Senior year REFLECTION
Four years in STEM has been a journey. From starting off as a freshman and liking science but not really knowing how to explore that passion to graduating and planning to study Neuroscience at Pomona while also making potato cannons and small robots at home.
Applying STEM to my life entails many layers. There are the group projects where we failed and succeeded, the excitement of learning new technology, the ability to learn how to work on your own, and the guest speakers teaching us about the real world.
Three years ago I vividly remember the Rube Goldberg Machine. This was my first school project that I took pride in and I looked forward to every day. I was in a group where I only knew one person. As a group, we had to learn how to safely use the tools in the workplace and start building. From this group, I immediately learned how to look past not knowing someone and to trust someone with my work. This lesson of quick trust has carried me through many events in my life. I have been put on many baseball teams where I have not known anyone. However, I needed to be able to trust each and every player on that team for us to work effectively together.
During sophomore year, we had a teacher brand new to STEM. Ms. Mathews was learning how to control a classroom and teach. Many students took advantage of this situation and were disrespectful to her. So I had to really teach myself to go against peer pressure and give the teacher respect when it was needed. I had to say things to my fellow peers in order to help create an environment where we all could learn. I learned how to take a leadership role and stand out of the pack when the easy thing to do was hide in the majority. I also learned to do what I think is right and what is necessary to achieve a positive learning environment. I have learned many valuable lessons from this experience. For most group projects, I have taken charge, but not in a dictatorial way. It is from a position where one listens and respects, while also keeping everyone in line and on task. I have also taken these lessons to all my sports teams. I have been captain of an NCS Championship team where I took charge and kept the team bonded during hard times.
My junior year was the first time in STEM where I was able to branch out and test my interest in another area of science. AP Computer Science taught me a lot about academic tenacity. Our teacher created an environment for us where we needed to put effort into teaching the material to ourselves and peers. It was difficult to process new material that I had never seen, understand it, and teach it to peers. This experience will help me in college when I encounter a class that is challenging. It will also help me with my college athletics. I will be playing against 22 year-olds and I will need to jump into the unknown and compete to keep my spot on the team. The drive I have learned in STEM will help me stay in a positive focused mindset.
The fourth year of STEM has been my most anticipated year. I have been able to learn so much about new technology and how to function on my own with little guidance. I have been able to learn how to network with adults to develop our Biogas Digesters. I have been able to learn new technology like 3D designing and orthographic drawing. My favorite part of STEM this year has been the guest speakers. The most interesting one has been a forensic psychologist who came in from Boston. I have always dreamed of being a medical doctor. I have accrued over 150 hours working in the Petaluma Valley Hospital. However, this speaker opened up a new world for me. Her job of deciding if a sexual pedophile is a danger to society fascinates me. Her ability to analyze a person and their level of danger is very intriguing. Her speech will remain with me for a very long time. With my major in Neuroscience, I will be able to understand her job on a molecular level and know exactly how she makes her decisions based on facts. From her speech, she has added a new possible path in my life. The STEM program has affected me in many different areas of my life. It has challenged me academically, personally, and intellectually. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to include this in my high school experience.
Applying STEM to my life entails many layers. There are the group projects where we failed and succeeded, the excitement of learning new technology, the ability to learn how to work on your own, and the guest speakers teaching us about the real world.
Three years ago I vividly remember the Rube Goldberg Machine. This was my first school project that I took pride in and I looked forward to every day. I was in a group where I only knew one person. As a group, we had to learn how to safely use the tools in the workplace and start building. From this group, I immediately learned how to look past not knowing someone and to trust someone with my work. This lesson of quick trust has carried me through many events in my life. I have been put on many baseball teams where I have not known anyone. However, I needed to be able to trust each and every player on that team for us to work effectively together.
During sophomore year, we had a teacher brand new to STEM. Ms. Mathews was learning how to control a classroom and teach. Many students took advantage of this situation and were disrespectful to her. So I had to really teach myself to go against peer pressure and give the teacher respect when it was needed. I had to say things to my fellow peers in order to help create an environment where we all could learn. I learned how to take a leadership role and stand out of the pack when the easy thing to do was hide in the majority. I also learned to do what I think is right and what is necessary to achieve a positive learning environment. I have learned many valuable lessons from this experience. For most group projects, I have taken charge, but not in a dictatorial way. It is from a position where one listens and respects, while also keeping everyone in line and on task. I have also taken these lessons to all my sports teams. I have been captain of an NCS Championship team where I took charge and kept the team bonded during hard times.
My junior year was the first time in STEM where I was able to branch out and test my interest in another area of science. AP Computer Science taught me a lot about academic tenacity. Our teacher created an environment for us where we needed to put effort into teaching the material to ourselves and peers. It was difficult to process new material that I had never seen, understand it, and teach it to peers. This experience will help me in college when I encounter a class that is challenging. It will also help me with my college athletics. I will be playing against 22 year-olds and I will need to jump into the unknown and compete to keep my spot on the team. The drive I have learned in STEM will help me stay in a positive focused mindset.
The fourth year of STEM has been my most anticipated year. I have been able to learn so much about new technology and how to function on my own with little guidance. I have been able to learn how to network with adults to develop our Biogas Digesters. I have been able to learn new technology like 3D designing and orthographic drawing. My favorite part of STEM this year has been the guest speakers. The most interesting one has been a forensic psychologist who came in from Boston. I have always dreamed of being a medical doctor. I have accrued over 150 hours working in the Petaluma Valley Hospital. However, this speaker opened up a new world for me. Her job of deciding if a sexual pedophile is a danger to society fascinates me. Her ability to analyze a person and their level of danger is very intriguing. Her speech will remain with me for a very long time. With my major in Neuroscience, I will be able to understand her job on a molecular level and know exactly how she makes her decisions based on facts. From her speech, she has added a new possible path in my life. The STEM program has affected me in many different areas of my life. It has challenged me academically, personally, and intellectually. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to include this in my high school experience.