In seventh grade, our grade level lens was identity. Over the seventh grade year, I feel like I haven't grown that much, though I might have grown so for the sake of TPOL, I have grown physically and in my biking. Almost all of my identity comes from biking. And this year, BMX racing has been my main goal, since Purgatory is going to be closed ALL SUMMER. 

What is your definition of identity?

My definition of identity is what shapes who you are and what you enjoy, and what really describes you.

How has a challenge or adversity, become a strength of yours?

One challenge that became a strength of mine is my fear of the gate, which is one of my best skills now and helps me with local races, where I'm usually racing 15 year old people.

Another challenge that became a strength was that I would never write down my work, and if I made a mistake my teachers couldn't see where I made the mistake and help me. Now I write my work down, which not only helps with finding mistakes, but it also makes it easier to check my work.

How have these aspects of identity helped you become the person you are today?

These aspects of identity have helped me become the person I am today by helping me with my schoolwork and my friendships throughout the year, like gaining more friends and enjoying schoolwork, and school more.

It also helps with my biking experience, since my skill has skyrocketed this year, making me ride more, and even enjoy it more.

My significant adult is Brennan Buiso, he is my coach, and an insanely fast BMX rider. Brennan is respectful, really good at BMX, a good coach, and third and sixth in the world. I look up to him and wish to be like him as an adult. 

• Shows effort in training, racing, and coaching

• Shows integrity by coaching us well and not half-teaching

• Shows respect by being a nice coach, and listening to our suggestions about the practice session

• Shows refinement by creating good lesson plans

Goal for Integrity: I want to work on not lying at home and at school, as well as other places such as bmx or DEVO.

Halfway through the year, I feel like I have improved much more through this year. I still is something that needs to be addressed at home and at school.

At the end of the year, this area of issues has resolved a stunning amount. I rarely lie -- the only times being for a surprise or a joke --and I feel like it has helped me change as a person (except for a band that I said I was quite but wasn't because there was nothing to do).

Integrity Example: Political Ecology of The San Juan Rivers - Science

Goal for Effort: My goal for effort is to put more effort into my BMX training, since I don't really dedicate or try hard when I'm training.

Halfway through the year, my effort has majorly improved from last year.

At the end of the year, my effort -- once again, has improved a lot. I have put more time into training, and I have been getting much better because of it.

Effort Example: Silk Roads Exhibition - Humanities

Goal for Refinement: I want to work on looking over tests more before I turn them in, and by that, I mean looking for a long time. 

Halfway through the year, I have gotten better at looking over tests and refinement.

At the end of the year, I have gotten much better at slowing down, and taking my time. 

Refinement Example: Silk Roads New Segment - Digtal Media

In this project, we created diagrams and scripts to tell our parents about a part of a river, in my case, the biology of the Uncompahgre river. I put a lot of effort into this, because I lost my computer because I was doing something I wasn't supposed to, and I was sick for a large portion of the time that we worked on it, and had to do all my work last minute.

In this project we created a diagram of the human body, and added parts about bones, muscles, and the cardiovascular. We had a very large group in this project, which made it hard to organize where and what people were doing. In total we had a whopping 7 people, including Hunter, Levi, Damon, Steven, Will, Owen, and myself. I put a lot of refinement into this project by creating several papers before putting my information on the actual poster. I put effort into every single one of my drafts, which was three for the muscular system in the arms, and two the bones on our foot.

Will and I were news presenters, will being the person running the news channel/weather man, and me being the bandit expert/geologist. We talked about how to defend yourself against bandits, weather in the Mediterranean, and geology in the Mediterranean.

This unit was really fun, interesting, and well planned out. I did a great job on my choice board project, putting effort and refinement into creating the ship, doing several drafts before creating the actual ship itself. I feel like this unit will stick with me for the rest of school and college, and probably outside of school as well, since we learned about all sorts of things, like governments, money, and trade. I learned something that will impact the way I think, which is how trade worked, and how it lead to money. The fact that the entire world agrees on a set value of a curtain thing shows the complex way humans think, and how we are far more advanced than other species. I think something my group and I could improve upon was working well together. We all set of on our own paths and made the unit harder than it needed to be, instead of all working together. I supported my group by helping one of my group members create the timeline, and by giving information for the rest of the posters/maps. All in all, this unit was planned well, interesting, and fun to do, making for a great final exhibition.