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Do you need help? Before asking Dr. Pollina ➔
BEFORE YOU LEAVE STEM
I have some wisdom to bestow, if you choose to accept it
ABOUT STEM & SCHOOL
STEM Class
You might think this quarter was just about building projects or using new technology. But the tech was really just an excuse to teach you something much bigger.
The real goal of this class was to help you build the "invisible skills" that you will use for the rest of your life. Over the last 9 weeks, you practiced:
How to be Self-Directed: You didn't just wait for me to give you the answers. You had to look at a problem, make a plan, and figure out your own next steps.
How to "Fail Forward": Nothing works perfectly the first time you build or code it. You learned how to hit a dead end, handle the frustration, and use your mistakes to figure out what to do next.
How to Learn on Your Own: You learned how to research, test ideas, and adapt. You practiced the art of getting "unstuck."
School
School isn't just a place where you go to memorize facts or collect grades. It is a training ground. The people who succeed in the future won't be the ones who memorize all the answers; they will be the ones who know how to ask the right questions and/or figure things out with their resources (like the STEM website/YouTube tutorials)
Every class you take from here on out (Math, Science, ELA, SS, etc.) is just another chance to practice that "figuring it out" muscle. When a subject feels difficult or frustrating, that isn't a sign that you aren't smart; it's just the feeling of your brain building a new skill. Keep pushing through the struggle, keep taking ownership of your learning, and keep building.
Help by teaching each other, too! When you teach others a skill, you are building that skill yourself at the same time.
ABOUT TECHNOLOGY:
Remember the amount of access
YOU GIVE for your data:
Your Location? Your Camera Roll?
Your CAMERA & MICROPHONE?
They are tracking you to learn about you and what you might buy
"Personalized Advertising"
(To fight against this, use DDG browser instead of Chrome and turn on tracking protection!)
ALSO hackers can steal this data and will use it against you!
Don't share too much about your life!
Any picture you take on a device connected to the internet is automatically shared and never disappears 🫢
Be careful not to fall for BOTS & TROLL TRAPS
BOTS are programs that mimic profiles, comments, or players
Most TikTok/YT/Insta comments are bots replying to other bots
Most Fortnite/online games are over 80% bot players to make you feel like a better player
MOST of the internet is fake or false
CHECK MULTIPLE SOURCES BEFORE BELIEVING NEW INFORMATION!
"A lie can travel halfway around the world
while the truth is putting on its shoes"
-Mark Twain (1919)
DO NOT SHARE ANYTHING THAT YOU CANNOT BACK UP WITH SOURCES
BotFarm2.mp4TrollBotFarm.mp4If you're in public, you are probably on camera!
Stores record all shoplifters, some just keep all of the videos until they steal a $$ total
THEN they contact the police, at that point, it is a FELONY (long jail time)
just because you're "getting away" with some things on your devices, doesn't mean someone isn't keeping track 👀
Remember, there are very cool technologies to look forward to:
Immersive Virtual Reality
Video Gaming Scholarships
Self Driving Cars
Drone Delivery
Brain-to-Computer Interface
What comes after TikTok? It might get banned!
Maybe you design the next big thing!
Technology will always change and improve
It is your job to teach yourself new technologies or programs if you want to be successful
Especially if you are looking for a job or career!
If you want to be competitive in the job market, you have to assume someone else is trying to learn more than you
EVERY Job uses technology
STEM Courses at Lake Forest High School
make the most of your elective classes!
some will count toward college credit!
Robotics
Home Improvement & Design
CAD Architecture
CAD Engineering
AP Computer Science
Guitar Making
CREATE > consume
Creating/learning new things is always better for you & your brain than consuming content/media
Apps are designed to keep you on your device as long as possible, to show the most amount of advertisements possible, to get you to spend your money on things you don't need
(you can still scroll through memes and look up tutorial videos, just be careful)
Are you the passenger in your life? Or the one driving it?
Time is your most precious asset - don’t let it go to waste!
ABOUT LIFE:
What Career path should you take?
What are you GOOD AT?
What do you LOVE?
Combine that with:
What does the WORLD NEED?
What can you be PAID FOR?
All 4 combined = Ikigai
(purpose or reason for living)
Only compare your current self to your past self
What other people think of you
is none of your business
Do what makes you happy anyway
(within reason)
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