up, I rarely ever struggled with anything, especially not math. Nevertheless, when I reached senior year, I began to struggle with pre-calculus. In order for me to grasp concepts, I had to ask multiple questions and receive a lot of confirmation. On top of that, I had to regularly get tutoring after school. Even though I had to step out of my comfort zone, I can now say I am improving and learning more. Now, I even want to pursue a career that greatly involves math.

Vote for Keyelle M Thomas

 

Jump Off the Page

by Alexandra Carter

I have always been fascinated by words. I am easily captivated by authors word choice and placement. How the sound of words, technique, style, and tone could transform a piece of work and make it jump off the page into my heart. How descriptive language held the power of painting a picture in my mind, making me feel a part of the story. How I somehow suddenly knew these characters for what felt like forever. I read so often I started to narrate my own life in my head. I came alive telling stories and playing around with fantastic ideas. There were such magic and richness found in pages. I couldn’t get enough. I was fortunate enough to attend the first creative writing class offered at my school and thrived in AP literature and AP language.

I am currently a full-time missionary in Riga, Latvia, working with victims of human-trafficking to help set them free from addictions, enslavement and give them a chance at a better life. I took a break from school to serve on the field in Nicaragua and Belize from 3 months, and now Latvia. Throughout my travels, my love for journalism never faded. During my journey abroad, I continued to blog about my experiences and opened up a conversation at the table for human rights issues, global devastation, and the joy found in other cultures. I have found great compassion and a desire to help from others as a result of taking a stand against injustice and sharing my story and observations. It is my hope that by finishing my education at Westmont College I can become better equipped and trained to communicate issues with grace, truth, and intellect to better educate others, raise awareness and make the world a better place. Unfortunately, education is a bit pricey these days, so in order to make this dream happen, it would be a tremendous help to receive such provision and support through the School Tutoring Monthly Scholarship.

Thank you for your time in considering me.

Be blessed.

Vote for Alexandra Carter

 

My Love for Biology

by Oscar Benitez

My name is Oscar Benitez and I am currently a senior at Christopher Columbus High School. My favorite subject in school is biology because I have always been interested in the parts of the body and how they work in relation to each other. I took biology freshman year and initially I was not interested in the course until we dissected a frog. From that point on I was astonished that even the smallest organisms in the ecosystems have complex make ups. I began asking my teachers many questions and eventually applied my knowledge to one of passions, sports.

When I began to apply my knowledge in biology to sports, I realized that performance was a direct result on how someone prepares their body. During my baseball season, I improved because of the way I knew how important it was to take care of my body. I did more research and found out how certain muscles were more important than other muscles when it came to movements that are required in sports. I also found out that there are foods that helped my body peak during competition. The more I researched, the more I was able to trace back to my biology class.

Eventually I sparked an interest in the field of Exercise Science when I realized that it is based around biology. I realized that there was a lot to be learned that a person can become a better athlete through workouts made for those specific athletes. I wish to one day become Strength and Conditioning coach at a Division 1 program so that I can use my knowledge to help athletes become better. I still thank my biology teacher for helping me find what I love because I know that I will be able to wake up everyday excited.

Vote for Oscar Benitez

 

Nicole Hewett-My Favorite Subject

by Nicole M. Hewett

While I was in school, the subject that I found the most enjoyable was always English and writing classes. English and writing classes offered me creative freedom to truly be myself and created a safe place for me to let out my emotions on paper. That subject was the most interesting to me because it made me feel closer to history (which is my second favorite subject!). In reading another writer short stories and poems, I always felt like I was sitting right there with them and experiencing their emotions and thoughts. In my classroom, I was able to travel a hot southern town in Alabama with Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird, and then all the way to the inner city with Ponyboy in The Outsiders. Identifying with characters like these added to my own morals, as well as allowing me to travel and experience emotions that I would have never have had the opportunity to see. I also felt that while I was taking these classes I started to view the world in a different way. I started to see the poetry and beauty in the smallest of situations, as well as the true wonder that is being alive at all. And that every emotion that we feel as humans, and every passing moment is an opportunity to choose greatness. To slay our greatest monsters, like in Beowulf, or the strength to face the fears that you cannot see on the outside such as in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I have taken the lessons I learned in the classroom to whole new levels, and they have made me not only a better student, but that class also made me become the best version of myself today. Because I did not stop my journey to find new stories once I finished those classes. Today I still strive to find new places to travel and new situations that inspire me to become the hero in my own story. This purpose in life has made me want to continue in the field of English in writing in a different sort of way. It is my life goal to start my own bookstore and share with the upcoming generations the love and acceptance that I felt when reading and writing.

Vote for Nicole M. Hewett

 

The Scientist Within Me: Organic Chemistry

by Maja Zivkovic

Being a student at Lane Tech College Prep introduced me to a numerous amount of classes, ranging from marine biology to women in literature studies. Additionally, being a member of the Alpha STEM program for four years showed me a side of science that I never would have been able to experience if I had not attended this high school. Although there have been many enjoyable classes, my favorite subject of all my four years of being a student is organic chemistry. What made me interested in this course is the fact that it is one of the hardest classes to take! I vividly remember that on the first day of the class my teacher said that this discipline of science is “when most sophomores in college decide that they do not want to be doctors anymore.” Even though this class was more simplified and slower paced than an actual college course, I still struggled a lot and pushed myself to study harder than I ever have before. This class helped me overcome my fear of asking for help and to not be afraid of being wrong. Not only did I learn how electronegativity affects the acidity of a molecule and how to use pyridine to break an oxygen and hydrogen bond, I also learned skills that I can bring with me to college to prepare me for success in my future classes, something that no other subject showed me. This class taught me better and useful studying habits, communicating with my fellow peers, establishing better relationships with my teachers, and how to think more dynamically as there is never just one way to solve a reaction equation in organic chemistry. Although I was greatly challenged in this class, I still plan to follow this field of science and eventually major in chemistry to pursue my aspirations of becoming a pharmacist. Organic chemistry was the class that pushed me out of my comfort boundaries of easy classes, and where I discovered the scientist within me.

Vote for Maja Zivkovic

 

Subject liked the most. Why I was interested in that subject more than others. Do you plan on focusing your career on that subject?

by Selamawit McGee

I was interested in Science since third grade. My gym read her taught anatomy and gym. I scored an A on Science and a C+ in gym. Not to like a low grade, I eventually honed my gym skills and was on the Soccer Varsity team.

I became interested in Science because I have older parents who visited the doctor’s office and I had to accompany them because I was being picked up from school. The doctors were very impressed that I knew the parts of the body and that I could speak for my parents. I enjoyed the adult compliments and the new knowledge shared by doctors. I also learned the various types of equipment used to treat and help to diagnose various types of illnesses. I eventually became comfortable with medicine and healthcare. So being good at math, the performing arts and drawing, helping others became my mission since elementary school. This is why I will be going into pre-med in hope of being a doctor of medicine specializing in Geriatrics.

As indicated, I hope to be a Medical Doctor specializing in Geriatrics. My parents are in their 60s and I want to be there to give quality healthcare to an aging population. I truly see it is possible. I got accepted into CUNY City College, Biology Department. Please wish me well as I transition to college. It will take hard work and much support. If I could add, prayer and much sleep. Thanks for the opportunity to apply to this scholarship. Will try to have others vote for my essay. Hope they follow through.
Thank you,
Selam

Vote for Selamawit McGee

 

You Are What You Think About

by Desire Lacap

Being in school, I’ve always contemplated whether or not it was for me. I have always been a creator with a visual mind rather than sitting in class zoning out while the teacher teaches a subject I was uninterested in. But there was always psychology I’ve always enjoyed learning about because it teaches a lot of self reflection, and how life around works. Many people in class weren’t as interested in the subject as I was, from how I can tell is reading their body language, sense their vibes and attendance. I believe I was interested in psychology more than others because I live a daily life believing that everything happens for a reason. The scientific study of the human mind and functions, the mental and emotional factors that make a person who they are interests me. A lot of people wonder why one is the way they are but never realize the cause of it can be what they have gone through in the past. I’ve learned through that subject that you are what you think about. So, if one were to think about positive or negative thoughts – whatever it is, that is what they attract into their life. For my career, I’m pursuing a BA in Digital Filmmaking and although it doesn’t completely focus around psychology, I take it into my advantage to use to anyways. The film industry is tough to get around, it’s all about networking and making connections with every single person you meet. With psychology, it’s understanding the human mind along with the mental and emotional factors. Therefore, I would be able to use it all around understanding why a single person works the way they work, or is the way they are through the experiences they have gone through. There are psychological patterns one can realize through someone’s behavior, work ethic and energy. I plan to use this not only within my career, because I’m not pursuing a degree in therapy but to read how other people come off to be.

Vote for Desire Lacap

 

Aesthetics

by Bethany Cart

This semester I have greatly enjoyed being in my Core Texts and Aesthetics class. In this class, we studied the different concepts of Beauty held by philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Hume, and Nietzsche. Before taking this class I assumed beauty was pretty obvious and self-explanatory. It hadn’t occurred to me that there are many different interpretations of beauty and art that have been developing for centuries. Before coming to college, I had a singular idea about beauty, art, and its purpose. I am so interested in this subject because it has opened my mind to the reality of different interpretations and ideas in relation to art. I am an art major, and so it excites me to learn about the concepts of beauty that have shaped and influenced the way people have historically produced art. For example, Kant introduced the concept that the imagination decides what is beautiful, and the less useful a beautiful thing is the better. From this theory, entered the “art for art’s sake” movement, in which art began to be made purely for the sake of itself and never for use or touch. In regards to connecting this subject to my career, I do not plan to focus my career on aesthetics exactly, but aesthetics certainly influences and interacts with the career path I want to follow. I hope to pursue art either as a visual artist, illustrator, art curator, or an art therapist. I have not chosen the career yet, but in any of these aesthetic concepts are present.

Vote for Bethany Cart

 

Agriculture

by Brett Shirley

The subject i enjoyed learning about the most in school was my agriculture class. I go to a small school in a rural community in Illinois and it was just so interesting to be able to get in and learn about crops and animals. Therefore we were able to go help many of the farmers in my area to where we could plant and take care of some of the animals. I think the reason I was so interested in my agriculture class is because in there yo;u were able to learn the material and then go put what you learned to the test in real life situations and scenarios. We also got to play with animals and watch things grow from the ground up like crops but also animals. Plus who does not love taking care of animals and nurturing them and helping them grow. I also think another reason why I loved my agriculture class so much is because we were able to not only help in our community but we were able to get food all across the state in produce markets. I do plan on focusing my career somewhat around the agricultural department. I want to get a degree in Agricultural Business Management and be able to help farms around the country who are struggling financially. Therefore with my agricultural degree in Business Management I would be able to help in my community but also wherever I could end up living my life whether it would be half way across the country or a quarter mile away. In conclusion I want to be able to help one of the oldest professions in the world and the number one profession that has became smaller since the eighteen hundreds by ninety-nine percent. I would love to receive this scholarship to help myself pursue my dreams of helping struggling farmers around the country and or world.

Vote for Brett Shirley

 

Biology

by Paige Christenson

The subject I enjoyed learning the most about in school was biology. I find biology fascinating because there is so much to learn about how organisms work. It is hard to believe that some functioning organisms are smaller than the naked eye can see, and it is even harder to believe that organisms are composed of much smaller organelles. I also find it intriguing that there is such diversity among organisms. At their smallest level, the membranes of cells of different types of organisms are so diverse that certain drugs will only affect strains of the same species. The traits that organisms have acquired over years of evolution such as being able to turn genes on and off and being able to acquire new DNA from outside sources is remarkable. I find how that those survival techniques interact with the human body even more captivating.
I do plan on focusing my career around biology because I aim to practice medicine. I want to major in biology for my undergraduate degree which will then put me on track for medical school. I found my passion for medicine in biology because of the things I thought were interesting during my studies. While studying bacteria and viruses, I found myself asking more and more questions about how they work and how that knowledge could be applied to treating infections in humans. I want to focus my medical career around learning more about how the human body works in respect to the immune system and basic functioning of each body system. I want to know how the human body works, why it works the way it does, and what ways are most efficient in treating the human body when it does not work the way it is supposed to. These concepts are at the core of biology and that is why I find it so fascinating.

Vote for Paige Christenson

 

Dreams for the Future

by Jarel Dillard

During my freshman year in high school, I took an economics course. It was in that class that I began to think about a career choice. One of our projects was “A Look Into the Future.” The project instructed us to look at your future life, make reasonable decisions as to who and where you think you will be. We also analyzed living costs and created a budget. I never really thought about car notes, utility costs, mortgages, and personal living costs. After creating my budget, I knew I needed to make a decent wage.

As I researched and pondered, I thought about the subjects that I enjoyed; math was at the top of the list. Ever since I was little, I had an affinity with numbers. I knew that it was essential not just to find a job but to select a career doing something that I love and would provide a livable wage. Off to Google.com, I went searching for a career survey. I was already leaning towards engineering. The survey results were engineering, and that confirmed my initial thoughts.

Throughout my childhood, my parents have nurtured my affinity for mathematics by enrolling me in various STEAM programs. After sharing my career choice with my parents, they enrolled me in a week-long engineering discovery program over the summer. It was a residential program on a college campus. My first day consisted of a tour and overview of what the week would include. The camp gave me hands-on experience by introducing us to four concentrations of engineering. Each of them presented their unique quality. I had the opportunity to ask engineers questions and got a more in-depth look at multiple fields. They offered one of the most important things that I learned in sports, teamwork. This was my defining moment! Engineering will be the profession for me. It was also from this experience that I decided to pursue civil engineering.

As I navigated my way through high school with a strong emphasis on math, other challenges continue to occur. I had to put my big boy pants on and learn some life lessons, priorities, time management and perseverance – just to name a few. Juggling schoolwork, sports, and extracurricular activities require all of those above and more. That economics course was the pivotal point in shaping my dreams for the future.

Vote for Jarel Dillard

 

Thank you to my math teacher

by Jamie Slattery

Growing up I always thought I was good at math because I was always great with algebra and equations. When I got to High school I passed math wath a 99.98% in the class. Since I thought I was the next great mathematician I took advanced geometry instead of regular geometry. Everything was going fine, I understood the material and was getting good grades but then something changed. I started to get more confused and math didn’t come easily to me anymore. I got through it though and proceed onto algebra two. Finally back to what I understood, right? Wrong, algebra two was nothing like algebra one and again it wasn’t easy for me. I was able to do the algebraic portions but anything to do with graphing went right over my head. The next step after algebra two was pre-calc. If you don’t know what pre-calc about it is pretty much a math class on the one thing that doesn’t come easy to me, graphing. I thought that I was going to fail because I never knew how to do any graphing but with pre-calc came the best math teacher I ever had. If I didn’t understand something he would sit with me until I got it. He is the entire reason I was able to understand the material. A good teacher can help anyone understand anything, no matter the subject. My math teacher sat down with me until I was able to understand the material and I thank him for that because not only did he teach me math, he taught me that amazing teachers do exist.

Vote for Jamie Slattery

 

The Discovering of Psychology

by Ryann Burd

I spent my high school years taking a variety of honors and AP classes to get a foundation for the core subjects of math, science, history, and english but it wasn’t until my senior year that I stepped out of those high ranking classes and took an academic elective that I discovered the most enjoyable subject. In psychology, we studied a variety of topics such as the basics of research, the branches of psychology, the progress of infancy and childhood, and how the different parts of the body relate to a person’s behavior. It was fascinating to me to learn the reasons why one would begin studying others as a career choice and all of the different fields involved in it. It shows insight to how people and their behaviors are shaped and one is able to acquire practical information in regards to critical thinking skills and learning strategies. As a big advocate for children, I especially enjoyed the infancy and childhood unit as it taught me a lot about the development of children from inside the womb until young adulthood. I was able to learn about motor and language development, the thinking processes of infants, and how certain disadvantages in early life can affect a person in adulthood. Lastly, as a type of science, we studied how the brains and neurons affect a person’s behavior, giving me a more logical explanation to the way a person acts. A large portion of psychology is the experimental aspect, including Stanley Milgram’s experiment on conformity, Gibson and Walk’s visual cliff study, and Harry Harlow’s study on the relationship between mothers and their children. Hearing of these experiments truly interested me, encouraging me to learn more. I think I was interested in this subject more than the other ones I took because I was able to relate to it more and apply to my personal life rather than having to focus on the hypothetical. I don’t plan on focusing my career solely on psychology, but having an attachment to children and being a lover of science along with taking this course shaped my dream of becoming a pediatrician where I am able to enjoy a combination of my two interests.

Vote for Ryann Burd

 

A Problem Solved

by Stella G.

It’s Don’s fault. He made me do it. I resisted. He finally won. And because he won, I won too.

I now love math.

I never liked math. It never made sense. It was hard and complicated. No one could explain it to me. Numbers and meaningless signs always jumbled together in my dyslexic brain.

Then, Don appeared when I was in ninth grade, after my failed attempt at Algebra 1. Don is my math tutor.

Don said that his goal was for me to learn to love math. Not superficially, but truly love it. He wanted me to think like a mathematician and embrace math problems on paper and in everyday life.

Don is an amazing combination of patient, creative, funny, and smart. At times Don embeds math into my love of English and Latin. Other days, Don has props: a floor-length mirror to calculate the height of a telephone pole, cardboard cutouts of shapes to test the “golden rule” and find the perfectly-proportioned rectangle. He brings Renaissance period books with juicy tidbits of mathematical history. Every lesson, he prepares some exciting experiment or new, accessible way to tackle a math problem and to engage me in the world of numbers. Don makes math meaningful.

He started out sitting across the kitchen table, but when math became anxiety-producing, he moved over next to me, to show that he was there with me. Although I have since overcome my fear of the word problem, Don remains at my side.

Today, as I prepare for college, I am a confident mathematician. While I won’t major in math, I call myself a mathematician. I can spot a math problem, embrace the unknown, and employ the knowledge I learned from Don to solve a challenging puzzle.

I will study music in college. Some people say music and math are related, and I suppose that’s true. In music there are note values and rhythmic calculations. What I believe math will help me with most is my ability to work as a self-employed musician: to figure out my budgets, contracts, and expenses, my travel times and costs. I will need to use measurements to determine if I can fit my piano into an apartment.

Don and math have opened a new world to me. I am excited to apply this knowledge to the world I soon enter into, as an independent college student.

(Note: I’m sorry if you already received my essay. I submitted my identical essay previously, but never got a confirmation it was received. I am resubmitting the essay just to be on the safe side. Thank you.)

Vote for Stella G.

 

From Community Theater to Tisch

by Piper Lyric Verbrick

Theater and Performance was by far my favorite subject in school. My first semester of high school was difficult. I struggled socially more than I had before. I was happy that my friends started developing friendships with new people but I couldn’t seem to do the same. Eventually I was placed in Mrs. Spring’s black box theater class and this is when everything started to change. Theater class provided a fun, collaborative, safe space which provided the opportunity for me to interact with those around me. This class forced students to break out of their usual groups. Within the first week of her class I was easily collaborating with a group consisting of all grade levels. Along with this my passion for theater grew. I ended up performing in many plays and short films. I even gained professional representation. I eventually left black box theater so I could take more advanced acting classes at a local college through a post secondary enrollment option. Although I appreciate the rigor of the college classes, I will always credit my freshman year theater class for making me realize acting was a passion I had to pursue.
The challenge of transforming into a new character gives me the chance to create a unique experience for both myself and the audience. Acting gives the performer and onlookers the ability to experience a story that isn’t theirs. It allows both parties to enter an alternate universe and imagine living a life completely different from their own. As much as acting can transport someone into a different story, it can remind them of their own. Acting is also a way to relate to one another. Acting allows for common human experiences to be expressed. Many shows revolve around events that most people can relate to in some way; losing a loved one, feeling isolated, starting a new life, etc. Performances help people appreciate both how similar and different each individual life path is. This is why I plan to earn an acting degree at one of the world’s best performance training schools, New York University’s Tisch School of the arts. Despite the difficulties of living as a working artist, I know I will never regret this choice. With a career in acting I will remain passionate about my job and work will be something I look forward to every day.

Vote for Piper Lyric Verbrick

 

First Generation College Student

by Aliza Mae Anthanio

I heard about the School Tutoring Monthly Scholarship through the Scholly website. I’m excited to participate in this opportunity and I would like to explain why I should be considered for this scholarship.

Although tedious, I find math and science to be very enjoyable classes. Since my freshman year, I’ve been interested in a career in nursing so inasmuch as possible, I try to maximize my exposure to classes and experiences to support my career goals. For example, last year I took honors biology and I am looking forward to taking chemistry in the fall. I also volunteered as a Nurses’ Assistant at the Shady Grove Adventist Hospital Pediatric Nursing department, in Rockville Md. For quite a few years, I have been to HBCU college fairs to explore my options in the Math and Sciences. If I am awarded this scholarship, then it will help me prepare for college and support my future career plans. Once I graduate high school, I want to major in pediatric nursing and minor in graphic design.

While I enjoy math and science, these are the core classes that I tend to struggle with the most because of the level of work required each day. Although I’ve gotten used to it, I still spend a lot of time studying the material. I do not have academic help at home so throughout the week, I visit my teachers during lunch hour and after school to ensure that; I understand the material, do well on my homework assignments and do well on my exams. It is important that I succeed in school because I will be the first in my immediate family to get a college degree.

Lastly, being able to obtain this scholarship would be a confidence booster because it would bring me one step closer to being a college student someday. If I am considered, I would be most thankful and would represent your scholarship program with the utmost distinction. Thank you for your consideration.

Vote for Aliza Mae Anthanio

 

History: A Never Ending Subject

by Grace Cain

The subject I enjoy most in school is history. I love learning about the past, because the more you learn about the past, the more you know about the future. History repeats itself, and its important to know what happened in our past so we can appreciate what happens in the future. I had a really great teacher when I first started learning about history, he helped me understand the significance of the past and why it should matter to everyone. Even after his class I still wanted to learn more and eventually completed every history class available at my school. I enjoy history more than any other class because I could understand why it’s important. History should be a required course in every school because it has something to offer for everyone. It also helps expand and open minds to the idea of global awareness. History is not subjected to one place in time, it happens constantly, everywhere, everytime, and affects all people. There is always something to learn, history is never ending. It is not subjected to only America or Europe, every civilization through time has a history and a culture, and its important to learn about them and remember them. I do hope to take my passion and turn it into a career; I am planning on going to college for my master and eventually my PhD in history, with a minor in religious studies and spanish. I want to be able to eventually teach in college classrooms as a professor of history. I will hopefully be teaching world history and cultures, but I would also enjoy getting to teach early American history. The idea that one teacher can help you pursue a passion you never knew you had is true and possible. It happened to me and I hope to affect students in that way as well. If I was able to just help one student pursue history, it would fulfill my dream of helping students realize their passion for an amazing subject.

Vote for Grace Cain

 

Genetics is in my DNA

by Aubrie

In school the topic of Biology was always my favorite, specifically genetics. I’m not sure why this topic attracts me so much, but it’s likely the fact that it has such applicability in the world. I absolutely plan on focusing my career on this subject, because I believe that not only should people do what they love, but I believe that I will be able to make a difference in the world through this field. in my AP Biology class. We were watching a movie, Lorenzo’s Oil, in which there was a young boy with adrenoleukodystrophy (commonly known as ALD), and some very determined parents who saw that they were being sold short on the options being looked into to treat their son. This movie enlightened me to see the impact that the correct guidance can make to the life of a child. It was at this point I decided that I wanted to become a pediatric genetic counselor. To achieve this career goal, I understand that it will be necessary for me to get a bachelor’s degree in Biology, and a master’s in genetics or genetic counseling. I plan to attend Youngstown State University and partake in their Honors College program for my B.S. and to finish my schooling at Pitt to earn my M.S.. I realize that this amount of schooling will take not only hard work but perseverance on my part, and I can’t wait for the challenge. By achieving these degrees I will be qualified to take a genetic counseling position at UPMC in Pittsburgh or a similar hospital, where I will be able to finally fulfill the purpose of helping children and working in the ever developing field of genetics and genetic therapy. Through insightful and truly caring guidance, families can be helped to improve the state of living for their children and be given the opportunity to give every life the chance to reach its potential.

Vote for Aubrie

 

Why I Enjoyed Psychology

by Isaiah McKnight

Although it was only a semester course, my favorite subject in school that I enjoyed learning the most about was definitely Psychology. I think I enjoyed learning about Psychology because it teaches you necessary concepts that you must know in order to understand human behavior. Out of all the classes I have taken during high school, none of them ever fully explained why people do the things they do. The closest class I have had to psychology was history, and that only taught me that human beings do a lot of bad things. However, Psychology taught me important concepts like why people conform, how you can influence human thought, and how you can persuade other people. Such concepts are briefly mentioned in other subjects, and most of the time they are never brought up at all. More importantly, Psychology teaches us to empathize with other people. Empathy is something that isn’t common sense, and most of your other classes don’t teach you why it is important to be empathetic. You never know what could be going on in someone else’s life. People have a bunch of different stuff going on in their lives, from at home, to school, to work. All of these experiences impact a person’s mental state, and Psychology’s biggest reminder is that you must acknowledge that not everyone is going to think like you. Likewise, Psychology teaches you about different mental disorders, and learning about the effects they have on your brain is really interesting. Despite how much I liked learning about Psychology, I am not going to focus my career on that subject because the ways of observing people with mental or behavioral issues can be unethical sometimes. Also, I want to be a recording artist, and even though Psychology could help me make people listen to my music, it won’t actually help me to create the actual music.

Vote for Isaiah McKnight

 

Eighteen

by Natalie Silulu

Eightteen. Eighteen years of life on earth. For the past eighteen years of my life I have been in the same town, same school district, and have had the same friends. I live in a small suburban town about forty five minutes from Boston. Nothing out of the ordinary. People go through high school, go to college, get jobs, buy their first home, raise children and grow old. This may seem simple and some may even say easy, but from the viewpoint of a highschool senior this is just the start of a life long journey.
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” That question I was asked endless amounts as a child that I was once able to answer with a “rockstar” or “magician” has become my reality. As a child I always dreamt of the day I would go off to college, graduate and have a purpose in life, but now I’m starting to realize this part in my timeline has arrived. Being so young and having to make such a vital decision in your life can be difficult. For me it was actually quite simple. Throughout high school I have always done well in my classes and tried my best to keep good grades. Sophomore year I fell in love with biology, It was my passion and most favorable class. I loved being able to undercover knowledge about the evolution of the earth, cells and much more. Biology was very hands on which is what I think I loved most about it. From then on any science course I have pursued has been in great interest to me.
My name is Natalie Silulu and I want to major in Health Sciences in college, pass the medical college admission test, go to medical school, graduate, attend a residency in the practice of dermatology, get my medical license and then officially become a dermatologist. This goal may sound very ambitious for an eighteen year old who has never really left her small town, but I can assure you this goal is just a few feet from my reality.
A few month ago I attended an admitted students day at an university I had considered attending, here I went to the health science session. I remember the professor saying that a child can go through life telling everyone that they are going to be a doctor when they grow up, but when this becomes real it may not always be as easy as that child thought and that only the select few will succeed. The saying “easier said than done” is something I associated this with. At first this really got to me for a second, what if my lifelong dream of being a dermatologist was unachienceable. But then I realized it is only unachievable if I think with such a negative mindset. I am determined to become a dermatologist and will try my best to achieve this because I know If I set my heart to it, I can succeed. I am a very genuine, organized, hard working, sociable person, which are all traits that will further my goal are vital to have in order to be a doctor.
Some may wonder why I want to pursue such profession. When I was younger I was diagnosed with Molluscum Contagiosum. This is a mild skin rash that creates small wart like bumps the surface of one’s skin. The only thing was my affected area was my face. Having these bumps on my face caused a plumpeting effect on my self confidence and self esteem. I thought I was ugly and I was afraid others would tease me. I remember my mother pulled me out of school one day and we drove to an unfamiliar location. We were going to my dermatology appointment. As a seven year old child I was a bit unsure of what exactly this ment. All I knew is she was here to help me. Over a short time span of follow up appointments my skinned cleared and my self esteem came back. I know this may be a sappy reason, but ever since then I wanted to be a dermatologist. I want to help people with their skin conditions and make a difference in someone’s life.
As I said before an occupation in dermatology is my goal. Majoring in health sciences will allow me to build a solid foundation of the sciences and learn the critical criteria that I am not only passionate about, but need to know in order to get into med school. After I have graduated college, I would like to apply to medical school. Thinking about what I am going to do in the next four years is a bit scary, but I do have a rough idea about where I would like to be located. I believe there are many opportunities in heavily populated areas. New York City or Boston are both places I would love to live and attend medical school. Not only are they both beautiful and diverse cities but they also house some of the best medical schools, doctors, and healthcare offices in the country.
Receiving this scholarship will not only honorable but very helpful. It would allow me to start this part of my timeline. My parents work very hard to support my sister and I, but living in such a wealthy area makes it a challenged to make ends meet. My parents moved to this distract for the schools. Acton-Boxborough school district is very well known and has an exceptional school system. Living here has allowed me to get a good education and motivation to succeed in life. I hope one day to be able to support my parents and thank them for everything they have sacrificed for me. I think I deserve this scholarship because I am a very sincere person with a goal. I just need a little help financially to boost me in the right direction.

Vote for Natalie Silulu

 

Why I Love English Literature

by Christina Paz

If I had to choose one subject, I would have to say English. I love learning in general, but more than understanding concepts, analysis of literature and especially stories, plays, or novels allows a deeper understanding of not just the characters in the story but also some truths about humanity and society as well. Many themes in literature can relate to our own experiences, and it’s that deeper level of understanding that I love so much, not to mention my love for understanding the characters at a more personal level that just isn’t possible in the real world. While I intend to study Environmental Science, my desire to understand others and learn from their individual experiences will be the core of my career. The understanding I have for characters in literature is what I strive to achieve for the people in my life. It’s not so much English that my career will focus on but the deeper understanding of not just concepts regarding Environmental Science but also people and society.

Vote for Christina Paz

 

ScoolTutoring Scholarship Submission

by Shawn Kendrick Contreras

When I was in elementary school, I loved to read. Things like The Magic Tree House and The Magic School Bus were my favorite series. In middle school I started to read other series like Harry Potter and the Percy Jackson and the Olympians, but around eighth grade, reading stopped being interesting to me. Looking back, I think it’s because in school we never read stories I personally found interesting. Once I got into my Freshman year I had completely stopped reading for fun, something that changed in my Sophomore year.

While it’s not the most unique school subject a person could talk about, my sophomore English class was something I legitimately looked forward to each day. My teacher, who I’ll call Mr. N, made reading fun for me again. He helped me realize that reading wasn’t just a surface level thing; Mr. N taught us about foreshadowing, metaphors, and other literary and writing devices. It revitalized in me a passion for reading I thought had died out. His lessons made me look back and appreciate the effort authors put into the stories I’ve read. Mr. N even made me interested in writing my own stories, and while I haven’t written anything award-winning, I continue to write short stories to this day.
The stories we read in my English class also helped reinvigorate my love of reading The two that stick out in my mind were Never Let Me Go and The Great Gatsby. The former is about clones and their short lives as organ donors, a story that I remember as the first bittersweet ending I enjoyed. The latter story I remember fondly because it was the first time I legitimately loathed a character, Daisy Buchanan. Both stories have stayed with me ever since I first read them and have influenced me as a writer.

While I don’t plan on focusing my career around English, the writing skills I learned from the class will definitely stick with me. My plan in college is to learn how to make my own video games, whether it be as a programmer or designer. In the future, I’d want to create video games with a good story, which means I’ll need to use the skills I learned in English to be able to properly write it.

Vote for Shawn Kendrick Contreras

 

1+1

by Taliya Rogers

In class, you learn different subjects whether they are interesting to you or not. Even though, I liked most of my subjects math sparked an interest in me. Math was never really a hard subject to me. I liked this subject more than any other subject in school because I quickly understood what was going on in class. I would sometimes help people in my class because they would not understand what was going on. My dad and teachers made me love math because the way they taught me different tricks and ways to look at the problems helped me. Subjects like history and english never really caught my eye. I was also interested in math because I would get good grades, especially from my quiz and tests. Other subjects, I would need extra help on, so I would stay after school with my teachers or I would go home and spend most of my day trying to understand. Doing great in math, made me feel great because I knew I could succeed in passing my other classes. Not having to worry about a class that everybody thinks is hard was great for me.
I want to major in Nursing and that has to do with math, especially statistics. I was able to take a statistics college course this year. If I pass the first and second semester then my math class can be taken off my college schedule because I will get credit. A nurse has to know the measurements of how much medicine to take for their patients. When I go to college and start taking my nursing classes, math will be one of my strengths. I am already familiar with statistics which will benefit me. Nursing is surrounded by math, so I need to keep doing well in my math classes, especially in college. Nursing is a very hard and competitive major to do, but I feel like my aptitude for math and my work ethic will help me reach my goals.

Vote for Taliya Rogers

 

My Favorite Subject-Coding

by Lillian Presley

My favorite subject in school is computer science programming. I joined the computer science department at my school two years ago after taking two engineering courses. During those engineering courses we did a project that required us to program a robot. Programming that robot was the most fun I had in my past two years in that class. I found I had a talent for coding and that it was my passion. After that I decided to study computer science instead of engineering. I love it because it’s like learning a new language and being able to create programs that end up serving different functions is so satisfying. I got to learn the programming language Python last year. During that time I also got to learn the fundamentals of any programming language. Over the summer I was allowed to help with a project at Exterran where I helped integrate an Oracle database to an Oracle account reconciliation cloud service using Jython. Currently I am learning Java and have been working on building my coding skills. This year I’ve been attending Java programming competitions with an all girl team from my high school. Our team has also placed in these competitions. It’s been so much fun and an incredible experience for me. Recently I applied my coding knowledge and created a website for my community’s Special Olympic team. This project has made me feel good about the impact I can have with my knowledge and skills. My intended major is computer science and I want to work in that job field. After graduation I want to go into the software development field as I feel it will let me follow my passion for programming and will be a stable job. Hopefully this scholarship will help me to pursue my future dreams.

Vote for Lillian Presley

 

The Most Enjoyable Subject to Learn – My Chemistry with Chemistry

by Kimberly Sharp

Chemistry, one of the subjects that most current and former students look at and shudder when they remember their experience in the class. Unlike most students, I have always been enthralled by the subject. Learning about the inner workings about everything happening around you has always been something that I have found very interesting and enjoyable. Despite all the difficulty, challenges, and sleepless nights that I have experienced over my past two years of learning it, I haven’t stopped calling it my favorite subject to learn. In fact, the challenges that I have faced have helped me grow more fond of the subject.

I believe that I enjoyed learning chemistry the most because the courses I’ve taken in the subject, honors chemistry and AP Chemistry, have been some of the few courses that I have taken proven to challenge me, despite all the honors and dual enrollment courses that I have taken. The course is especially challenging due to the vast amount of knowledge that you must learn about the different fields of chemistry. It’s also one of the few courses that you are forced to study if you plan on getting a passing grade. Even with the “tough love” that I receive from the course material, I have grown to love learning it. Some of the topics that have interested me the most are quantum theory and mechanics, chemical bonding, and chemical kinetics. Even with these topics being some of the most difficult, I find them to be some of my favorites so far.

Influenced by my love for chemistry, I am planning on focusing my career on the subject. I am planning on majoring in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida and potentially will start my career in the state. After previewing programs for biology, chemistry, and biochemistry at a few different schools that I was interested in, I decided that Biochemistry is the best fit for me. Florida Southern offers great internship and career opportunities that will enable me to get the most career experience as I can, so I may know what field of biochemistry I will go into after college.

Vote for Kimberly Sharp

 

A Struggle

by Hollie Westendorf

A time in school where I struggled was when I was failing math, but trying. Knowing you’re trying your hardest at something, but still not succeeding, is truly an awful feeling. I reviewed the materially, did my homework, and took notes,’but nothing was working. Finally, I decided to get extra help. Getting extra help was a lot of work, but was worth it in the end. I finally now have an A in math, and couldn’t be happier. It taught me that putting in the extra effort is worth it and gives you better results.

Vote for Hollie Westendorf

 

Lincoln…The Great Emancipator?

by Jemima Joseph

AP US History. A roller coaster of discovery, surprises and most of the time, a lot of work. The workload was unpleasant. Double periods after lunch was torture, yet I loved the class. Learning about wars, how they came to be, betrayal in the government, and even skinny dipping presidents. One of my favorite topics was Abraham Lincoln. He was always referred to as the “Great Emancipator”, but he wasn’t that great. Slaves were freed as a war tactic. He would not have freed the slaves if the confederacy agreed to join the union. He believed that African-Americans were not equal to whites. I found AP US History more interesting than other subjects because I was good at it. To other students in my class, US History was annoying mostly because they did not do the work or they did not understand it. I was always on top of my work. Reading my notes and flashcards made me learn faster, thus making me better than most students. I have always been an open minded thinker and the class challenged me to think about two perspectives through socratic seminars. A yes or no answer was not enough to fully explain the complexity of a topic. History has always been one of my favorite subjects and an advanced class made it more interesting. When asked “Do you think Lincoln deserved the title of ‘Great Emancipator?’”, the pros and cons clashed. On one hand, he deserved the title because he freed the slaves. On the other, he knew that the confederacy would not win without their workforce, so he used the slaves as a leverage to win the war. But since slavery was such a big controversy back then, freeing the slaves overshadowed the fact that he could not have cared less.

As much as I love AP US History, I do not plan to focus my career around it. I want to become a software developer, but I am not completely sure of what category in software development. I have a passion for creating objects that will benefit the lives of people. I have been accepted to Dartmouth’s class of 2022 as an Early Decision applicant and I plan to double major in Computer Science and Economics. When I graduate, I plan to use my new found skills to help people who are in need and lift some of their burdens.

Vote for Jemima Joseph

 

My interest in History

by Jacob Garcia

A lot of people, including my family, are curious on how I can be interested in history, a subject they find difficult. For me, part of it is memorization, but more than that. you need to be interested. when I would take a history class, while people in the back of the class were sleeping or on their phones, I was paying well attention to my teachers history lecture, even if it was about someone that almost no one knew about, let alone were interested in. Because of this, many people would get irritated with me when I would ask detailed questions that took a long time to answer or that they didn’t understand. Because of this, I wanted to go into higher level classes to meet other student that shared my passion for history.

Vote for Jacob Garcia

 

Algebra: Solving the problems of my life

by Sarah McClain

Every since the 6th grade I have a passion and developing a liking for math, specifically algebra. This was the one class I would look forward to going to each day because for me, I never had to struggle to succeed in this course. The love for math progresses into my high school and college years, and am now studying management with a minor or potential double major in finance. This subject interested me more than other common favorite such as English or Physical Education because I enjoyed the thought of having and finding one correct answer, whereas in English there several correct ones, but one right answer. I loved having equations to solve, especially the ones with the most work involved because it gave me a sense of accomplishment; I had worked so hard for something that actually had an end goals and a satisfying result, a good grade. It was also reassuring that you know whether you got a question right or wrong before turning the assignment in for a grade. I think that I enjoyed this subject more than others because I understood the equations and the meanings behind the methods needed to use. My brain is very structural and task oriented which is exactly how a mathematical and algebraic equation is set up. You must finish one step of the problem before proceeding to the next and the course material builds off each other which most students do not like. I prefer when subjects are cumulative because it ensures that I understand the information instead of cramming for a test and forgetting it for the next. Additionally, most students view their math skills as inherited instead of learned. They think that they simply do not understand it and will always do bad in the subject. I, personally, view it as a learned subject where students can always get better. With that said, I have always viewed myself as good at math which mentally helped me further my mathematical education because I had good thought about it whereas most have ill views and thus, do poorly because they think more work will be a waste because they will inevitably fail.

Vote for Sarah McClain

 

The Enemy Of Most, But My Tricky Friend

by Pamela nesbitt

Math was my favorite subject in school hands down. I loved it I couldn’t get enough of it, honestly. I doubled up in math classes to prove it. I think I was so fascinated in the subject because there is so much to learn. It’s a trick and a tug every time, well expect for the basic stuff, but you know what I mean. There is always a challenger there for your brain and when I solve the problem it give me satisfaction that I can do it! I don’t need anything, but my brain. Math calms me, as well. It’s steady, concentrating work that keeps me in the zone and thinking. It keeps my mind gonna and learning and I love that about math. I am sadly not focusing my career around it. I want to be s psychologist and help people out with all their problems, but who knows 🙂 I might throw a couple math problems in my sessions every now and then.

Vote for Pamela Nesbitt

 

Reading and Writing

by Theresa Dunlay

As a small child, my aunt would babysit me while my parents went to work. Every day she would make it a priority to teach me as much as she could. She taught me to read and write before I started kindergarten. I was the only kindergartener that would read the New York Journal fluently during reading time and even won a few essay contests before I was in the second grade. As you can imagine, my family was always proud of me as a child for my advanced abilities.

As I grew older, reading and writing were my two favorite subjects. I believe that I have such a passion for both subjects because they not only were a very large part of my childhood, but also because they are the basic building blocks in everyday life. I understood this even as a child and have always been thankful that my family saw my potential and invested the time to help me advance my skills. My parents always provided me with endless amounts of books, newspapers, and anything else that I could read. I would read during dinner, our weekly grocery shopping trips, family events. It was rare to see me without a book in hand when I was younger. As an adult, I am never without my Kindle and I try to read whenever I have a chance.

Because reading and writing are the basic fundamental building blocks in life, I have based my career around these skills. I manage a veterinary hospital and because of this, reading and writing are a must. I am constantly reviewing resumes, medical charts, responding to business emails, and much more. There are so many opportunities in my field of work that require basic reading and writing skills and so for me to excel in both categories, I have chosen to continue in this profession.

Vote for Theresa Dunlay

 

Menacing Math

by Rylee Havens

Mathematics, is something I have always struggled with and I will not say that I am not good at it because I am but I need to put in more effort than most. Since 6th grade I have been going in to see my teachers for extra help. Even as a senior, I go in at least once a week during an off period to have my teacher watch me execute problems and answer my questions. Regardless of the style of math I struggle. My greatest struggles have been in geometry and calculus. For most people, geometry is hard but calculus usually comes easier. For me neither was easy. Before an assessment I sit in my desk, legs shaking, gripping my pencil tightly, with an expression of “I am going to pee myself”. The weight of the assessment doesn’t matter, it could be a simple quiz that won’t affect my grade but maybe .2 percent. My reaction is always the same. Honestly, I am my own biggest barrier because when I let myself fall into this routine I convince myself I do not know what I am doing. I panic so much that I truly forget what I had just known seconds ago. Ironically, I intend on pursuing a field filled with mathematics,engineering. Specifically to major in mechanical engineering with a minor in electrical engineering and computer science. Pursuing such a dream will mean facing great challenges for it is likely that I will learn a lot slower than most. But I can and I will make it, I will just need to continue putting in more effort than most. I have learned to tame, my routine of panic some. And if I continue to focus, push myself, and not give up I have no doubt that math will soon be another subject in school that I have wholeheartedly conquered. For now math might appear as a menace to me, but soon it’ll be nothing but another added part to my daily life.

Vote for Rylee Havens

 

The compelling mystery of the Nervous System

by Yvonne Baty

The anatomy and physiology class at my school is simply fantastic. Sure, we don’t always get a lot done. Sometimes we talk away an entire class period, discussing the newest research on owls or cheerfully nerd out about the digestive system. Partly because of these lively tangents, I have learned astounding things in this class. Most amazingly, I learned about the human nervous system and how it is involved in our everyday lives. It’s profoundly compelling how electrical signals traveling in the form of neurotransmitters across microscopic spaces between neurons can control everything from the fight or fight response to depression. I think this subject is most interesting to me because of my personal struggles with anxiety and depression. This personal relationship means I am super interested in why things like phobias and insecurities develop and how to manage them. I would adore learning more about this subject, wether or not I end up making it into a career. Information I’ve learned about the nervous system are already in use for myself every day, so I suppose a part of my career will involve the nervous system wether or not I choose to focus on it.

Vote for Yvonne Baty

 

AP US HIstory

by Eli Brady

The subject that I have been most interested in stufying in school has been AP United States History. I believe that I have become so infatuated with the history of the United States is because I was adopted. I was adopted when I was very young because my parents in Ust-Kamenogorsk could not support me. While, I would have loved to know my biological parents, I have been afforded many opportunties in America. I have had the opportunity at a better life which includes many things that I love including: Major League Baseball, the United States Military among many other things. America has allowed me to have experiences and knowledge that I may not have gotten in my home country. I have always felt very partriotic and have felt genuinely interested in knowing about the country that has given me all ot the opportunities and experiences that have enhanced my life for the better. I have been able to appreciate the country that I have made my own. United States History and history has always interested me not only because America gave me everything but becasue it is very interesting. The past is always something that we should learn from because it shapes our responses and actions and our future. If we do not learn from our past experiences we cannot grow as people becuase we will keep making the same mistakes. However, if we pay attention to the past we can adapt and react accordingly which will ultimatley lead to a better future for our children and prolong our survival as a species. I became interested in history not only because it was interesting or because I felt like I had a duty as a patriotic citizen to learn about my country but also because I want to grow and adapt as I encounter new experiences. From my knowledge of the past I have been able to apply it to understand new concepts and become successful in every aspect of my life because I know the precedents that have been set. I have been able to become an informed cititzen which will help me in my future career as a hopeful Judge Advocate General in the military.

Vote for Eli Brady

 

Let’s Talk History

by Lauren E. Radke

Social Studies classes have been -historically- my favorite classes to learn about because of the vast number of topics that one class can cover. The social studies branch is by far the most academically inclusive subject because not only is the typical historical cause-and-effect of events studied, but the cultural revolutions, the scientific advancements, economic policies, and political interplay between outstanding figures is analyzed. Few classes reach as far in content coverage as these classes, and as a student who loves anything and everything, this is the equivalent of an academic gold-mine.
This subject, other than having a vast overarching curriculum, has a multitude of varying classes under its umbrella name. Not only have I studied the ins and outs of United States history through a total of 4 classes, U.S. government and politics, and European history, but I have taken classes that analyzed and compared the governments and political structures of many countries across the world. Although it is normally called history, the connections and relationships among the different classes is applicable to the modern era. Patterns from the past can indicate the direction of cultural movements, political decisions, policies, and governmental revolutions. The ‘history’ that makes up the social studies classes is ever expanding as the world is presented with new movements emphasizing cultural identity, political sovereignty and rights, in addition to a new found governmental movements. For example, there is no other time in which countries have been moving away from democratic regimes and turning to an authoritarian form of government, like they are today. This illustrates the dynamic forces of social studies because of its inclusiveness and constant development.
As an aspiring international politician with a focus on diplomacy, the curriculum of the Social Studies Department will be vital to my career. I will need to have a complete understanding of governmental functions, political stances and history of countries in this line of work. Not only is it imperative that I have a complete understanding of different governments and political relations, but I will also need to have a comprehensive understanding on how to communicate effectively with others. In addition to this communication, an understanding of different cultures and their problem solving methods will help to best address problems in a manner that will most successful. The scope of Social Studies is by far the most influential subject and look forward to utilizing the knowledge.

Vote for Lauren E. Radke

 

Finding enjoyment in School

by Autumn Jilek

If I’m being completely honest I didn’t enjoy many classes in high school. It’s not that school wasn’t my thing, I loved learning new things. I think it was more that I didn’t enjoy sitting in a desk all day memorizing facts and equations. Because of this I spent most classes half asleep or daydreaming away the notes on the whiteboard. Despite my lack of enjoyment of classrooms, one subject that has always caught my interest no matter the setting or teacher is government. Fueled by house my House of Cards binge-watching sessions and early mornings spent watching the History Channel with my mother it’s something I have always been interested in. The complexity of the far reaching scope of government from local to global levels intrigued me. I think I was drawn in by the charismatic way of how politicians talk but even more so by the number of people working with them behind the scenes. I was impressed by the ways in which politics has shaped the world in the past and how it impacts the world in the future. My junior year of high school I took AP Government and it was by far my favorite class of high school. I was never sleepy or bored, I was always excited to learn. Moving into college I want to continue exploring this interest. Since early in middle school I had been dead set on majoring in business, and that stuck strongly with me when I was applying to college. However, since then I’ve thought a lot more about it. I’ve listened to how students have taken subjects they are passionate about, incorporated it into their majors or careers, and been successful. This made me realize that I should explore a political science minor and possibly a pre-law track. Deciding on what I’m going to be doing for the rest of my life isn’t easy, but I know for certain I want it to be something that I’m passionate about. If I can be excited to learn something at 9:00 on a Monday sitting on a stiff chair in a too cold classroom then that’s definitely something I want to continue to explore in my future.

Vote for Autumn Jilek

 

Overcoming a traumatic injury

by Theodore Hanakis

The most difficult times to get through often teach the most valuable lessons. This is something I figured out during my freshman year after an experience that put me in the hospital for a week during my Christmas break. I was 14 years old and had been participating in wrestling for my third year, so when my coach invited me to be the only freshman wrestler at the varsity tournament, there was no way I could refuse.
However, this was the biggest turning point in my life. In my last match of the tournament, I was slammed on the back of my head after my opponent performed an illegal move. Even though I was diagnosed with a concussion a few days later, the effects really took place when an emergency MRI revealed that my cerebellum swelled up and put me in the hospital for one week.
After this week in the hospital, everything seemed so surreal to me. I realized how close to death I was and I started to appreciate everything more. Although school became stressful due to the unbearable headaches I faced, this was something I knew I could overcome with time. The true struggle came when I faced severe anxiety attacks as a result of my medication. This was something I had never faced or truly understood. After being affected by them 4 times a day, going to the hospital twice, and constantly thinking there was something wrong with me, I slowly realized the difficulties I would face trying to overcome this.
Dealing with this anxiety took over my life for months. I couldn’t do anything without being afraid of something that I couldn’t even identify. Activities that I would do normally couldn’t be done with this constant anxiety in the back of my mind. I didn’t want to leave my house because I thought that everyone could see my anxiety through the way I acted. I was too afraid to be judged.
I slowly realized that talking to others was the first and most important step that would help my anxiety. Simply talking about this problem I struggled with to my parents showed me I wasn’t the only one dealing with it. However at the height of my stress, I felt so overwhelmed that I began to fall behind on my work, so I went to talk to my best friend at his house. I talked for hours and my friend just listened. The more I talked about wanting to overcome this, the stronger I felt and the more I realized it could not defeat me. My experience with anxiety taught me that the power of communication is often misunderstood. Talking to friends or family about serious topics can be scary for anyone, especially for a scared high school freshman, but overcoming this fear is something that you can use for lifelong benefits.
The difficulties I faced during my extreme period of anxiety have taught me more than anything else. The skills that I have acquired will help me overcome any physical or mental issue. I have also realized that everything happens for the better. For example, I knew that I wouldn’t be able to play sports after my injury. As a result, I joined Science Olympiad, and Forensics speech and debate, which have taught me more about team work, determination, and socializing outside of my comfort zone than any other sport could have. I have learned to not be afraid or embarrassed of my struggles. I have been able to help friends, family and even peers struggling with the same issue I had. Although it may be embarrassing to admit a struggle with anxiety, I will always say that I have overcome my anxiety, used it to shape the man I am today, and am forever grateful for what it has taught me.

Vote for Theodore Hanakis

 

My Early Childhood Development Class

by Patricia Therese Valbuena

I enjoy learning about early childhood development. I am fortunate that my high school offers a class in early childhood development, which gives students the opportunity to observe and interact with preschoolers. When we are not reading the textbook or taking notes on the lectures, we go to the nearby preschool to see in real life what we learned about in class. I am taking AP Psychology as well, so I find it very interesting when I compare the development of an adult with a child’s development.

My class in early childhood development is my favorite because I really love being with children. The summer before my senior year, I volunteered at a marine science camp for two weeks, working with a group of five year olds. I really enjoyed volunteering there and hope to volunteer in more programs that would allow me to interact with young children. Additionally, I have a one year old goddaughter, and by taking this class, it has given me have a better insight into what she is thinking and how she is developing. In my other classes, I can’t always relate what I learned in class to the real world. In my early childhood development class, I am able to connect the lectures to my time in the classroom.

I recently had an opportunity to plan an activity for the students at the preschool. I read a book called Mouse Shapes, which heilps the readers learn that many objects are made from different shapes. On the table, I placed different sizes of circles, squares, rectangles, and triangles made from colorful construction paper. I gave each child one colored paper of their choice to use as their background. The arts and craft activity I planned involved using different shapes to make their own picture/object. I let the kids begin doing their artwork and when they were done, I asked the students what kind of picture they made and what shapes they used. I enjoyed planning this activity and helping the students with their artwork. This class has inspired me to pursue an education degree in college in hopes that one day I will be an elementary school teacher.

Vote for Patricia Therese Valbuena

 

AP Statistics: How to Neither Confirm Nor Deny That Everything and Nothing May or May Not Be Connected

by Zion Smith

I was good at math, and I liked the certainty of it. Math was consistent and truthful, and all that it asked from me was to show my work.

That is, until I took AP Statistics.

If upper-level math and AP Lang had a baby, AP Stat would be their child. I found it bizarre that a class used calculators when it wanted to, could not seem to make up its mind on whether to use Greek or Latin, and avoided the words “confirmed” and “denied” like the plague. Everything that I thought I knew about math was turned on its head. Nothing in AP Stat was absolute, and I had to suddenly write what seemed like hundred-page essays to explain why!

At first, I had trouble breaking out of my habit of using extremities. I did not understand why I had to tack on “nearly”, “fairly”, or “possibly” to each one of my explanations. Finally, my teacher sat me down after a few frustrating weeks of poor performance on my assignments to solve my problem. She said that I was thinking too hard about everything. She explained that my prior math classes conditioned me to think that everything had to have a definite answer, but this was not the case in the real world. I had to embrace the unknown and accept the fact that not everything was in black and white, even in math. This class was full of loopholes, “what if”s, and conditions, and I had to be creative about how I approached them if I wanted to be successful. I had to stop being so rigid in my methodology and logic.

On an academic level, improving in AP Stat helped me in my other classes as well. In my science classes, my lab reports and write ups sounded more professional and more applicable to real-world situations. In language arts, I learned to think outside the box to defend stances better, AP Stat taught me how to be okay in life’s gray areas and how to thrive in them.

Vote for Zion Smith

 

Law – Criminal Justice Reform

by Benjamin Alexander Manogura

The subject I enjoyed the most while in school was that of Law. I would have to say it really peaked an interest in me and has made me reconsider what I want to major in. Law opened my eyes to many issues within the criminal justice system. I plan on majoring in Criminal justice as well as cyber security. I believe that a degree in criminal justice and cyber security is a rewarding career path. It is a path that will allow me to serve the community and put me in a position where I can meet the field’s challenges head on and also attempt to reform a field that has lost its respect, integrity and has been at times considered a corrupt field. I want to change how people view this field and I want to make a difference. My goals and plans following graduation are to get a few years’ experience in the field and I do plan on going back to school to pursue a Master’s degree. I would like to work with Emergency Management and/or Homeland Security. I want to be involved in the protection of our nation and at the same time be able to assist smaller communities in times of need – being able to do this makes this career path more rewarding for me. Unfortunately, there are many issues within the Criminal Justice System. One that we are seeing too often in today’s world is that of police abuse and police misconduct. Police officers are trained to serve and protect the community; however, with the increase in violence, police officers are under great pressure to act quickly. This unfortunately can result in fatal mistakes not only for the police officer but for members of the community. It is important to recognize that police officers among other first responders run towards the danger as opposed to running away from it. That takes a lot of courage and sacrifice. But just like there are good police officers, there are also corrupt officers. Reform is definitely needed to restore the trust and most importantly to restore respect within a field that is supposed to protect us but at times has failed us. By pursuing a degree in this field, I hope to be able to make a difference or at least initiate a change in how we do things while maintaining the utmost respect of the people in our society and holding true criminals to the full extent of the law.

Vote for Benjamin Alexander Manogura

 

Geek? I prefer the term nerd!

by Emily

One subject in school I absolutely loved was science! I love science with a passion. I was good at this subject but always wanted to get better, learn more, and know more. I don’t know why it interested me so much but I have always felt a pull toward the sciences since I was young. As I have gone through high school I have realized I want to continue learning and growing in the science field. After college and I after I have received my degrees I want to be a forensic anthropologist. So yes! My career does in fact involve the subject I have loved all throughout school and I can not wait to get started.

Vote for Emily

 

La Clase de Español

by Kori Alberts

My favorite subject to study in school is Spanish. I loved the way that the words sounded, I loved that the spelling was easy (because it was all phonetical and I struggle with spelling), I loved the food days, and I loved learning about the different culture. Spanish was always more fun than any of my other classes because it was brand new. Everyone had to start at square one and eventually you could have entire conversations with people. I am in Spanish 4 now, and plan on continuing to take classes in college too. I have always loved to learn about the different cultures and I hope to study abroad in Spain or Peru. I am looking forward to using what I have learned in an culture who actively uses it. I hope to become a nurse, and Spanish can help me communicate with all types of patients. Spanish is also the second most spoken language in the US, and it is always very helpful to know what people are talking about when they speak to you in a different language.

Vote for Kori Alberts

 

My Favorite Subject

by Chad Speiser

My interest in History has always been very high. I love how we can look through old books and read quotes and speeches form historical figures such as Julius Caesar, Martin Luther King Jr., and Alexander the Great. Many of the great leaders of today have taken advice from historical figures and their teachings. For example, many of the peaceful protests that happen today were from the idea of Ghandi in India. He would not fight the opposition, and instead he peacefully said no, which is the right of every human.

I can attribute my love for history to my former history teachers. For some reason, history teachers make more of a special connection to me than any other kind of teacher I’ve had. My history teachers have made class fun and interesting by doing activities an projects to really get the point across instead of just taking notes and looking at a board all day. I remember one time we did an activity in class where we made our own country name, and had a similar situation t an ancient country, and we had to make decisions based on our country circumstances. Those are the kind of classes that get me involved and want to participate more. Without my history teachers, I wouldn’t be as interested as I am now.

I don’t plan on becoming a history teacher or majoring in history, but it would be my second choice. I still will teach younger kids such as my younger brothers and sister about the past and how it has shaped our lives today. Many events in the past have dictated the location of my family, and who would even be alive today. History is my favorite subject and it will keep growing as we grow. My favorite subject in school is History. History has everything from the first cave drawings to modern day inventions. History teaches valuable life lessons to all age groups and provides vital information everyday. History shows how we have advanced and evolved as a civilization. We have made mistakes throughout history, some good and some bad, but most mistakes have had an impact on me and thats what I love about history.

Vote for Chad Speiser

 

How Language Arts changed my life!

by Jaiya Brown

Going into High School I never knew what my forte was. I did not know anything about my self and what I wanted to be in life. Teachers always tell you that High school is just a step away from college, and the classes that you take now are preparing you for your future in college. Unfortunately I did not feel prepared at all. While most of the students in my grade knew who and what they wanted to be, I still continued to struggle. It did not take long until my sophomore year when I was in language arts class with one of my favorite teachers. In class he would go into deep detail on how to write, and what to write about and that’s when I finally found an interest in something. Going home, I would always write about interesting topics that came into my mind and I would submit them to the teacher. My teacher loved them so much that he would present them to the class, and brag on how great of a writer I was. I had so much emotion and descriptions in my writings that made them over power other students in my grade. Also in class he would have me read out loud and express my feelings upon it. I wanted to continue this ability into my future forever. Now that I have finally found my self, I realized that I wanted to major in Mass communications. I loved talking and presenting things in front of others and I knew hat was something I was good at. I also like the writing portion which was expressing my feelings and sharing them on to others. That one language arts class changed my life forever and I will never forget how it all started!

Vote for Jaiya Brown

 

Astronomy is my life

by Ryan DeGregorio

My interest in physics and astronomy and my curiosity about questions like what lies at the center of a black hole or if there was anything prior to the Big Bang, were triggered at a very young age. When I started formally learning the things I was curious about, such as relativity and the role of quantum mechanics at the cores of stars, I became thirstier still for an understanding of the universe. This interest led me to pursue astrophysics as a major in college, and now also as a field for graduate study en route to a possible career as a university professor.

Vote for Ryan DeGregorio

 

Acceptance for All

by Shelby Gaston

Over the course of my high school career, I had been considered and average or above average student in most of my classes. Core classes and my extra-curricular activities helped teach me about myself- about what I can accomplish, and what exactly makes me, me. When I took a class my senior year that focused on the development of children called Peer Assistance and Leadership, it really changed my view on the world around me and what actions lead other people to grow and to be the way that THEY are.
I was most interested in this class because not only did we learn about ways to encourage and teach children of all walks of life, it helped show me that almost all children are more alike than different. Even from a young age, no matter if they have a disability or not, every child wants to feel encouragement, love, and acceptance from their peers and adults around them. Everyone feels this way; I feel this way. Once we completed our training, we officially became a PAL, and twice a week we were able to go visit the child we were assigned so that we could help them with school work or talk about life with them. Not all of them were perfect students, and not all of them had the best home life. There were many days when I left my little friend feeling pain because of the stories they would tell me about what life at home was like.
My little brother was chosen as one of these children to be assigned a PAL. He has a severe learning and physical disability that makes school very challenging for him. It hurts my heart at times to know that he feels like outcast, and that he longs for acceptance from his peers and teachers. I’m going to school now for a business degree, so that I can learn the ropes and someday have a hair salon made especially for special needs and disabled people. I’ve often seen that they feel like the outcast, but my salon would allow them to feel welcomed, loved, and accepted. This class taught me about teaching skills, but also showed me the power of what encouragement and love can do in a person’s life.

Vote for Shelby Gaston

 

Music and how it connects us all as people

by Nathaniel Baynes

One of my most favorite subjects that I have learned about is music. It has been apart of my education and apart of my life since 2008. I myself play the alto saxophone and have been playing in different bands, doing so since 2008. I originally thought that it was just going to be something fun for me to do on the side, something like when you try an activity for the first time then say to yourself “that was fun” then move on and never think about it again. That happened with a few activities in my life, but music was different. I guess one of the main reason as to why I was so invested, was because of the way of how it brought many people from many different backgrounds together. From the many genres like jazz, hip-hop, rock, classical, R&B and more, there’s plenty of music that people make everyday in our world. In the various bands I have been apart of other people have shared their experiences from what its like to have transitioned from their country and how it has been since living in the United States. You do not even need to understand the language that is being sung in order to like the song or beat. Another one of my favorite reasons as to why music is so interesting to me is because there is a choice to everyone. I definitely know that I do not like all the genres of music that are out in the world today, but but even though I may not like that genre, you may. For example, personally I prefer jazz music compared to most other genres of music, but you may choose hip-hop as your favorite genre. The good thing is that regardless of what genre we prefer it is all under the theme of music, so even if you don’t happen to understand it, we can appreciate what it means for us and how it motivates us to do things throughout our daily lives. Music is something that may not be practiced by everyone, but it definitely is understood by everyone. Music became something that I have grown to love and is something that I will hold on with me for the future.

Vote for Nathaniel Baynes

 

Math is The Fundamental of Life

by Jasmine Cortez

My favorite academic subject would be math. Throughout my entire existence of school education, in every math class I’m put in I learn beyond. I just don’t meet taught math, but the existence of outside high school. I learn all these laws, but I get taught colleges look for and feel confident in myself. I feel the laws are like part of life somehow. Math influenced by solving complicated problems and ending with infinite solutions mathematically and in the world. There won’t always be solutions, but somehow you’ll find the most complex site solution in the world. I wouldn’t feel confident in this subject, but it helps me understands the basis for understanding solutions. I know my sophomore year it looks like I didn’t try hard, however, I tried and tried. I believe I can do it. Math at the end of the day it’s all around you in the universe. Yeah, you might struggle along the way, however, you will understand the fundamental of math. Math is one of the most important academics you will need in your life. Math influences me to do better because without I wouldn’t be able to make wise decisions. Without math, you will be able to survive in this world. It is important to pay attention because math teachers push you hard. They push you hard because it is the main essential in life because it is the main essential thing in life and profession. Makes you realize why you pay attention in math. I love it when my teacher pushes and influence me to my best ability. I will be using math in my career because for a nurse it is important to diagnose the right dosage to a patient. I would use math at work and life in general. Why math you would say? I felt like math is a connection you can use. Life isn’t linear, you will be given curves, ups, downs, loops, and at times you may have a moderately positive linear.

Vote for Jasmine Cortez

 

The endless struggle of Calculus

by Grant Brewer

My junior was the first year I had been enrolled in an A.P. course. It was also the first year I was going to be taking calculus, little did I know it would be the first time math had ever challenged me. Math had always came easy to me. When I walked into calculus class for the first time I was shell shocked. I had figured that since math had always been easy and since the teacher was my basketball coach it would be a breeze. I have never been more wrong.
We started the class off by doing three chapters of homework over the summer. I had never had to do summer homework let alone three chapters of some foreign concept that had never been taught to me. I did however find a way to struggle through the material and get it done. Then I found out the homework was the least of my problems. The first week we went back we reviewed for three days and then had to take a test on it coming back from break. I received a 73 percent on the test which actually wasn’t horrible but, was definitely not what I was accustomed to. This is when I decided I needed to make a change in order to receive the grades I strived for. After speaking to my teacher he let me know the only way I would be able to do as well as I wanted to on the tests was to become a master of the material. The only way to do this was to practice. So I did. I would regularly be in his classroom at 6:30 am working until 7:55 am which is when first period started. I then stayed in that class room for another fifty minutes because I had calculus first period. After all this I had my off period. I designated this off period to staying to practice the material we had just learned in the period before. Theses endless hours of calculus were a regular occurrence every week. After all this hard work and dedication I received a B first semester, one of my first Bs ever. I was not discouraged by this though. The next semester I continued the hard work and finally got my A. This class taught me that hard work and resilience is the key to fixing problems.

Vote for Grant Brewer

 

Forensics

by Brandez Tronshaw

This year as senior I have taken many exciting classes requiring skills that I might want to use later in life. Out of all of these classes the class that catches my interest is my forensics class. Forensics is my favorite because it involves real life situations, critical thinking skills, and hands on activity.
I often raise the question of how will some of the classes I take help me when I move on and graduate. The class forensics gives me an immediate answer because there will always be crimes committed in the world that we live in so I will never be out of a job. I believe that I enjoy forensics more than a lot of students in my school because I enjoy the fact that the crime scenes that we have to investigate are real life situations. The skills that we learn we can also not only use in the classroom but use at home as well. Forensics is also a very unpredictable subject. Nothing about forensics has ever been superstitious or too obvious. The course involves a lot of double checking and close looks. Typically a crime scene takes about thirty to forty minutes to investigate. This is another reason why I enjoy this class because since the assignments take so long to complete it is easier for me to make sure I have the right answer by going over my evidence multiple times. You don’t get this same opportunity when taking tests or completing assignments for other subjects that only require ten to fifteen minutes to complete.
I plan on focusing my career around this subject because I enjoy using clues to find out the answer to crime scenes. Evidence can vary from a huge piece of metal to just a tiny strand of fabric on someones clothing. Every piece of evidence matter in a crime scene and learning strategies to find this evidence is something I feel like I can do for the rest of my life. Forensics being a very “hands on” career is also another reason why I would love to pursue into this career. Being that I am a physical learner I believe that forensics would be the right career for me.

Vote for Brandez Tronshaw

 

The Past, The Present, and The Future

by Amanda Lee McLaughlin

Growing up your brain grows and absorbs knowledge like a sponge, and my sponge loved history. My favorite subject in school was and still is history. I find it fascinating to learn how our country came to be and how other countries evolved to how they are today. Not only do I like the factual aspect of history but I also love the style and design aspect and how that evolved and changed throughout history. I loved history over other subjects because I got to learn how ancestors and civilizations used to live and how we have evolved, yet still use some of the same fundamental building blocks they did. Some people think only the past is considered history but I believe everyday there is history being made. For example just this weekend all over the countries people are joining together to use there right, to freedom of speech to march for a change on gun laws due to the recent school shootings. It’s wonderful to be able to see history unfold right in front of you. I am going to take some of my love for history and put in in my career path. I am planning on being a special events coordinator/ interior designer, and I plan on using the style, fashion, and essence of all different historical time periods in my design plans to keep history alive for generations to come.

Vote for Amanda Lee McLaughlin

 

For the Love of Literature

by Nsikan Akpan

The subject I enjoyed learning most about was and is English/Language Arts. I believe I enjoyed it more than my classmates because I was very aware – even as a child – that I loved to write, and that I was good at it. y love for writing sprouted sometime in my youth. Whenever my siblings and I would play “school,” and I was the teacher, I would always be the English teacher who made my “students” write. That way, I could do my own writing as well.

some of my major successes as a writer included publishing my first book, Color, about a girl who is a writer and painter and is going blind. As of late, I will be featured in Maryland’s Best Emerging Poets by Z Publishing. Right before my twenty-first birthday, I completed my memoir about my experience with depression in high school, but I will keep it safe with until it is the right time. I currently write for my school’s newspaper HCC Times and nurture a blog with the Mogul corporation created by Tiffany Pham. This blog has provided a platform for me to express my opinions on issues that take place in the black community.

There is so much I want to do with this life I was given and sometimes it’s hard putting it all together, but as a writer, I must be honest and admit that I was never “put together.” The idea of myself is ever-changing, yet what I do remains the same: that is, to create. I will create work for black people with my gift for acting, humor, and screenwriting and I will defend my people with my passion for justice. back in 2015, I quit school because I had no clue what I was doing with my life. However, I returned to Howard Community College in the fall of 2017 and I will receive my Associates Degree this spring. It was hectic coming back after being gone for two years, but I got the hang of things again pretty quickly due to the fact that, even out of school, I never stopped learning. Reading, writing, and observation is all it takes for the artist in me.

Vote for Nsikan Akpan

 

Mathematical Memories

by Noah Harris

Throughout high school, I was on the accelerated mathematics track. This meant I took AP calculus as a junior, basic honors math as a freshman, and pre-calculus as a sophomore. I am currently in statistics and I have excelled in it, falling in love with its analytical nature. Every risk can be calculated, and every decision can be boiled down to pure numbers. I think this is why math stuck with me, it just makes sense. Math has provided me with some of the best memories I have; two hour-long car rides to Pittsburgh State, calculator baseball, countless math competitions – all significant memories of my high school career as a whole.
However, my single, greatest mathematical memory is not from high school, but actually from the 4th grade. My teacher told our class we were learning some pre-algebraic concepts. I had no idea what that meant, but algebra seemed like a cool, grown-up word, so I showed my dad what I had learned. He continued to teach me what I had just learned the basics of. The following day, I returned to school with a notebook full of practice algebraic problems. Problems like “5x=20, solve for x” filled my notebook. These advanced equations garnered the interest of my teacher. She asked me to try and teach the class my newly-acquired skills, so I did. It was in that moment that I realized how important mathematics was to me, and that realization still stands today.
Going on to college, I really do think I will focus my career on that subject. As a student in high school, I also took a lot of business-oriented classes and fell in love with an organization known as DECA. This, coupled with my mathematical obsession, has caused me to look into the field of finance. I plan to be a financial analyst and hopefully a Chief Financial Officer of a large company one day.

Vote for Noah Harris

 

The Power of Art

by Amanda Ramirez

Ever since I can remember, I’ve been doing art. Whether it was my mom teaching me how to knit when I was 7 or watching drawing tutorials on YouTube, I’ve always been creating and using my imagination. In 2011, when I was in 6th grade, I started getting really interested in drawing, I was the artsy kid among my peers. That same year, I started taking drawing lessons in a local college, that offered courses for kids on Saturday’s. After that, I knew I wanted to peruse art as a career.
At the end of that program we had an exhibition and I got to see how some adults were admiring my work and congratulating me for my effort. There, is when I found out about the school that changed my life. A school that is specialize in art from grade 7 to 12, I applied and got in. I was excited to be in a place full of people who loved and valued art as much as I did.
Jumping ahead to the present, I’m now in 12th grade, about to graduate with a concentration in illustration and animation. During the first 3 years in the Central High School, we learned the different mediums and techniques of drawing and painting. Then we would choose what area of art we’d like to concentrate in, among the choices are, drawing and painting, photography, architecture, graphic design, sculpture and my choice, illustration and animation. There I’ve learned more then i ever thought i would, from digital drawing and painting to 3D modeling.
Now, I’m two and a half months away from graduating the school where I learned so much and made some amazing friendships, as well as 7 months from starting in my dream college, the Savannah College of Art and Design for a degree in animation and a minor in photography.
As you can see, art isn’t just a class I take in school, it’s a part of me and who I am. I can’t wait to keep perusing my career to help my society and community through the power of art.

Vote for Amanda Ramirez

 

Music

by Sam Dick

I have enjoyed learning about music the most. I am currently in the highest level orchestra; Orchestra IV, or Chamber Orchestra; and singing group; Madrigals; in my high school. I am currently participating in an out-of-school symphony orchestra called the Conejo Valley Youth Orchestra.
I am more interested in music than any other academic and extracurricular subject because music has been a big part of my life since my birth. The hospital was playing romantic music from the 1960’s when I was born. When I was going to elementary school, my father and I would listen to pop, rock and roll, hip-hop, jazz, rap, and classical music on the radio. I learned how to play guitar in fourth grade. In middle school, I learned how to play violin. In high school, I learned how to play viola, cello, bass, ukulele, flute, piano, and drums. I also learned how to sing, beatbox, and write my own songs and arrangements in high school. Whenever I got on a plane, the first thing I did after I sat down was listen to all sorts of music on my phone: classical, pop, rock and roll, hip hop, jazz, heavy metal, and rap.
I plan on focusing my career on music and majoring in music education, double-majoring in music education and music composition or music education or music performance, or majoring in music education with a minor in music production. I have had many private teachers for both violin and guitar. I have already composed two piano arrangements and a violin solo with a piano accompaniment. I like playing violin on stage, especially when I play pop music. I would like to teach others the basics of music. If others are in stressful situations, I can let them listen to some soothing, relaxing, slow music to calm their nerves and allow them to relax.

Vote for Sam Dick

 

Passion for Photography

by Dillon Kingsbury

The best class I have encountered was photography. It has become one of my passions in life. You can usually find me holding a camera. I carry my camera everywhere I go because there is always an opportunity to catch that one great photo that will tell a great story. I have taken many photos of nature, people, animals, and trucks. Every photo is different and they all tell an amazing story. Many photos don’t need any words with them. A great photo will let you feel what is happening at the time it was taken. The look on someone’s face can give you more information than any words put with it. A great photo makes you really feel something. If everyone would take a few minutes away from the hustle of life and just appreciate what is around them they would be amazed at what they see. Photography lets me capture these moments for everyone to be able to see. Even if they weren’t there when the photo was taken I hope that they will be inspired by the story that a great photo will tell. When I come back from taking photos it amazes me how much I captured that I didn’t noticed until I took the time to really look at the detail. I may have been trying to capture a sunset behind a barn but only to realize after that I also was able to get a photo of a deer and her fawn crossing the field. These types of moments will have a person wondering if the story was the sunset or was the photographer really trying to capture this deer and her fawn passing through a sunset lit field. I really enjoy taking photos of people, especially when it is a candid photo. These photos I feel usually tell a great story and have so much meaning by them. I am a volunteer firefighter as well and some of the most powerful photos I capture are of my fellow firefighters during and after a call. You can see the story play out on their faces. To me this is very powerful.

Vote for Dillon Kingsbury

 

Social Psychology in the World

by Bailey Welsh

Throughout my educational career, Psychology has been the subject I have gravitated towards the most. I have learned so much about the brain, reasoning, and behavior, that I have used to help me understand people and my own self. Psychology has fueled my curiosity about different cultures and society. Social psychology interests me the most; it favors the nurture argument, that we as humans are who we are due to factors in our surrounding environment and society. Various psychological courses have provided me with logical explanations about human behavior and thoughts. We all can think and act uniquely in our own way, and for each idea or action we do, there is a reason as to why. With having our own personal backgrounds, we have our own cognitive ways of thinking. This correlates to what we do, say, and believe.

Through my own interpretation and the information, I have learned in my psychology class, I have diagnosed myself with having a Type “A” personality. I like things lined up, nice and neat. I am the same way with my life, as I am with taking notes; I have a plan, it’s color coded, and I intend to follow it. Whatever I end up doing I have always wanted to fight for those who couldn’t fight for themselves; to be the voice of the people. I plan to use what I know about social psychology to help me achieve this goal.

After graduating from college, with a Political Science degree, I will join the Peace Corp organization and work across the world to a country of need. If I want to one day represent the people and bring change, I must witness their experiences first hand. I will use the skills I have developed in social psychology, to understand and evaluate the situations and experiences I see. I will be able to comprehend why certain conflicts are occurring and why people in a specific societies act the way they do. This will come in handy when I see the poverty, lack of education, and the fight to survive that exists, for when I become part of the Humanities Council in the United Nations, I will be able to create reforms that truly bring upon change and make sense within a certain social environment. Understanding the psychology within a hostile region or group of people, will allow me to also predict the outcomes of a resolution.

Vote for Bailey Welsh

 

Building My Career, One Article at A Time

by Ashley Carl

Since I was young, I have always had a strong passion for Writing. However, it was never until this year that I was fully able to dive into the world of Journalism. Throughout my school days, I excelled in English and enjoyed composing work for my class. Everything from poems, essays, to short stories excited me because it allowed me to run my imagination free. Unlike subjects such as Math and Science which involve strict formulas, English allowed me to be creative. I was humbled and honored when one of my teachers recommended me the opportunity for an internship at one of the most prestigious and well-respected newspapers on Long Island, the Nassau Herald. This was an offer I could not pass up. I was hesitant at first but quickly built a respectable relationship with the senior editor of the paper. It was under his guidance that I learned the ropes of Journalism and everything that goes into composing a well written article. This is when it hit me that all the skills I have learned over the years in English class truly did apply to what I want to do with my career. Over various weeks I have worked alongside high ranked journalists and spent hours in the office writing and editing diversified stories. My biggest accomplishment was when I saw my name on the top of the paper for the first time, with not only one article I wrote but four. Since then, I have written various articles for each week’s edition. I felt a sense of importance and was proud of myself that my hard work paid off. As I move into my college years, I hope my days of editing and publishing continue to blossom as I enter the Liberal Arts/Journalism major. I am thankful for all that I have learned from this experience and cannot wait to explore this area of study further. I hope to one day be in the shoes of the editor who helped me produce my first story.

http://liherald.com/fivetowns/stories/sandy-storm-recovery-money-is-here,100473

http://liherald.com/fivetowns/stories/its-one-world-after-all,101157

Vote for Ashley Carl

 

Human Biology

by Arlet Vieyra

Taking a course such as Human Biology is something I would recommend all to take, minus those who have a weak stomach. Unlike all of the other subjects, Human Biology actually peaks my interest. I chose to take this course, because i wanted to learn more about the human body, and why we function the way we do. Throughout taking the course I realized that when you skin a human body(body donated to science) it looks just like when a goat is skinned. Unlike other subjects the school offers, that course allows you to be more hands on, and learn about how you function, and why you can do what you can do. It opens your eyes on what kind of diseases are out in the world, and what the human body is missing, or has to much of, that causes the disease. Although Human Biology focuses on the entire human body, my future would be focused on the human eye. I plan to become an optometrist which focuses on how our sight works.

Vote for Arlet Vieyra

 

Enjoying Mathematics

by Selma Chavez

All throughout my school education, many subjects were taught to us including Reading, Writing, Science, Social Studies (also know as History), and also Mathematics. The one subject that always caught my attention and was never bored of was math. Oh, how I loved math. What I mostly like about this subject is the fact that it always has one right answer, unlike the rest. English requires to process what one should be thinking about and putting it into words. Math is similar to this, but much better and interesting. Mathematics requires for one to completely show their thought process with steps evaluating the problem being solved. It can be messy, but that is only because one feels the need to solve for the problem as fast and as well thought through. They do not have the time to make everything nice and neat because it messes with one’s thought process. For me, I feel less anxious and very excited when I have finished solving for a mathematical solution because I feel like my thought process was able to be completed and I literally feel like a ton of weight fell off my shoulders. Of course, there are mistakes along the way, but one knows how to learn from one’s mistakes and from there, they find out what they did wrong and think to themselves,”What could I have done differently in order to solve for the solution a much easier way that is understandable?” The way numbers are scattered around a piece of paper and the different ways they can be put in amazes me. The fact that past mathematicians were able to solve for the most difficult calculations are geniuses. The career I am interested in is Physical Therapy, and unfortunately, I do not believe there is much mathematics involved, which is a bummer. I am pretty sure there might be some because humans’ entire lives are surrounded by mathematics and science, which are both very similar and maybe even related to each other.

Vote for Selma Chavez

 

Learning About My Passion

by Ashley Clavijo Yanez

In school I always enjoyed learning about science and the human body. This year of high school, senior year, I am taking a human biology class. I think I have enjoyed learning about this subject more than other students because when I graduate from college I would like to become a nurse. I think I’ve enjoyed this subject because I knew that my passion was helping others when they are in medical need. By learning about this subject it has helped my discover my passion to go into the medical field and maybe one day work in a hospital.
I do on planning focusing my career around this subject. I want to be a nurse working in a hospital. One day I hope to be working in the hospital for a couple of years and then become part of an organization that travels to different countries helping different families that are in medical need. I would like to help poor families that don’t have proper medical attention.

Vote for Ashley Clavijo Yanez

 

History For A Better Future

by Isabel Gilbertson

In high school, I was very interested in American and World History. I was enthralled in this subject and learning about it since I loved understanding how our world has been shaped by our history. I was extremely curious about United States History because the United States is fairly young compared to other countries, but is packed with countless events that have shaped how our country is today. Connecting the dots and drawing parallels from the past to the present has always been fascinating to me. My history teacher once told me, “understanding and studying the past is of the utmost importance to ensuring that society does not repeat horrific historical events,” and that has always stuck with me. Studying history is not about only focusing on triumphant times, but focusing on the times where humanity was questioned in the darkest of times. History has always interested me more than other subjects because I see it in everyday life and society more than other subjects. I have always gravitated more towards this subject than others because I find the past extremely captivating. I plan on focusing my career around history, but also current political events in the United States and abroad. I plan on majoring in either Political Science or International Relations with a minor World History. My dream is to work for the United Nations, and I believe that my intended majors would be very advantageous to my dream career success. I plan on making change domestically and internationally in whatever ways I can. By studying history, I will be able to draw parallels between multiple centuries ensuring that society does not fall backwards, but progresses forward guaranteeing equality for all.

Vote for Isabel Gilbertson

 

History

by Marian Perez

I have been in love with History for most, if not, all of my life. Since I have been young, I would read books set in ancient time periods and wonder how life was back then. To me, imagining and reading about the past seemed romantic. As I grew older and delved into politics and current events, I took my passion of history into research. I joined my school’s academic (or UIL as known in the state of Texas) Social Studies team all because of my passion to learn about the past. Every year, topics ranged from European countries during WWI to American politics in the 1920s to the Soviet Union. No matter the topic, I pushed myself into understanding the point of view of an ordinary person at the time by reading books and watching documentaries revolving the period. Although it was fascinating learning about the past, History helped me understand relationships among countries and how societies function.

Vote for Marian Perez

 

From Fascination to Passion

by Julia Jordan

The subject in school I found myself most interested in was Psychology. I believe that the reason this piqued my interest so much is because I have a naturally empathetic nature. Because of the things I have struggled with in my own life, my eyes have been opened to the emotions of other people in such a clear way. I care so much about those around me. Everyone has a story, and I find that I am so fascinated by what makes people tick. For these reasons, I find that I am pulled in the direction of being a counselor. Becoming a counselor would be such a good way for me to make a positive impact on the lives of other people while utilizing my strengths. I am so excited to see where this career path leads me.

Vote for Julia Jordan

 

On Faulkner, History, and the Past

by Matthew Lidz

The subject of history was often derided in school as consisting of rote memorization of past events and long dead people. In contrast, I found history to be fascinating. I believe history was so interesting to me because of its connection to current events and the outside world. I am in agreement with the often quoted Faulkner line that, “The past is never dead. It is not even past” . When studying American history, I observed that the same fault lines of race, class. geography, and ideology reappear in American history over and over again from the Revolutionary War to today. Connecting seemingly disparate events and weaving them into a larger narrative that explains the politics of today is always something I found interesting and fascinating. I believe that my nature inclination to seek out patterns or to find a common trend led me to enjoy history as much as I did. The ambiguity of history is another reason I enjoyed the subject. The passage of time means that yesterday’s heroes can become tomorrow’s villains. In math one plus one will always equal two. In history events can be explained through different viewpoints or perspectives. Easy answers for difficult issues history brings up are not possible and the ambiguity and complexity of history I plan for my future career to be tangentially related to history. I am currently majoring in political science, which is at the intersection of politics, sociology, and history. It would be dishonest to attempt to separate the origins of politics and its modern day iteration from history. The past affects how we view the present and informs the politics of today. Having and understanding of history and its effects on the present would allow me to become a more effective scholar and student of politics and political discourse.

Vote for Matthew Lidz

 

Admiring the Human Body

by Samantha Bolivar

Anatomy class isn’t everybody’s forte. Most of my peers would think it’s absolutely insane to dedicate 5 days to dissect a cat. They don’t understand that I’m simply looking at the bigger picture. Looking at an organism for “what it is” and “what it is made up of” are two different things. Exploring the structure and functions of an organism is what has raised the questions that have allowed us to collect plenty of groundbreaking data in science today.
Ever since I was old enough to ponder over human existence, I’ve had an obsessive need to know the reason we function the way we do. This led to plenty of research as i grew older and it deepened my passion for human anatomy and physiology. I was very excited to find that my high school offered an anatomy class and that i could seize an opportunity to participate in hands-on activities. Although I fell in love with mathematics through advanced math courses, my reverence for the body never died. Forensic science was a path i was sure I’d go down until I realized I was only fascinated by the cadavers and how the body can tell the story of where the person has been and what they were doing before death. Taking the anatomy course and taking my new-found interests only deepened my admiration for studying the way we operate.
Covering everything from body systems all the way to little defects that occur in microscopic structures within us, lead me to discover the drive I have within me to pursue a career in this field. I hope to be known for making an unprecedented discovery of the human body and contribute to the vast world of science. It definitely isn’t for everyone, but I enjoy stepping back and reminding myself how alike we all are and what makes us so similar.

Vote for Samantha Bolivar

 

Solving Society’s Problems

by Steven Risi

Education is a blessing that many people take for granted in American society today. People avoid subjects they believe to be hard because they challenge them to think critically. Throughout my education, I have struggled with mathematics more than any other subject, but the struggling has taught me to love the subject. I like math better than any other subject because I have been tutoring my little sisters in math for years and making a difference in their lives makes me very happy. I believe that if somebody has traits that can positively impact other people and don’t share them with people in need, they are selfish. Math is a challenge for me, but as I progress in my learning, I discover new ways to teach people what I’ve learned. Impacting other people is very important to me and I want to be as helpful as I can. I am interested in studying engineering, which is the real-life application of math and physics, my two favorite subjects. I look forward to continuing my studies and receiving a job where I can build structures to positively impact a wider range of people. Education is the method in which society will grow as a whole.

Vote for Steven Risi

 

Why I enjoyed Chemistry

by Tazewell Steed

I have never really enjoyed school, but I have always been curious about science. From when I was six to now I have always been intrigued about how certain things work and what makes certain things. Even though I haven’t always gotten good grades in science classes I have taken, I have always stayed awake and paying attention in that class. More specifically when I took chemistry last year I was very curious about atoms and how chemical reactions occurred. I was fascinated by the fact that the definition of cold is “lack of heat” . Science has and always will be an interesting topic for me.
I do not plan on focusing on science later in life because of the rigorous math involved. I am not good at math and it really is needed for all types of science. I instead plan on focusing on business management where math is involved, but it isn’t heavily dependent on it.

Vote for Tazewell Steed

 

Mental Illness in America

by Cody Hoctor

My favorite subject in high school has to be Psychology. I found it extremely interesting to learn about the human mind especially the different types of mental illness. We as a country do a very poor job at caring for those with mental illness. Many of those are homeless, living on the streets with no where to go or unsure where to seek help. A lot of mental illness is genetic, and many have mental illness by environmental factors including parental abuse as children. Look at the recent mass shootings at schools. We have a serious mental health issue. That is why my goal is to attend college and obtain a degree in Nursing and eventually become a Psychiatrict nurse to make a difference and hel change the way America cares for the mentally ill.

Vote for Cody Hoctor

 

The Value of Economics

by Emily Poghossian

Economics is the school subject I’ve enjoyed learning the most. Money always seems like a taboo subject to talk or inquire about, but learning the realities of something every single person has to deal with gave a certain sense of purpose to what I was studying. How can something raise a whole country up and tear it apart in the flash of a second? How can something have that much power over not just the entire group but the individuals themselves? The inner workings of economics and how vast the field is both internationally and in a day-to-day basis immediately caught my interest. I’ll be making some of my biggest financial decisions in these next years and I barely know what I’m getting into. Economics has given me a better understanding over some of the financial aspects of my life, yet its also shown me the downsides. I want to help others think of finances in the way economics has given myself the right perspective, and pursuing a degree in this field only peaks my interest further.

Vote for Emily Poghossian

My Favorite Subject

by Ashlyn rowan

History classes have always been my favorite part of my academic courses. History is a subject that never dies, it continually happens to this present time. We are living in a potential historical moment right now. From world history, government, and American history they are all intricate parts of what make the world what we experience today. One of my favorite topics we discussed in class was the holocaust. It is one of those topics that just have so much information that I learn something new every time. It was a horrific event and so much occurred during it. I have written multiple essays and have accomplished various projects on the holocaust. I think I was always interested in this subject typically more than others, because of its significance to our daily lives. It also assists us to not repeat the mistakes we made in the past. Also since history has always been so intriguing to me, it has always embedded all the information in my head. So it became my easiest course that I take. Even though I have a passion for history I do not want to pursue this in my career. Actually my career that I strive to pursue is to potentially become a veterinarian, because I also share a love and passion for all animals.

Vote for Ashlyn rowan

 

Favorite Subject

by Elizabeth Smith

When approached with the question “What do you want to do when you get older” the answer is quite simple. Historically, students in high school often struggle with decision making for careers/professions. But being inspired since my childhood, I have decided that I want to pursue the career in Acting. Acting, Theater, Dramatic Arts- whatever it may be called, is the profession that I see myself being successful within. Being able to tell a story behind the lens of someone else is amazing. Quoting the Oscar award winning actress Viola Davis- “we are the only profession that celebrates what it means to live a life.” This quote truly encompasses an Actor/Actresses goal. Standing in front of an audience and entertaining them with a story is wonderful and allows me as an individual to live a beautiful dream. But a career takes more than a wish upon a star. It takes hard work, dedication and confidence.

Vote for Elizabeth Smith

 

The Interesting World of Science

by Lauren McNamee

Ever since I was little, I wondered why a thrown ball falls to the ground and why a skater spins faster with arms by their side. This is one of the many reasons science was my favorite subject and why I want to be an engineer. The complex concepts behind the inconsequential events of life fascinate me. Throughout my life, I always took the most advance science courses I could just so I could learn as much as possible about the topic. After joining clubs involving the STEM field and science research projects throughout high school, my thoughts on the subject of science was only solidified.
My first choice of major is Biomedical engineering. Biomedical engineering combines my academic interests (science and math) to accomplish that to which I have aspired my entire life – helping other people.
Every day in homeroom, people line up at my desk to ask me for science help. The reason is not only that I enjoy helping others, but also because I love math and science. To others it may seem crazy, but to me spending a day solving problems or doing a lab is pure heaven. Difficult assignments challenge me to problem solve in new and creative ways that I never could have imagined.
I get giddy with excitement just thinking about a career in this field. The major of biomedical engineering offers me the chance to develop new technology that can provide innovative solutions to our biggest healthcare challenges. We live in very exciting times with interesting collaboration between medicine and engineering, the likes of which we have never seen. My course of study at my future University will place me on the cutting edge of that revolution. I could not be more excited to be embarking on a career that I enjoy so much.

Vote for Lauren McNamee

 

Tell us what subject in school you enjoyed learning the most about. Why do you think you were interested in that subject more than others? Do you plan on focusing your career around that subject?

by Andrea J Romero

My favorite subject of all time is English. I was always a bookworm and I had my own little journal that I filled with writings of my own. It always intrigued me as to why authors wrote the way that they did or how they were even able to come up with such beautiful writings. To me, English isn’t just about the grammar and spelling, it’s so much more than that. It’s the messages in stories, the emotions in poetry, it is such a powerful and raw form of expression. English gives me the privilege of learning how to write and what to put in so that I could create masterpieces just as many authors have done. I believe that I was more interested in English because it allowed me to go more in depth with what was given. It helped me to understand readings and to see it as more than it is. It gives me the ability to express myself through essays and poems. It wasn’t until just recently that I’ve decided to focus my career around this subject. It has influenced me to become an English teacher and if not that, then an author. Becoming a teacher will allow me to impact the many lives of students and help them to see that English is so much more. I want to communicate with students and guide them through the different aspects of English. I want to influence them to express themselves through writing because it is what helped me and inspired me to love English. Being an author will give me the opportunity of creating something that others could relate to other keeps readers on their feet. I want to inspire students and people through English just as it did for me. Wherever I go in life, I want to dedicate my career to something I’m passionate about and that is the subject of English.

Vote for Andrea J Romero

 

Best Topic I Learned in High School

by Sebastian Garza

The subject that I found most interesting to learn about will definitely have to be my history classes taken from all the way back in 6th grade to 11th grade. That includes Texas History, US History, World Geography, World History, and another year of US History. I would usually have the best grade in these classes than the other averages I had for my other courses during that semester. I remember that before walking into these classes, I would have the upmost confidence that I was prepared for a test, quiz, or any assignments that we would partake in that day. I believe that I was most interested in this subject more than others because I actually just loved coming into class and learning more about how our world came to be what it is today and who specifically shaped our society the way it is present time. Knowing about where we, as a whole race, came from thousands of years ago. Another thing that I also found the most interesting is the huge wars that took place in our world. I would stay up late nights just watching documentaries and television shows about the topic we were learning in class that day. Doing that method along with doing my homework and completing my assignments during class always led me to passing all my test with great grades on them. With the other subjects, you cannot watch a documentary on how to solve for “X” in math class or anything like that. So because of that, I feel like there was always something new to find out about the history. My planned career in criminal justice will definitely be involved with all of the history classes I have ever taken. Knowing popular court cases and even learning from great lawyers from the past and what they did to win cases they probably shouldn’t have will always help me in my future as a lawyer.

Vote for Sebastian Garza

 

Why psychology is my favorite subject.

by Hunter Thompson

My favorite class I have taken in high school is psychology. I go to Mona Shores High School, and we have one psychology teacher. She uses fun examples throughout class so that we really grasp the concepts and she cares about us and our mental health. She not only is a teacher but also acts as a counselor. I know that part of the reason I enjoy the class so much is because she makes it a good place for the students. I also find the study of the mind and why we do what we do very interesting. I have never been more engrossed in a class than when I learned about Sigmund Freud and his work on the unconscious mind. I know that much of his work is based on ‘thin ice’ if you will, but they are a foundation for many theories that exist today. The thought that a man named Pavlov can be studying the digestive system of a dog, and just happen across the fact that the dog salivates at the sound of the bell and create an entirely new theory of psychology is astounding. Psychology also can help people in their daily lives. In my class, we spent a week on the concept of mindfulness. Mindfulness is essentially living in the moment. Practicing mindfulness can decrease stress, increase productivity, and lengthen your lifespan. Had I not taken the psychology class I would have never learned about this amazing technique that is a healthy way to handle stress. Psychology has taught me things about myself that I would have never learned otherwise. I know that I am introverted and that its okay that I can be shy at times. Psychology class has taught me to accept myself and others through social psychology. The most important thing that this class has taught me is that there is always a reason behind why somebody acts a certain way, and if I can figure that out I will be better prepared to become a non-prejudiced adult that is able to work with the ever-changing world we live in today.

Vote for Hunter Thompson

 

Why I Enjoy Math

by Timothy Webster

I enjoy math due to the fact that in third and fourth grade I did not understand the simplest of math such as multiplication or division. After fourth grade my mother found a tutor for me so that I would not fail fifth grade, and all summer I saw the tutor; however summer flew by and fifth grade was knocking on my back door. There was no need to worry because the tutoring sessions paid off and ever since that summer my math grades have not been below a C, and the lowest C ever recorded was a seventy-seven. That is one of two reasons that I enjoy math. The second reason for loving math is my grandfather who is an engineer who deals with math 24/7, and I would always watch him complete his work on a computer and I have always wanted to be an engineer because of it. Now I do not plan on focusing my whole career around math, but it is one of the areas I would love to double major in.

Vote for Timothy Webster

 

Student

by Mercedes Molloy

This school year I have blossomed. I have certainly faced challenges but I have learned to recognize both my strengths and weaknesses and use them to my advantage. Classes which I typically regarded as difficult, like math and physics, have become opportunities for growth and learning new skills; the subjects themselves have not changed, but my perspective on them and thus my ability to approach them has. My other classes have affirmed the benefit of hard work and determination over the course of the year, but they have also deepened my knowledge of the subjects themselves and how to apply them in the context of the real world.
Some of my more challenging classes have been physics and especially math. Nothing about them have ever been easy even as I try my hardest to ensure that I better understand them. Part of that difficulty was that I used to be afraid of failing. It held me back from doing many things. I wouldn’t raise my hand in either class or the fear of getting things wrong. But eventually I realized that the answers that my classmates were sharing in class were the same answers I had, and that meant my trouble was not being stupid or a failure but simply insecure in my own ability. I soon realized that my fear was clouding my judgement, and that understanding has helped me grow as an individual and how I handle things. The way I see it is that we all have a choice: we can either let failure define us and set us back from achieving our goals, or we can see it as way to get further and do better. I often ask myself, ‘What would you do if you weren’t afraid to fail?’ Every time I am in class I think of this. I am no longer afraid to fail. I embrace my mistakes.
In addition to this emotional understanding, I have grown in understanding my style of academic learning. Math and physics both operate under sets of rules and guidelines that rarely change, and when they do, it is usually in predictable ways. Unfortunately, I used to look at math problems as unrelated elements, which meant I ‘could not see the forest for the trees,’ and part of that went back to my fear of failure. Something about my understanding had to change or I would continue to manifest that failure. I tried a few different approaches, and eventually, by teaching myself to understand the broad, abstract concepts first, working with specific problems became less overwhelming. When I tried the same approach in physics, it worked! The biggest challenges I faced in my other classes were not with the curriculum but rather my procrastination. It was a problem of time management. I was overconfident and not allotting myself a reasonable amount of time to complete my work, and I often found myself spending late nights doing my assignments, procrastinating until they were finally due to complete them. I would tell myself that I produced the best work under pressure, and while that is partially true, it was completely unnecessary for me to myself through that especially since I had been given an adequate amount of time to complete the assignment. After waking up tired countless mornings and dragging through the day, I eventually came to the revelation that this behavior was not beneficial to my academic success and was in fact hindering my performance throughout the day, so I learned how to pace myself by breaking down large projects into smaller, scheduled steps.

Vote for Mercedes Molloy

 

The Truth About Math

by Jennifer Alejo

As I look back at all the courses I have taken thus far, I realize that a lot of my favorite courses were in the subject of math. For many, including myself, math is often perceived as a challenging subject. Actually what am I saying? Math is a challenging subject. But that is why I enjoyed learning it so much, because I loved the challenge it always brought. For example, one day I would walk into my math class confidant because I understood what was going on, but the next day I’d touch basis on it as if I never had solved a math problem before. And that taught me to always make sure that I am challenging myself, and never getting comfortable with my abilities because math works in that manner. In the subject of math you are constantly thrown new concepts at that seem foreign at first but once you have familiarized yourself with those concepts, everything makes sense again and you realize you just learned something new that you can apply again later. Moreover, unlike other subjects, in math there is always multiple ways to solve a question, and whichever way you choose to answer it with is right as well. You get the freedom to approach any math question any way you want with prior math knowledge. Although your teacher may instruct you to solve a question in a certain manner, you are mandated to answer it in that single manner. And that also taught me another life lesson that I have applied in my life. It has taught me that there is not one right way to live. Everyone has the personal freedom to choose to live in whatever manner they want, because every single one is right in its own way. Math is a subject far beyond equations and numbers. It is a subject that has taught me life skills that I can implement in my life and because of that I hope to pursue a career that is focused around the subject of math to continue to be challenged and reminded that there is not one way.

Vote for Jennifer Alejo

 

Lenguas

by Ebony Moore

I think the subject I most enjoyed in school was Spanish. The language just rolls off the tongue and I love how it sounds and feels in my mouth as I speak it. To be honest, my tight group of friends and I all love the Spanish language, so my knack for it wasn’t unheard of, but to the rest of the class, we were weird. I think I love the language because of how I was taught. I’ve had Spanish classes for the last 12 years, but in fifth grade my school decided to do something different. Instead of using textbooks and having the teacher talk at us, my school used immersive learning; one-hundred percent Spanish-speaking during class, and we learned by trial and error. As I got older, I continued to be in classes that used this immersive technique, and my vocabulary grew, as did my fluency and even my grammar. Before long, I was further ahead in Spanish than many adults I knew. It motivated me and my enthusiasm has never ceased for the language. Though I am not taking a Spanish class this semester, I am always speaking with or even texting my friends in Spanish, and at work I have conversations with or even translate for customers or associates.

Unfortunately, I do not plan on pursuing a career in Spanish, but it has crossed my mind to do so. I do, however, plan on minoring in Spanish, so I can continually advance my vocabulary, grammar skills, and fluency in the language. I will never stop speaking Spanish. Not only is it what I love, being about 95% fluent in a second language gets you very far in the work force.

Vote for Ebony Moore

 

My progression of love for learning

by Cameron Tabor

Ever since I was a young boy, I was always fascinated by pretty much everything. I had a hunger for learning unlike anything else in this world. I wanted to know anything and everything so I was always learning. Always trying to get ahead of my fellow classmates and I was wanted to be the best in the class at all times. This persisted into middle school and that is when I found what one of my favorite subjects was and that would be math. I was amazed by how numbers worked and I wanted to learn more about them. When I was out to dinner with my family I would write math problems on the napkins and solve them while my brother was coloring in the kids menu. At this point I realized that I was smarter than the people the around me which may sound arrogant but it was true. Since I knew this it made me lazy and made me more confident in my work. I loved math and I knew that I wanted to do something in my life with it but I wasn’t sure what at the time. Then came Sophomore year of High School when I took chemistry. It was during this class that I realized my love for science as well as math. During this period in my life I obsessed over everything science and math I could find on the internet. I would watch hours and hours of videos about numbers and how the world and universe worked and all sorts of geeky things that I loved. During this year in my life I also realized what I wanted to do with my life which was engineering. Engineering was the perfect blend of math and science and it combined all of the subjects I was interested in into a dream job for myself. Also, since I was fascinated by space, I decided that aerospace was going to be my specialty and that is now what I hope to study in college and pursue for the rest of my life.

Vote for Cameron Tabor

 

My Favorite Subject and How it Relates to My Career Choice

by Steven

When I look back in reflection of my four years of high school. I feel extremely fortunate to have been provided the resources to succeed within the classroom and upon departure. Though I thoroughly enjoyed a majority of my classes and the material that was taught. I can definitively identify US History II AP as my favorite class, and History as my favorite subject in general. From a young age I have always had an interest in history, government, as well as the socio-economic shifts and monetary trends that tend to follow. Learning about the development of our country gives me a better understanding of who I am. Deeply immersing myself in history I have discovered that history specifically US History is crucial in being a productive citizen. History is an avenue into all other subjects making it my most valued subject. I personally believe history became my favorite subject in high school because of how relevant it is to everyday life, and how someone or an action or political statement that resides in the past can speak volumes into the present and even the future.

In terms of my career I hope to one day be a lab technician or chemist. My favorite subject was very much so influenced by favorite subject in high school. Looking through the history of the United States there has always been a need for positive male role models to “push” humanity toward on its next scientific endeavor. I hope to be that voice in the field of genetics. The voice that can make revolutionary discoveries and speak truth to power when necessary. Science has always has been an enabler to progress humanity and unite groups of people. With my knowledge of the past I hope to forge a better future in which I will examine disease and help humanity evolve further.

Vote for Steven

 

The Grand Challenge of Mathematics

by Patrick Flynn

Every generation, humanity is faced with new engineering problems that ultimately result in the way the next generation will live. The National Academy for Engineering lists several Grand Challenges for engineering, and among them is providing energy from nuclear fusion. It is very clear that one of the biggest challenges facing my generation will be solving the inevitable energy crisis resulting from more nations becoming industrialized and less natural resources being available to generate power, and to solve this technical problem, I will need to harness the power of mathematics. A wise teacher of mine once said, “Studying math isn’t about looking over what you’ve already done. It’s about putting pencil to paper and practicing every problem until you get it right.” While others may have struggled in high school at one point or another with academic or social problems, my greatest academic hardship was my personal work ethic in mathematics. Way back in elementary school, I was fortunate enough to excel at math without putting any real work into it. I had no trouble acing all of my elementary algebra and geometry assessments. However, when middle school came around and I was placed in Investigations in Mathematics, an eighth grade course, as a sixth grader, I quickly fell behind. The math had caught up to me to the point where I could no longer ace every math test without studying and practicing. My new trend of being a “B” math student continued until Sophomore year, when I realized that I needed to be an “A” math student once again if I were to understand the complex concepts that I would need to know if I were to one day become an engineer. While I never quite made it to getting “A’s” my Sophomore year, once Junior year came around and I was enrolled in AP Calculus, I began to really benefit from putting pencil to paper and was not just an “A” student, but also a student who really understood the significance of the problems they were solving.

Vote for Patrick Flynn

 

 

How Shakespeare changed my life

by Bailey Gronhoff

English has never been my strongest subject. I really struggled with getting into the books I was assigned. Then I walked into my Shakespeare class my senior year and instantly fell in love. My teacher was very passionate about Shakespeare and his works. Which made me love it. She also showed me books that really inspired me to read and now I read in my free time which I didn’t use to do. Shakespeare had taught me so much about myself. That the problems we are facing now were problems that have been fought through every generation. I have thought about teaching English or Shakespeare in my future I just haven’t fully committed to what subject I will teach. I will forever be grateful for my teacher for giving me a passion for Shakespeare.

Vote for Bailey Gronhoff

 

Political Science

by Myrka Gonzalez

The subject in school that I enjoyed learning the most about was Political Science. I wasn’t always interested in this subject. Like most people my age, I found politics boring and useless, something that didn’t affect me. But then the 2016 election happened and politics was everywhere, online and at school and at the table during Thanksgiving dinner. I was quick to jump on the bandwagon and quickly decided to support Hillary Clinton for the mere reason that she was a female like me. At the end of my junior year I decided to take Political Science at Hartnell, I did not want to be in a government class at school for a whole year to learn about a subject I didn’t like. I learned a lot from this class, I was impressed and interested with how our country worked and how many things were involved in running a country. Gaining this new knowledge opened my eyes to the ignorance of half of Twitter. Uninformed people who shouted their opinion without knowing all the factors on the issue. And I was ashamed of having been one of them. Taking political science helped me become a more open minded person regarding social and political issues. Even though I do not plan on pursuing a career on this subject I have learned to see both sides on different issues not just the side that benefits me. Taking political science has made me a better person and citizen. I plan to use the lessons I gained during this experience whenever I am faced with a complex issue or decision in life.

Vote for Myrka Gonzalez

 

Passion

by Dylan Riley

As I prepare to enter college I want to make a difference in the world I live in. Whether this difference is helping people live a healthy life or helping people find happiness I want to be a person that can make a positive impact. This light inside me is the reason I plan to study health sciences (biology) so I can set a path for pre-med or some related career in health. I want to embrace this career because I believe in the power of science and medicine to help those in need. I see public health and medicine as an outlet for me to help people as a lifestyle. As I study medicine, I will be able to ensure everyone in the world has access to health care. I want to be able to be part of the solution to providing care that is a right for every person on Earth. I plan to study health sciences (biology) to set a path for pre-med or some related career in health. Science is truly my passion and such a fascinating field that is constantly evolving with new discoveries to enrich the human experience. It is a dynamic field that I want to be part of to help other people and utilize new knowledge to make an impact for the greater good. Ever since I was a kid, I always had a love for helping people. I see public health and medicine as an outlet for me to help people as a lifestyle. As I study medicine, I will be able to ensure everyone in the world has access to health care. I want to be able to be part of the solution to providing care that is a right for every person on Earth. I want to be able to engage in the world that can help make a positive shift. I feel a deep sense of purpose that medicine will put my on the track to enhance the wellbeing of others and more importantly helping people live the best life as possible.

Vote for Dylan Riley

 

Future Mathematician

by Donnell La Dontay Horton

Throughout my life, I had a strong appeal towards math. For many years, I had a great deal of fun completing all sorts of of math work. When I was in elementary school, I did not do that much work, but when I transitioned into math class, looking at how numbers are so easily changed legitimately got to me. At the time, my career of choice was a game designer; I was told that I needed to be exceptionally good at math, so I kept working on math and that ended up increasing my love for math. I was determined to get better to be able to create games.
During my sophomore year, I noticed an opportunity to take two math classes my junior year. I could enroll in Precalculus and algebra 2 to become more college ready. If I did that, I would be one of the few students allowed to take AP calculus during my senior year. Thinking about that, I was undoubtedly interested in attempting to participate in two math classes. Working on math problems has always been entertaining for me, thanks to my consistent fondness for a challenge.
I took initiative and talked to my geometry teacher, who was transitioning to be the new pre and AP calculus teacher at the time. He was thrilled to hear how interested I was, in addition, told me to talk to the principle directly about the change. I went through with it and during the last few days of school, I wrote her a letter explaining my reason of interest towards taking Precalculus and algebra 2 at the same time. Over the summer break, I was informed that they accepted my request; That made me extremely ecstatic, I practically screamed!
I never tried to take action for myself like this before. My desire for a more rigorous class had shaped my strive to become better than I am at math, while showing my strong will to learn new skills; I also learned that to complete tasks, it is best to take matters into one’s own hands as soon as possible in order to achieve a goal. Right now, I am in AP calculus and slowly preparing to take the AP exam next year. I continue to be incredibly proud of myself for getting this far and challenging myself to get a higher education in math.

Vote for Donnell La Dontay Horton

 

What I Learned in Boating School Is:

by Sydney Wolf

The subject I enjoyed most in school is the world famous Math! While other people were struggling with math problems I never had trouble understanding what was going on. I think I was more interested in Math because I’m more of an analytical thinker I suppose, I see patterns in the world that nobody else cares to notice. Math will still be an important subject to me all throughout college, even though I’m interested in doing art for the rest of my life Math can still help lots with learning the human form!

Vote for Sydney Wolf

 

Making this hard world just a little softer

by Abraheim Raychouni

How do know what you want to do in life? Nobody is born knowing what degree there going to major in or what career there going to chose. When I was a kid I always wanted to do something way out there, like an astronaut. I wanted to be an astronaut because of my sheer curiosity of space. I saw myself with endless possibility and creativity. However, as I got older I found myself confused on what I wanted to do with my life. A career is simply a source of income, so I thought. Up until sophomore year I had decided I was going into medicine(having no interest in the field of course). Sophomore year I enrolled in a intro class to computer science were I was introduced to whole world of endless possibilities. I learned to speak the tongue of a machine and command anything I please, with a certain limitation of course. There are hundreds of languages in computer science and I had just scratched the surface of one. Taking in all the info at first was like trying to drain the sea with a tiny styrofoam cup, but as time progressed my cup got bigger and bigger until it started getting easier. For me to be hired I had to have some sort of computer science degree. I hope to overcome that obstacle by earning a Software Engineering degree in the next four years. There is code in our phones, cars, and even our refrigerators. A world with self driving cars and space trips to Mars could only be feasible through programmers. I always wanted to help people, and being a programmer lets me do it and make money. Programmers create applications to make everyday life easier. Life is hard, but programmers make it just a little softer.

Vote for Abraheim Raychouni

 

Math

by Gracie Rambo

Throughout the years that I have been in school, I have never had one specific subject I really shined in. I always thought that I was equally good at each subject. The more that I got older and started to become interested in new things and was thinking about my future, is when I realized math was my strongest subject. I had a knee surgery about 6 months ago, so I became very familiar with physical therapy. With physical therapy came a lot of math. They had the measure the movement of my knee and a lot of numbers were involved. With math, there is almost always one right answer. I really liked that about math. With other subjects, not always is there one correct answer, there may be multiple and I didn’t like that because I never felt like I was doing it right. This past year was when I realized math was my strongest subject and it was where I really strived.

Vote for Gracie Rambo

 

Tell us what subject in school you enjoyed learning the most about. Why do you think you were interested in that subject more than others? Do you plan on focusing your career around that subject?

by Nikki Zurita

I really enjoyed algebra 2 the most because I never had a teacher that was so passionate in teaching his students and making sure everyone was on the right page and understanding the concept. algebra 2 is a subject that i’am good at the last test I took I made a 100 and that the first time I had make a 100 on a test without having to retake it. I was interested in algebra 2 because it was something I was really good at and I haven’t been good at something in a long time. I was just proud of myself because I felt like the first time I was doing something right . No, I do not intend on focusing my career around this subject. what I do want to do for my career and what i have a passion for is a career that allows me to volunteer internationally.

Vote for Nikki Zurita

 

Anatomy is Life!

by Kaylah Coulter

I have always loved the math and science track, my dream job was to become a computer engineer. Let’s just say after suffering from calculus my senior year I no longer wanted to be a engineer. However, I truly enjoyed and still excelled my science classes, Anatomy allowed me to see that science is the route for me. I have loved both math and science for as long as i can remember, but I think science is the better subject for me, it comes natural when learning in that subject. My lifetime goal is to become a physical therapist and open up my own clinic one day, Anatomy is a huge subject in that field, and I am more than excited to learn more about it to better myself for my career.

Vote for Kaylah Coulter

 

School Subject

by Sarai Galindo

I enjoy learning most about the subject of mathematics. I am interested more in this subject than any other based on the fact that there is only one right answer, whereas in English the question can have several different answers based on the way it is interpreted. Doing math is different from any other subject, it includes numbers, while any other besides science only includes words. I plan on being a mechanical engineer which I know includes math, which is why I feel I would really enjoy having that as my career. I feel like mathematics is the only subject I actually feel like I am good at. There are steps into achieving your final answer following step by step precisely. There are only two outcomes you are either right or wrong. I have always enjoyed doing math, especially algebra of any sort, and dealing with graphs.

Vote for Sarai Galindo

 

Tell us what subject in school you enjoyed learning the most about. Why do you think you were interested in that subject more than others? Do you plan on focusing your career around that subject?

by Biluge Anne Ntabala

Education has always been my top priority ever since I could remember. When I was a young girl I did not have education goals. As I moved into my teenage years I then started dreaming about getting my college education. I love my mother who was not able to go beyond a high school diploma. She always wanted to become a teacher but that dream is kind of gone because at the time her parents could not afford college. My mother is now 45 with ten kids and she is actually trying to at least get her associate’s degree. I do not want financial issues to become a barrier to my education. I see myself getting my bachelor’s degree in political science/pre-law. My goal is to then pass the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and study to be a civil rights lawyer in law school.
A big part of my personality is that I love helping people. I personally want to travel the world and help any way that I can. My goal will also be that I stay strong and bold. I know that as I help people there will be some things that I cannot unsee and unheard. I want to remain strong and be a voice for the people who are struggling to have one.
My school does require community service for graduation but when I engage in my community that is the last thing on my mind. I love my community and my goal is to help shape it into the best it can be. The biggest way that I will help my community is through law. I want to be an advocate for change in my community, I want to connect the bonds that have been broken for so long, and unite them.
Injustice is high, not only in Wisconsin but in our society. I love public speaking, writing, reading, and providing support. My goal is to become the lawyer that my community can look up to and trust. I want to be a lawyer who encourages and practices equitable laws. As a civil rights lawyer, I want to help those whose rights have been taken away when they deserved them. To provide a voice in the court of law, to see justice and to be shaped by the success in my community. I hope to create my own law firm, a place where laws are just. As I grow in my career. I hope to create different organizations for kids and adults. A lot of the money I will make will go back to helping society/community. I know I have big dreams but I also have hope to achieve them. I have worked really hard. It will pain me to see myself fall from achieving my education and career goals due to lack of financial aid.

Vote for Biluge Anne Ntabala

 

How My Interest in Science Evolved

by Sanket Srivastava

My junior year of high school, I decided to take AP Physics C, which just so happened to be my first official physics course ever. I didn’t really know what to expect, having already taken both chemistry and biology. This course, unlike other high school physics courses, has calculus implemented in the curriculum, which I had already taken and was pretty good at. I started out not knowing what was going on, all these new formulas and weird facts I was just supposed to “know” didn’t really help much with the initial learning process. Calculus was the only bridge that connected what I knew with what I didn’t, and eventually, it all blended together. Every now and then our teacher would show us videos of what was happening real time in the world, new physics discoveries that would further spark my curiosity. More and more the course grew on me and increasingly made more and more sense to me. Having to do group projects to measure the forces and angles of pool balls colliding was more fun than I previously imagined. I liked it even more than I liked chemistry, which was one of my favorite classes at the time. Learning about literally how the world works on a microscopic, molecular level opened my eyes but applying it in physics with tangible tools converted this Lego figure to a life-size sculpture. I won’t exclusively be studying physics in the future, however, I definitely plan on mixing some elements of STEM, such as physics, biology, and chemistry, as well as computer science. Specifically, one idea I have it to use artificial intelligence to create different tools that physicists use that can learn, interpret, and infer from data way more efficiently than humans could. This could potentially and drastically reduce costs needed and boost productivity.

Vote for Sanket Srivastava

 

Not Just the Surface level

by Nicholas Chavez

I’ve done speech and debate for most of my time at high school. I started out a shy sophomore that had no clue what was going on in the world. Today I have learned about a wide range of topics, and have developed my interests. As I’ve researched, and debated about subjects ranging from the military budget to standardized testing I learned something. All of these topics are connected through one common factor, and that common factor is the economy.
No matter what I debated I always saw that the resolutions could be related to the economy. Everything has economic effects that can be predicted, and refuted from either side. There is always a cost to something and a benefit, and everyone makes choices that affect the economy. As I realized this I was drawn in more. I began analyze the economic effects for all the resolutions. Senior year I had an opportunity to incorporate this passion into my academic life.
I decided to take AP macroeconomics my senior year, and I’ve enjoyed the entire class so far. I have been able to learn actual economic theory, and it has made me even more interested. I have been able to use what I learn in debate now, and even in the real world. Getting familiar with economics has added another dimension to everything. Now when I look at an issue I am able to think about not only the surface level, but the economic effects as well.
Economics has been the subject that I have enjoyed the most in school. Because of this I have decided that I would like to continue studying it in college, and maybe even use it in my career. I am glad that I have had the opportunity to be introduced to economics, and I and even more glad that I can now see beyond just the surface level.

Vote for Nicholas Chavez

 

A New Perspective on Math

by Amber Massa

Math is like the winter; you either hate it or you love it. Many students find it to be too difficult, while others walk into class everyday excited to be challenged. A few years back in junior high, I absolutely hated going to math. It was too easy for me so I thought it was boring. Everyday I would sit in class and stare at the clock as the time dragged on. When I was a sophomore in high school, my whole perspective on math changed. It became insanely complex and difficult. Everyday I walked in to class happy and left a confused and stressed out girl. My grade started slipping and I started to care less. My mom was even a math teacher and I still could not fully understand the material we would learn. I remember crying one day after a test because I was so frustrated that everybody understood the material and I did not. That is when I realize I was looking at this problem all wrong. From then on, I started going to class with an open mind. I tried to be more patient and focus a lot harder. Now math is my favorite subject. I am a senior in high school taking AP Calculus AB. It is by far the hardest math class I have ever taken, but I have an awesome grade. I concentrate on the lecture in class and take notes when needed. I complete one hundred percent of my homework and even put in extra time and effort. The harder I work, the more successful I feel. Math has become so challenging to me, that not I actually enjoy going to class. It makes my brain think. Although math has become my favorite subject, I do not plan on pursuing a career in it after high school. I am going to study hospitality and resort management. I will obviously have to use math concepts on a daily basis, but my whole career will not focus specifically on it. All in all, math has taught me to look at challenging concepts positively, and eventually they will change your outlook on life.

Vote for Amber Massa

 

Silent Freedom

by Saige Hyde

As a child, I would always have my nose in a book, plotting adventures and characters for the next story I would write. I would share those stories with my family, and my childhood English teacher, eventually reading some of my poetry in a poetry slam event. This favorite pastime quickly developed into a favorite subject as school became more focused towards useful skills such as essay writing and analytical reading. I loved learning about grammar rules, often catching myself singing “English Jingles” subconsciously. I loved archiving new synonyms and antonyms into my impressive vocabulary. I loved becoming apart of the “pro-Oxford comma team, and overall craved any curriculum my English classes had to offer. After every high school essay, I enjoyed revising my essays, hoping to improve upon my next assignment, to better myself as a writer. I believe I was so interested in English because it gave me a freedom like no other subject could offer. Though essays had prompts to follow, my own personal voice was still a necessary element in acquiring an acceptable grade. Also, interpretations of literature were primarily opinion based as well. I looked forward to discussions based off of prior reading assignments in my literature class , for everyone’s thoughts were slightly different. Though reading and writing may be a passion of mine, I am not focusing my career around this subject for I believe I have many more adventures to live before my mind has expanded enough to write a story that would impress all of my previous English teachers. I will continue to journal everyday, to keep writing present in my life. I also believe college will give me a fair amount of writing to suffice for my lack of a writing based career path. English has greatly impacted my ability to write, and has even given me a different outlook on life: for that I am eternally grateful.

Vote for Saige Hyde

 

Biology

by Brooke Green

The subject that I enjoyed most in school was Biology. I took it in 9th grade and later went on to AP Biology in 11th grade. Learning about the cell cycle, mitosis, and meiosis was interesting. However, I had a greater passion for learning about genetic diseases and anatomy and physiology. I frequently had trouble with figuring out Hardy Weinberg equations and complex punnets square equations. Whenever it came time to learn about anatomy and physiology, I excelled at this the most because it was so interesting to see how different organs play vital roles in making the body function to its fullest potential. In biology, we are often taught the level of complexity in cells, tissues ,organs, and organ systems . I found this most interesting because we learned the cycle of how a cell is made and how tissues form together to make organs .the nervous system was most interesting to learn about because of its complexity and ability to control voluntary and involuntary functions I also enjoyed learning about the immune system , especially now with there being a rise on on coldsAnother main factor for my level biology stems from the history that is also attached to it. It is interesting to know about Watson and Craig and all the other brave scientist that have paved the way for us to learn about Deoxyribose nucleic acid (DNA) and genetic make up that is inside of us because of their accomplishments we are able to see how disease affects chromosomes and how we can prevent other diseases from attacking our DNA. Learning about these types of things in biology made me realize how important it is to learn about the sciences. Often, I hear students my age complaining about how something in school is not useful for them to learn. However, I’ve never heard anyone say that about biology. I hope to study some of the same things in college as I attend nursing school soon. I am sure that I will revisit anatomy and physiology as well as learn about different diseases. I hope that other children are inspired by this essay to take more interest in biology and learn about what affects them .With such a hands-on component in biology, it is easy to fall in love with it and to pursue a career goal in it later on, like I am.

Vote for Brooke Green

 

History

by Samantha Iniguez

Throughout my years of school, I have always enjoyed all of my subjects, excluding science because I never understood what I would learn in the class. However, my favorite class that I always took was history. I always enjoyed learning about the past because the past is what shaped today. The past is where they had a hard life and learned everything on their own. People invented machines, telephones, and many more things that we learn about today. We get to learn about the accomplishments and the terrible things that happened back then. I always enjoyed learning about the 1700s and 1800s because those time periods were when the Roman Catholic church ruled all and many people rebelled against the church because they did not believe in what they were teaching. Learning about the United States history is a favorite because it mentions the war our founding father had wanted to gain independence from Great Britain and accomplished that. They set a foundation for this country and today is still being used. Then moving onto the World Wars. Where new machinery was introduced and new tactics of war, then to the different decades such as the 20’s, 50’s 60’s and 70’s where so much would happen such as the Great Depression, new music being introduced and women finally being able to cast a vote. I believe history is used in almost all of the subjects because, in my English classes, we read and analyze many works of literature from the past and in science the history of the different scientist and how they found their discoveries. However, in math, the concept of history is not necessarily used.
Once I graduate high school, I plan to major in business because I am interested in how a business world and interested in the finances surrounding it. Majoring in history would be difficult for me.

Vote for Samantha Iniguez

 

Opportunity to Make a Difference

by Nadage beausejour

For my first semester I was unfortunately put into Marine biology when I wanted to go into Human Anatomy and Physiology. My teacher denied my request to recommend me for the class I wanted to be put into even though I excelled in her class and got a 92 on the final for Chemistry. Sitting in that class for the first semester of my senior was dreadful, because I didn’t like the class at all. My year was turned around when my friend recommended me for her class the second semester. The class she was in was the one I wanted to be in and I was so grateful to be able to get the chance to be in this class. Out of all the classes this one is my favorite, because I am learning more about myself and the body, and also how to help others. A career in health is what I want to pursue in, I was unsure at first and kind of bouncy, but this class open my eyes and made me see a new doorway into the future. Out of everyone in that class a couple people stand out only because they want to learn more about how to help thioseinn pain, and to find answers that still remain unanswered. The opportunity to join this class was truly a blessing. Now i’m fully sure and aware of what I want to study for in for college.

Vote for Nadage beausejour

 

My Favorite Subject

by Steven Gilliard

In the past, I have always dreaded history. I did not like history because it was boring and complicated. After I got into high school , I realized I love history. In my Junior year in high school, I took U.S History. My favorite topic in that class was learning about America overcoming segregation. African-Americans went through some hard times during the late 60s to early 70s. Martin Luther King Jr., was a leader for the black community. He believed in peace, while being desegregated. John F. Kennedy was a Civil Rights Activist who supported desegregation. To sum everything up, learning how America became a strong country, is what is interesting to me. Every country has its flaws, despite how powerful that country is. America is not exempted from that aspect. History is important because it tells stories for future generations to come. It is good that history is recorded, so future leaders will not make the same mistakes. I also believe it is important that everybody forgives the past, but not forget it. The only way for our country to be strong is to let go of the mistakes made. History provides that in a way. History is that real life subject. The reason I favor history over any subject is because I like to learn the positives and negatives of a part in history. My dream career is to become a DEA agent. My career will not be fully based on history, but history will be important to the DEA. I feel like it is crucial to know the history of the branch of government that the individual is employed by. The wonderful aspect of history is every organization has it! It will be a honor to learn about past heroes, date of creation, and some of the most efficient drug busts! I will become a DEA agent one day.

Vote for Steven Gilliard

 

Psyched to be a Nurse

by Patricia Louise Dela Merced

I literally would live and breathe AP Psychology every day if it was possible because I love the complexities of learning about everything around us. While not everyone likes AP Psychology because of the number of experiments and theories it involves or just simply it is difficult to learn are the reasons why I love learning it. The challenge that comes with it is not an easy feat, but it is something that I am willing to accomplish. I find this course interesting because I find theories enthralling in general. I like doing experiments and making reflections in which we showcase what we have learned and observe in the experimentations. I find this course interesting because I can apply what I have learned in a variety of categories. I can use it to understand events, treat mental issues (it gives me an introduction, making me have a background), and most of all improve my education and relationships with others. What I enjoy about this class is that we have a lot of activities in which we can apply what we have learned. We have a variety of projects in which each person can display his or her strengths: through art, writing, etc. I like AP Psychology most than any other subjects because as an aspiring nurse, I could use it when dealing with patients. I used what I have learned during my summer internship wherein AP Psychology helped me with my communications skills which I use in order to deal and understand people. During my internship at Mirhaquel Skin Care at Torrance, wherein I spend 5 hours a week, I had to solve two conflicts using my effective communication skills: dealing with an enraged Filipino patient and adjusting to an African American supervisor who had a different management style. The patient was disappointed of her last treatment. She expected that the skin peeling would subside before her planned vacation. However, the reaction from the chemicals caused her to have breakouts. I let her vent and listened attentively to details. I communicated using Tagalog so we could understand each other more. I used comforting words by putting myself on her shoes, communicating how willing I was to analyze and resolve issues promptly. After listening to her attentively, I gathered all the pertinent facts and carefully explained about our policy. Her face turned red with suppressed range knowing that we could not do anything at that moment since having another treatment would only make things worse. In the end, I decided to give her creams for her breakouts and a discount for her next treatment (approved by the supervisor). Another conflict that I had to deal with was reporting to a new manager. She was an African American and was known for being strict and direct to the point. It was very difficult considering that we were from a different country. I always made sure that we had a good communication by asking her expectations and feedback about my work on whether I was able to deliver. This skill has taught me that irate patients are more willing to listen and compromise after knowing that you feel for them and that it is important to accept differences and treat each other with respect and professionalism. Possessing effective communication skills are important to me since I am committed to working in the medical field. It is vital because there is no room for any misunderstandings when it comes to the patient’s healthcare and it goes beyond the patient’s chart, it extends to the way I interact with the patient’s family and friends.

Vote for Patricia Louise Dela Merced

 

How My High School Interests Affect My Future Career

by Katelyn Breanne Reynolds

Throughout high school, I have selected courses that have been very valuable in affirming my love for architecture. Some examples of these are Principals of Architecture and Construction. Overall, I have always enjoyed STEM related courses. This class allowed me to investigate and develop a real sense of what a career as an architect would look like. I have a passion for people just as much as buildings or environments. Creating something great inspires me. I am competitive, resilient, disciplined, and I actually love to work. I think these attributes will benefit me throughout my lifetime in choosing this career path. Throughout my high school career, I participated in a magnet school program where all of the core classes are honors based. It has driven me to chase everything with high ideals. My experience has taught me leadership, time-management, and self- motivation. I feel this has inspired me to pursue every opportunity to advance my academic career. My career goals are to combine my passion for architecture with my deep desire for diminishing the effects of homelessness through the design of residential living spaces and commercial structures, such as homeless shelters. I envision having a career, in the future, that challenges me to fulfill my ambitions through the pillar of character. I incline toward a firm or company that breaks typical social boundaries and all income levels. I foresee myself initially working in a local firm to develop my creative potential and manage different projects. As an architect, I want to specialize in ecological solutions that have harmony with the environment. Eventually, I would like to apply to the American Institute of Architects. This will allow me to travel and participate in highly ranked design projects. It will also empower me to give my time and resources to bring a valuable solution in disaster devastated areas. I view my career as an opportunity to invest in the future of society through architecture. I chose to major in the field of architecture because it feeds upon several of my strengths that I have naturally. Such as- I love projects, I take pride in the process and thoroughly enjoy each phase of the project (like going back and forth between thinking the details and the bigger picture). I think these attributes will benefit me throughout my lifetime in choosing this career path.

Vote for Katelyn Breanne Reynolds

 

The school subject that inspired me the most

by Marie Harigs

In school, I enjoyed learning about biology and animals the most I have always been able to do extremely well when it came to studying them. I think this subject interests me so much because I enjoy learning new things about the environment and the other creatures we share the world with. I have always been drawn to animals and learning about the way of life ever since I could remember. I have a large interest in the anatomy of animals and of the human body. I take pride in finding animal bones and refurbishing them, I’ve been doing it since I was in elementary school.Ever since I was little I would love to read whether it was an encyclopedia on animals or the average fairy tale I loved it all. Even if I couldn’t understand what I read I still made the effort to try when it came to studying an animal’s anatomy at age 5. I plan to major in biology when I go to college and hopefully either become a veterinarian or a vet tech. I’ve always wanted to work with animals and care for them in any way I can.I plan to graduate high school and pursue an education in the college of my choosing. I will most likely follow in my twenty-two-year-old cousin’s footsteps and go through the same college education she did, in order to become a veterinarian. I wanted to pursue this as a career because I am interested in making a significant difference in the lives of animals and the environment around me. My teacher Mr.stratton inspired me because he was always so passionate about marine animals and the biological ways of life. He always helped me when it came to understanding the human body and the animal anatomy.

Vote for Marie Harigs

 

My Love for The Science

by Jean Veloz

My love for Science
Ever since I was in grade school I always remember being fascinated by science. Specifically Physics I love doing projects and I’ve never had any trouble with it. During my junior year I had the chance to combine the two things I loved for a project, Science and Football. For my STEAM night project I presented a project I called Football Mania. The Project focused mainly on the hangtime of the ball and an average high school punters hangtime. During the project we videotaped and analized it frame by frame through a computer program then we used equations to find the hangtime of a football.

Vote for Jean Veloz

 

Struggling with Math

by Jessica Davis

This past semester I took a trigonometry class. Since I did not do too good in my geometry class, I was worried that this class was going to be even harder. The first few weeks went by and most of it was a review from my algebra two class. I assumed that it was not going to be that bad. However, once the review chapters were completed, I began to struggle. I was not falling behind but I was not fully understanding what we were learning. For me, struggling is getting a “B” on a quiz. Many people would say that I am crazy, but it was simply a different outlook on my grades. I did not ask the teacher for help though. I was not comfortable enough to ask her. Instead, I brought my textbook home with me every day. I would look at the entire lesson and practice problems then continue to teach myself how to do the homework. If I still could not understand what I was doing, then I would look over the teacher’s notes from that day in class. The more I looked at the textbook and notes, the more I started to understand the lessons. I was no longer falling behind and not understanding. I started to get A’s on my quizzes and tests. Every now and then I continued to struggle, but it also helped me to teach the lesson to someone else. I found out that actually sitting down with another student and teaching them what I was learning is also helpful for me. I began to help a couple of my friends who were in the class. Each of us understood different parts of the lesson. When we got together to study, we each could help one another out by teaching a part of the lesson. Now, I know how to work my way out of a tough situation in school. I can take the time to sit down and learn the lesson myself and also share that knowledge with other students.

Vote for Jessica Davis

 

Why Science is my favorite subject

by Kallie Delatore

My favorite subject has always been science. In my junior year of high school, I took a chemistry class and was very interested. More specifically, I’m very intrigued by the human brain. As a child, my dad and I would do brain teasers, trivia, puzzles, and riddles. My family frequently would watch Brain Games, a show on National Geographic. My family was simply interested in the fun games and optical illusions, but I was more focused on the science behind it. I would hush my family as I tried to hear the detailed reasoning for the way our brain perceives things and often tricks us. When I was about 13, my grandfather was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and, shortly thereafter, Alzheimer’s Disease. These two diseases very rarely occur in the same person at one time, and it is horrifically amazing to see the things they do to a person. Ever since, I have been so amazed by the human brain. I read a book called The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons by Sam Kean. This book explained the most studied, confusing, controversial, and rare brain trauma and recovery stories in the history of neuroscience. I had considered studying neuroscience for years, but this book confirmed that I want to spend my life studying the most incredible organ known to man. My ultimate dream is to be a member of a clinical trial that finds a cure for Alzheimer’s.
Furthermore, I chose Biochemistry as my major because it gives a solid understanding of how chemicals react with each other and the environment. Also, a Biochemistry major is a great pre-med major. I want to pursue at least a master’s degree in medical school and hopefully even a Ph.D. I want to spend the rest of my life searching for a way to help the world understand how the brain functions and be a part of ensuring no human being must endure the life my grandfather and family have been living for the past 4 years.

Vote for Kallie Delatore

 

A Historic Experience

by Saviana Metter

My favorite subject all throughout high school has been history. This class has always been fun and easy for me because I genuinely enjoy learning about important events and people in the past. This passion for history stemmed from my parents insistence on giving me lots of reading materials when I was younger. They read to me every night before I could read on my own and left me in the habit of making time to read almost everyday. With my love for reading, I have more context and understanding of the things I learn in these various history classes. For example, some of the books I have read for pleasure have taken place in earlier centuries and they sometimes give me another look at the everyday life for people in that time period that I would not have otherwise got in an actual class. I took some rigorous history classes in high school to get an in depth look at history and a chance at early college credit. Advanced placement United States history was one of my favorite history classes because I took it during the 2016 election, which was a significant time in modern American history. This was the first class I took in high school that really got me interested in politics and how everything can be related to history. Almost every day when I got home from school that year I would talk to my dad about the things I learned in that course and how it relates to something I saw in the news that day. Having this deep passion for history does, however, leave me sort of handicapped in my choices for the future, but I have tried to mend that by deciding to major in business in college and minor in history. This allows me to get a practical and broad degree and still have classes I will enjoy. I could see myself as a museum curator in or working for a non profit in the future with this mix of business and history. I am giving myself options while still trying to enjoy my favorite subject of history, even if it is not my main focus for the future.

Vote for Saviana Metter

 

My Passions

by Jorge Carlos Lopez

The subject I enjoyed the most in high school are photography and graphic design. I chose these two because they unleash the creativity that lies within an individual. I had my very first graphics class when I was a sophomore in high school and loved it right away, I was one of the few who was always ahead. I did so great that within the first two months of the first semester, I was promoted to the honors level of the course and I loved it so much that I took the level two class the very next semester which led me to take another graphics class at a local community college. I was introduced to photography when I joined the yearbook staff the same year and I automatically loved it too. I was the main photographer out of four and took 67 percent of the photographs that were featured in the annual. I feel like I enjoyed these two more than anyone because I found a way to connect to it. They both require you to work hard to dig deep within your mind to come up with amazing ideas that that can go farther than you can ever imagine and I love to challenge myself. Photography is all about capturing moments that will last forever and it is also, an art. The emotions, the colors, the angles and the lighting are only a few factors that make up an outstanding photograph and breathtaking artwork. I want to focus my career around these two subjects because I feel like there are a lot of people out there who also connect with one or both of these subjects just as much as I do. I feel like I can put a lot of smiles on people’s faces by creating something for them or taking incredible photographs for them. One of the main things I hope to get from having a career with either of these is respect and appreciation and I will not let anything stop me from fulfilling my goals and achieving my dream.

Vote for Jorge Carlos Lopez

 

Culinary Arts

by Isis Connor

The subject in school I enjoyed learning the most would be culinary arts. From a young age, I always had a passion for cooking and baking. My dad would have me help him out in the kitchen and get everything prepped before he would start cooking. I remember I was around 10 or 11 years old when my dad and I started making cheesecakes. After a while, I was able to make them myself, and everyone in the family always asked me to make some up. So every holiday they would find me in the kitchen making cheesecakes for the family. I would make different types and flavors of cheesecakes. For example, some were chocolate-based with a chocolate-graham cracker crust verses the traditional cheesecakes with a plain graham cracker crust; I also added M&M’s, Oreos, and strawberries to top the cake off. I enjoy being able to create different dishes in the kitchen, be able to eat them, and enjoy the taste. It is even better when other people try out your food and enjoy it just as much as you do.
I believe that I was more interested in the subject more than others because I really have a passion for cooking. I want to university and study Culinary Art. I have already been accepted to Johnson and Wales, so I will receive my associate’s degree in Culinary Arts, and I will get my bachelor’s in Food Service Management.
Yes, I plan to focus my career around this subject. Once I have graduated college, I plan to open up my own restaurant. I have not decided on exactly what type of establishment I would like to open, but I do know I want a place of my own where I am the boss. For a FCCLA competition I was a part of, my teammates and I created a food truck for our project in the category, entrepreneurship. It was neat to see all the work, effort, and time an individual has to put in to opening up a business of their own. I will be honest and say that we did get frustrated and did not want to continue on with the project, but after we finished it, we were satisfied with the results.

Vote for Isis Connor