Tuberculosis in America: A Data-Driven Mathematical Model

In this project, my group used nearly 50 years of real CDC data to build a mathematical model of Tuberculosis (TB) cases in the United States from 1975 to 2023. Using Desmos Graphing Calculator, we plotted the data and applied exponential regression to find the equation that best described the long-term trend in TB infections. Our model, f(t) = 33,504 · e^(−0.04740 · (t − 1975)), achieved an R² value of 97.8%, meaning it fits the real data with remarkable accuracy. The data revealed that TB cases dropped dramatically from a peak of 33,989 in 1975 down to a low of 8,895 in 2019, reflecting decades of improved public health infrastructure and medical treatment. Notably, we excluded the COVID-19 era years (2020–2023) from our regression because the pandemic artificially disrupted reporting and healthcare access, which would have skewed our model. Using our equation to predict the future, we found that TB cases are projected to continue declining gradually over the coming decades. This project deepened my understanding of how exponential decay models can describe real public health trends, and showed me how mathematicians and epidemiologists use data to inform policy decisions that save lives. Tools used included Desmos, CDC public health data, and AI-assisted presentation design.

"Knee Socks" by Arctic Monkeys: A Literary Analysis

In this project for AP Language, I chose to argue that "Knee Socks" by the Arctic Monkeys is the greatest song of all time through the lens of literary analysis. The assignment, called the GOAT Song Project, challenged me to select any song, identify at least three literary devices used in the lyrics, and build a formal analytical argument with a thesis, three body paragraphs with evidence and analysis, a conclusion, and a works cited page. I chose "Knee Socks" because beneath its smooth, dreamlike beat lies a surprisingly layered piece of poetry about yearning for a relationship that feels just out of reach. In my essay, I analyzed three literary devices: repetition, apostrophe, and metaphor. I argued that Alex Turner's repeated use of the phrase "knee socks" creates a dreamlike quality that signals the narrator's awareness that the relationship he wants is unlikely to happen. I also examined how the song is written almost entirely in apostrophe, speaking directly to the woman in the song, which draws the listener into the narrator's emotions and makes the longing feel deeply personal. Finally, I analyzed the central metaphor of the girl walking around his house in his shirt and her knee socks as a symbol of the intimacy and comfort of a committed relationship that the narrator is quietly dreaming about. This project strengthened my skills in close reading, literary analysis, and formal essay writing, and taught me how to build a structured argument supported by textual evidence easing me into using skills central to AP Language and Composition.

English 1101: Coming of Age, Literature, and the Written Word

During my senior year, I took English 1101 as a dual enrollment course at Georgia State University which was my first experience being graded on college-level writing. Over the semester, I wrote three major essays all centered around a theme I chose: coming-of-age literature, using Stephen Chbosky's The Perks of Being a Wallflower as my anchor text. 

The first essay was a personal narrative in which I reflected on how coming-of-age books, particularly The Perks of Being a Wallflower and The Great Godden by Meg Rosoff, shaped my understanding of myself during some of the hardest years of my adolescence. Writing this essay helped me realize how deeply literature had helped me process grief, depression, and change during the COVID-19 pandemic. The second essay was a book review of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, in which I analyzed Chbosky's narrative style, his portrayal of mental health and masculinity, and how the book's stream-of-consciousness letter format creates an unusually intimate connection between the reader and the main character. My third and most challenging essay was an argumentative research paper on modern book banning in the United States, in which I argued that banning books, particularly coming-of-age novels, limits young people's ability to develop empathy, think critically, and understand perspectives different from their own. This essay required me to research court cases, American Library Association data, and the historical pattern of censorship dating back to ancient China. 

This class was particularly meaningful to me because I returned from a year abroad in Germany with noticeably less polished English writing, and over the course of the semester I was able to rebuild my vocabulary, improve my sentence structure, and develop a revision process I had never practiced before. Coming out of this course, I feel genuinely prepared to write the policy briefs, research reports, and diplomatic communications that I know will be central to my future career in international affairs.