11th Grade: 2024-2025

Evan Sweeney - Europe Trip               

Extracurricular

We took a trip to Europe, visiting France, Switzerland, and Germany. This was my favorite of all the trips so far because of the freedom we were provided, and the countries we got to travel to. France was a valuable resource to practice my speaking in French, as I tried to speak as much as I could. In all three countries, I learned a lot through experience, and I enjoyed every moment of my trip.

The JAGS pillar that this trip represents is Investigate the World and Recognizing Perspectives. Opposed to the Costa Rica trip, this time I was given much more freedom, and because of this, I felt I was able to connect with the culture better. I could shop wherever I wanted, and I picked where I wanted to eat lunch, but I ate bread almost every lunch. This trip was once in a lifetime, and I am thankful for all the experiences and things I learned about this trip.

Evan Sweeney - Bridge Project

Physics, Mr. Robison

My artifact from physics was my model bridge. I worked on this bridge very closely with a partner. It was one of the most complex projects that I have worked on, and I am very proud of what we created. We were required to use glue and balsawood, a very frail wood. The bridge that we made was the strongest in any of the physics classes, and it held 2400 times its own weight.

The bridge project was a perfect example of communicating ideas. Many things came into building this bridge. First, we had to do research on the history of bridges and how to build a sturdy bridge. Communication was a key part of how we built the bridge. We both had good ideas, but when we exchanged and reflected upon each other's ideas, it led to a very soundly constructed bridge that we were both proud of.

Evan Sweeney - Europe Trip

 French 2, Ms. Browne

I have the Europe trip again as my most valuable artifact because it allowed me to exercise the skills I have been learning over the past two years. There is no substitute for speaking a language with native speakers. During my stay in France, I tried to speak in French as much as possible. Often, this would mean talking to store owners or waiters. My previous knowledge of French helped me enjoy the trip even more.

The JAGS pillar that this trip reflects is to take action. For the past two years, I have been in a classroom, studying and speaking French. During this trip, I took a further step in speaking the French language. I found that taking action into learning French, and immersing myself for the short time I was there, was a very worthwhile experience that will be very useful in the classroom.

Evan Sweeney - Analysis Essay 

English 11 - Mrs. Williams

My artifact from English 11 was my literary analysis essay of "Cry, the Beloved Country." In this essay, I explored the morality of the main character, Stephen Kumalo, and whether he is a good protagonist. This paper was one of my favorites because of how much I enjoyed the book, "Cry, the Beloved Country." My enjoyment made it easy to write about the book because I had strong opinions on it.

This essay ties into the JAGS pillar of Recognizing Perspectives. I had to take into account all of the characters that could be considered the protagonist. I had to recognize all of their perspectives and try to understand why Kumalo was the best pick. When  I understood more about Kumalo and his good nature, it was easy for me to choose him as the best protagonist.