10th Grade: 23-24

Fall of my Sophomore year, I worked with a group on a Thank You Project. We spent a couple of weeks recognizing the custodians for everything they do for our school. We made thank you cards and created posters to hang around the school that thanked custodians. Multiple of our classmates joined in on our efforts and created cards to give to custodians as well. We ended up with cards from over 20 people. Our group also donated snacks to the custodians.

This project is connected to the JAGS pillars, Taking Action and Recognizing Perspectives. We took action by recognizing the custodians for their efforts and providing them with snacks and thank you cards. Custodians are often overlooked and aren't commonly thanked for what they do for our school, so we were able to give them the recognition they deserve. This played a significant role in my sophomore year because it gave me a better appreciation for the people who are often overlooked.

The Documentary Project was a four-person group project about a topic of our choice. My group ended up choosing the refugee crisis and made a documentary called "Finding Refuge." This project was easily the hardest project I completed during my sophomore year and one of the hardest projects I've completed in high school. We spent countless hours researching the topic of refugees and conducted multiple online and in-person interviews. This project really opened my eyes to the struggles refugees face and the need to support them.

Our documentary is connected to three JAGS pillars. Communicating Ideas, Recognizing Perspectives, and Investigating the World. We communicated ideas not just throughout our group but also to the audience who watched our documentary. The creation of the documentary helped my group recognize the perspectives of refugees and, through talks with refugees, be able to understand the struggles and obstacles they encountered.  The project also let us investigate the world and discover what causes someone to become a refugee. 

In the fall of my sophomore year, we learned about the mole in Chemistry. A mole is a scientific unit used for measuring atoms, molecules, and other small particles. The mole was created by Amedeo Avogadro, and the number used is 6.022 x 10^23. We did a fun project for mole day called "Sherlock Molmes". I decided to make a ceiling tile for my mole day project, but there were a few other options.

The project relates to the JAGS pillar, Recognizing perspectives. "Sherlock Molmes" added a fun and creative way to learn about and celebrate mole day. The celebration of mole day is a fun addition to science and keeps students engaged.

The Costa Rica trip was the best experience of my sophomore year. It was the first time I had ever been outside of the United States, the first time on a plane, and my first big travel experience. I got to try a lot of new experiences like zip lining over the rain forest, white water rafting, night hikes through the rain forest, visiting different beaches, and immersing myself in Costa Rican culture. 

During our trip, I connected with the JAGS pillars, Investigate the World and Recognizing perspectives. I got to explore a new country with my friends and classmates and learn through new experiences. I got to experience the Costa Rican lifestyle and try different aspects of their culture. This trip was the highlight of my sophomore year.