10th Grade: 2023-24

A Hot Topic

In my sophomore year English class, participating in Socratic seminars during our unit on Fahrenheit 451 has really stuck with me. At first, I was nervous to speak up, as we all were, but as the discussions went on, I realized how simple it was to contribute small ideas and build off of what others said. These conversations pushed me to think more deeply than I ever had in an English class before. The artifact I chose is a photo of the Fahrenheit 451 book that I read, as it represents a turning point in my confidence to share ideas.

New Grounds

I don't have a particularly good artifact to represent a history aspect of my first year in JAGS, but it can't go unmentioned simply for that purpose. American History was my first class of the day, my sophomore year, and thus my first JAGS class overall. This gave me a first impression of the program and was a great experience that gave me hope for how the rest of my years in JAGS will go. The one aspect of transitioning into JAGS that I found went very well was the acceptance of my opinions and ideas I had. I felt that although I hadn't known members of the program as long as they had known each other, I was able to communicate ideas very well.

Pura Vida, Open Mind

The JAGS trip to Costa Rica during sophomore year was one of the most eye-opening experiences I’ve ever had. Being in a completely different environment, surrounded by a new culture and language, helped me understand how different things are in other areas of the world. One moment that stood out was sitting by the pool on our last night, in our last hotel, just talking amongst ourselves. Everybody seemed to forget any worries of the time and take in the moment. It’s one thing to just go to a different country, but it’s something else to deep dive into their culture and immerse yourself in their perspectives. My artifact is a picture of myself and 4 other students white water rafting, without a care in the world, enjoying the experience.

First Choice of A Second Language

Spanish was my first choice of a world language, and it was more than just learning new vocabulary, but also a chance to explore new cultures that I didn't think I ever would. One of my favorite memories was when we were assigned a cultural project, and I decided to make churros. I thought this would just be a fun assignment with a tasty outcome, but as I researched recipes and the history behind the dessert, the connection between food and culture truly started to show. The photo of the churros I made is my artifact, because it represents the beginning of my journey toward becoming a more globally aware student.

Late Nights, And Early Mornings

Chemistry class in my sophomore year was very eye-opening in many ways. I learned extremely valuable lessons regarding in-school and out-of-school success. Chemistry class pushed me and many others to a point that created a need for a change in my attitude towards things that need to get done. I struggled a lot with procrastination regarding all matters, which forced me to have to take action earlier in time when getting things done, both during school and when going about my day. My artifact is an assignment from chemistry that I completed by staying up until 3 in the morning and then waking up only hours later at 6 to go to school.

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