Junior Year Reflection

A collection of my thoughts on my junior year of high school as well as some notable projects.

Junior Year Reflection

Honestly, I began doing a lot more things this year. Here’s a list. Maybe I’ll write a reflection later

• Skipped into AP Physics and studied for SAT
• Took a larger role in Math League and Robotics
• Took the AMC 12 and did comp. math stuff
• Organized math league
• Took the SAT again and finished!
• FED Challenge
• FBLA
• Organized Robotics
• Started doing ESL
• Start of Robotics Season
• Midterms
• End of Robotics Season
• AP Exams
• ARML
• Finals
• Thinking about after 12th grade

Classes

• US History II
• AP Physics C: Mechanics
• Spanish IV
• AP Macro/Microeconomics
• Modern American Literature
• Gym/Health
• Multivariable Calculus / Linear Algebra
• AP Computer Science A

US History II

Reflection

Looking back on my experience in the US History II class, I can confidently say that it has been one of the most interesting and engaging courses I have taken. The combination of a new teacher Mr. Gigl, innovative class activities, and engaging assignments made this class a standout experience that truly opened my mind to the modern world and the historical context in which it has developed.

Mr. Gigl, who brought a fresh perspective to the class, was the catalyst for my interest in the course. He encouraged us to think critically about history and its implications for the present, creating a dynamic learning environment that fostered open discussion and reflection. His passion for the history was obvious, especially about pirates, and he challenged us to think beyond the traditional textbook narratives and explore the diverse voices and perspectives that shape historical events.

The class activities were equally innovative, designed to enhance our understanding of the material and stimulate our curiosity. Our class didn’t use a textbook and we learned about history by analyzing primary sources with different perspectives for history.

The journals and current events assignments were another highlight of the course. These assignments required me to think critically about the historical context of current events and reflect on their implications for the present and future. This approach enabled me to see history as a living, evolving entity that shapes our understanding of the world and influences our decision-making.

Through this class, I developed a new perspective on history and its role in shaping our understanding of the modern world. I learned to think like a historian, questioning traditional narratives and considering the complexities and nuances that shape historical events. This course opened my mind to new perspectives and helped me understand the importance of critical thinking and analysis in understanding our past, present, and future.

Projects

I really enjoyed doing current events and journal assignments for this class. Here is my third current events assignment about protests in China over the Zero-COVID policy. These current events were particularly interesting to me and they forced me to listen to more news to complete these assignments. Out of my many journal entries this year, I think my robotics journal was my favorite because it had more of a story being narrated. It also gave me the chance to self-reflect on the season and make new plans for our second competition. I think this journal has definitely made me consider journaling more in the future.

Below is my group’s final project which we did about the national debt.

AP Physics C: Mechanics

Reflection

Over the summer, I took the physics advancement exam and advanced out of physics. AP Physics C Mechanics was the next course in sequence and as the year started, I was looking forward to taking this course. This class, however, didn’t have as much calculus as I was expecting, and for good reason. Most of the formulas used in physics are derived using calculus, so you don’t always need to use calculus to solve a problem if you remember the formula. This class felt like a review of the physics I learned over the summer with some additional topics here and there, like deriving moments of inertia with calculus. I really enjoyed this class with Mr. Raquet since he was able to fill in some gaps and misconceptions I had. I also enjoyed doing labs in physics class. I just think watching things move around in a lab is a lot more fun than watching a reaction change color like in chemistry.

These are some labs that I did with my lab partner Brian Shi, one of my good friends from middle school.

Also I got a 5 on the AP exam.

Projects

Spanish IV

Reflection

This year I had a good review of Spanish with this class. This wasn’t my favorite class in the world, but it gave me a lot of opportunities to practice my Spanish in discussions. I really liked the questions that Mr. Alicea asked us since they were open ended and about things that I was interested in. Aside from the many short stories and films that we did in class, we also had a TED talk project (TBD) that I found interesting. Mr. Alicea is also fond of Latin American music covers, so I also learned a lot more about Latin American music in general. I also discovered my favorite Spanish song A Dios Le Pido. Attached below are the script to my TED talk and the song A Dios Le Pido.

AP Macro/Microeconomics

Reflection

Throughout the course, I discovered that I had an affinity for the subject matter, which made the class relatively easy for me. However, this allowed me to explore additional ways to contribute to the learning community and enhance my own learning experience.

One of the aspects that stood out during my time in this class was the cycle of self-study, note-taking, and testing. The structure of this approach allowed me to reinforce my understanding of the material through active engagement. Furthermore, it encouraged me to delve deeper into the subject, searching for resources beyond the textbook and classroom lectures. As a result, I often found myself going beyond the requirements of the course and exploring additional economic theories and real-world applications. I particularly enjoyed the mathematical side of economics. An integral part of my experience in this class was the opportunity to assist my classmates. Recognizing that I had a strong grasp of the concepts, I made it a point to help my peers understand complex topics or clarify any doubts they had. Collaborating with my classmates not only solidified my own understanding of the subject matter but also allowed me to develop valuable communication and leadership skills. It was truly rewarding to witness my classmates’ progress and witness the positive impact of my efforts on their learning journey.

Furthermore, during the second half of the year when we delved into macroeconomics, I discovered a new note-taking strategy that greatly enhanced my learning experience. I started using Obsidian, a knowledge management tool, to organize my notes, ideas, and resources. This software enabled me to create an interconnected web of knowledge, linking relevant concepts, articles, and real-world examples. The visual representation of interconnected ideas facilitated a deeper understanding of the subject matter and allowed me to easily navigate through complex economic theories. Utilizing Obsidian significantly improved my efficiency in studying and retaining information.

Also I got 5s on the AP exams.

Projects

Here are the notes that I created for this class. During unit 3, I was first learning how to use Obsidian so I’d say my best notes are in unit 4.

Modern American Literature

Reflection

This year in English, we read To Kill a Mockingbird, The Catcher in the Rye, and The Streetcar Named Desire, along with excerpts from The Sun Also Rises and various poems. These pieces of literature opened my mind to modern ideas. In addition, I learned more about essay and creative writing in this class. The SAT words I learned in this class also helped out when I took the SAT in December. Here is my part of a presentation on To Kill a Mockingbird that I did along with a group of classmates. In addition, we also wrote a research paper in this class that I am very proud of. That project forced me to learn all about patent law and the protections that algorithms and machine learning models have.

Projects

Gym/Health

Reflection

Frisbee, Fitness, Project Adventure, and CPR

At the beginning of this year, our gym class began by having an ultimate frisbee tournament with around 50 other kids during our gym block. That was honestly really fun and I enjoyed the competitive nature of the sport. I became really good at throwing a frisbee long and straight which turned out to be useful later on in the year when I played for fun. After that, we began our fitness unit in which we learned more about all the different exercises that are possible in the gym. Then we began our project adventure unit. I was particularly excited for this unit because I wanted to climb the many things that our school offers. One of the first things I climbed was the group climb pictured to the left. After that, I also climbed the firecracker which I am very proud of. Finally, in the last marking period, we began our health unit which included a CPR certification for us. Below is a presentation about Linda Darnell I made to show what needs to be done for burn victims.

Multivariable Calculus / Linear Algebra

Reflection

This math class with Mr. Wiesser has been my favorite math class that I have ever taken. The combination of new, mind-bending material in the form of multivariable calculus and linear algebra intrigued me. I understood the basic concept of the integral and derivative in my first few years of calculus, but multivariable took it to the next level by applying it in different ways that revealed interesting relationships within the math. As we were going deeper and deeper into the course, the previously confusing concepts became clearer and clearer. This increasing level of understanding was really satisfying for me in both multivariable and linear algebra. At the very least, I learned about how math builds on itself and how simple concepts can be taken to the extreme to learn interesting things.

Like my Calculus class last year, this class also has a final project (that I haven’t done yet). Below I will attach my final project once I do it.

Here is a sheet with some of the things we learned in Multivariable Calculus. To its right is the cover of the linear algebra textbook. Honestly, I really liked this textbook since it didn’t require an understanding of advanced math beforehand to understand; this made it relatively straightforward to understand the topics within.

Projects

AP Computer Science A

Reflection

Throughout my time in AP Computer Science A, I was surrounded by my eager fellow IT track classmates. As a student who already excelled in this subject, I was really happy to share my knowledge and help my peers with any questions they had. Our great teacher, Dr. Wiener played a pivotal role in fostering an environment of collaboration and growth. With a deep understanding of Java and programming in general along with a passion for teaching, he always provided us with interesting labs and tests. Through his teaching, I gained a deeper understanding of the nuances of Java and the best ways to explain them to others (this turned out to be helpful in robotics where it is my job to teach members). This class not only broadened my technical skills but also taught me the importance of helping classmates.

Also I got a 5 on the AP exam.

Projects

Here are a bunch of labs that I did for my class to learn more about java. The people siting around me used my programs as examples of what they needed to do as well.