The Global Summit of my senior year, 2024, took place at Old Town Hall. It was based on theme Life Above and Below Water. Seeing as I have a deep passion for fishing and fisheries conservation, an interest that ties directly into the theme, I was tasked with leading a fly casting workshop. Unfortunately, due to a nasty storm (that lead to an April snowstorm the next day!), I we had to cancel the workshop. Instead, we focused on activities such as paper making, sushi making, and a sustainability scavenger hunt. The keynote speaker, Dr. Micah Miller of the Biodiversity Research Institute, led a fascinating game and discussion about loon conservation in New England. 

During H-Block on January 24th, 2024, exchange students from South Korea came to present about their school and culture. Some students dressed in traditional Korean hanbok, while others wore their school uniforms. They talked about the climate of their region, popular sports and activities, and even played a student-made video displaying their school. After the presentation, we learned how to make ddakji and play the game, which proved to be harder than it looked on Squid Games. Finally, we had fun learning a K-Pop dance and enjoyed Korean candy. As someone with very little familiarity with the country, I found the experience to be eye-opening. The activities were fun and casual, making the environment feel safe to ask questions to allow us to really get to know the students.

During H-Block on December 20th, 2023, Global Pathways held its annual Let in The Light event. This year's event was focused on thankfulness, celebration, and healthy living. We started by making folded "trees" out of recycled magazines, repurposing old items into beautiful decorations (mine is proudly displayed on a counter in my family room). Next we moved on to candle dipping, where we learned how to make wax candles using everyday household items and a small amount of purchased wax. I found the process of creating the candles to be therapeutic. Finally, we wrote New Year's resolutions on paper stars and added them to a wall with the resolutions of other students. More than anything, this event was a time to appreciate the company of good friends before the holidays. It gave me time to reflect on how lucky I am to have found such a fun, supportive group through Global.

2023's Global Summit took place during my junior year, and was my second summit. The theme, Clean Energy & Sustainable Cities, was particularly exciting for me because of my passion for environmental science. To engage Global scholars in the theme, I led a scavenger hunt throughout downtown Andover to locate sustainable, "green" infrastructure. In addition to the scavenger hunt, I was excited to participate in Dr. Losick-Yang's design challenge, which challenged students to develop a responsible dam removal plan for the Ballardvale dam on the Shawsheen River.

I watched "The Human Element" documentary alongside fellow global peers on during an H4 during my Junior Year. This documentary illuminates the impact of human actions on the environment and underscores their repercussions on us.

During my sophomore year, I participated in the Global Summit at the Cormier Youth Center. This was my first Global Summit, and helped me appreciate the unique perspectives offered by the diverse members of Global Pathways. During the group station activities, I had fun making Hawaiian leis, painting rocks, and speaking to students from different countries through the Portal. My favorite activity from the Summit, and one that truly pushed me outside my comfort zone, was learning to salsa dance from a Global student and her father.