Courses & Programs

Taking AP US History in my junior year was a pivotal experience. I was quickly enthralled by American history, specifically, by the Supreme Court and its rulings concerning civil rights. I wrote my final research paper the government's legal approaches to Native American sovereignty during the late 1800s. This course expanded my knowledge in the deep-rooted issues entrenched in our institutions, and made me passionate in attempting to solve them. APUSH inevitably became my favorite class in my entire time in the Academy, and it made me eager to hopefully pursue history and law in the future. 

Similarly to APUSH, AP Gov & Politics enabled me to delve into my legal passions even further. In this class, I was surrounded by peers who, like me, were also engaged in political issues, and were deeply passionate in exploring them. I engaged deeply in discussions and kept an open mind to contrasting ideas. Being open to such challenges made me realize that politics was not one-sided. Each issue was much more complex than I previously imagined; yet, I was constantly reminded how our democratic system provides opportunities for change and improvement.

Unlike typical arts classes in the Academy, Studio Art solely focuses on independent studies and projects. The main goal of Studio Art was to create a portfolio consisting of pieces that accurately represent your journey and artistic identity. Thus, while I was in Studio Art, I explored my inner identity as a culturally mixed, second-generation immigrant who is also a woman. I attempted to look at a common intersection point, but I realized that all of these identities would be hard to encapsulate in a single portfolio. Hence, I honed in on the most "relevant" parts of my identity. After investigating the impact ofvmy Asian-American culture on my everyday life, I decided to focus on my Korean-American cultural affiliations and how they impacted my youth. Ultimately, Studio Art enabled me to reflect on my personal identity, which made me reevaluate my own perspectives and experiences as a young Asian-American woman.