Supplemental Essay #1:   Describe the world you come from—for example, your family, community, or school—and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations.

I was born into a home filled with creativity. The instant I was brought home from the hospital, I was surrounded by watercolor clouds and bears. My house was bursting with my father’s paintings and my mother’s old books from around the globe. Thanks to this world, I have been touched with many artistic passions. I love to sketch, draw, and paint. Everywhere I go, I see little things that catch my eye. And every time I paint, I make little discoveries, like dipping one side of my brush in red and the other in white to get a subtle gradient effect, or shadowing with a pencil by balancing the force of touch with the obscurity desired. In the moment, I am completely captivated by these pursuits that use feeling but no logic in their creation.
Over the years, I've also grown passionate about science. Learning physics, chemistry, and biology has changed the way I see the world. Now, when I witness simple movements, I reflect on dynamics and forces reacting with objects in motion. Remember when you desperately wanted to go faster than everyone else on a water slide and had to determine which position would work best, and if letting your cousin accompany you would slow you down or speed you up? I do. Or lying on the ground and noticing the clouds move. Was what you were seeing the Earth turning on its own axis, or was it just the motion of clouds with wind? How about when your grandma baked a cake that included a chemical reaction that caused the batter to rise? I even remember admiring a living thing and realizing that this is what makes our Earth different from all other planets.

Supplemental Essay #2:  Ben Franklin once said, “All mankind is divided into three classes: those that are immovable, those that are movable, and those that move.” Which are you? 

When Ben Franklin said, “all mankind is divided into three classes: those that are immovable, those that are movable, and those that move,” I wonder if it ever occurred to him that one could be a member of all three classes. I know I, as a diver, fluctuate between the three. The journey of learning a new dive always begins with immovable fear.
When I am presented with a challenging dive, the thought of flying and twisting and turning in new ways through the air and hopefully entering the water in a safe way is daunting and terrifying. I start out immovable.
However, I take a deep breath and begin the journey of preparation. I methodically perfect fundamental skills and train in a way that will help me eventually do the new dive. I work and work and work until I start to believe it is possible. And then, I become movable.
When I am completely physically prepared, I must take the hardest step: the mental and literal leap of faith. I climb the ladder, step on the board, and inch backwards until my toes grip the edge and my heels hang off. I glance down and the drop looks farther than ever. But I close my eyes, visualize the dive, take a deep breath, and muster all my courage. I raise my arms, begin my initial press, believe in myself, and just…do it. I move.

Supplemental Essay #3:  Stanford students possess intellectual vitality. Reflect on an idea or experience that has been important to your intellectual development.

I have always liked math: algebra, geometry, trig, I soaked them up. In Algebra 2, I learned to manipulate simple functions. I could solve for x, draw a graph of the function, and even find its roots. But even as I mastered all these skills, there was always one question that haunted me: "Why does any of this matter?" Then, at last, I entered the world of calculus.
There, I discovered the jaw-dropping beauty in math's application. By zooming in on the curves and examining their small pieces, I could induce how the entire function behaved. I was astounded by what I learned. "No wonder physics is written in the language of calculus," I thought. "It's perfect for describing nature!"
I now looked at the world through my new calculus lens. My daily journey to school? All math. The rate at which a bus moved was a derivative, and so too were the speeds at which its wheels turned. While I walked to school, I considered my motion. By adding up all the tiny steps, I could find the exact path of my journey. This was just an integral. I could see the applications of calculus all around me. I was moved and inspired.

Supplemental Essay #4:  “Translation is the art of bridging cultures. It's about interpreting the essence of a text, transporting its rhythms and becoming intimate with its meaning... Translation, however, doesn't only occur across languages: mentally putting any idea into words is an act of translation; so is composing a symphony, doing business in the global market, understanding the roots of terrorism. No citizen, especially today, can exist in isolation-- that is, untranslated."  We are looking for original, personal responses to these short excerpts. Remember that your essay should be personal in nature and not simply an argumentative essay.

I have always lived in an immigrant household. My father is from the small East African country of Burundi, and my mother is from the Caribbean Island of Haiti. My mother’s side of the family consists of very proud and boisterous Haitians. They constantly speak in their native Creole about Haitian politics and music while stuffing diriz a djon djon into their mouths. In this environment, I always feel that I am not Haitian enough.

In other environments, I sometimes feel too Haitian. The first year I attended my school‘s annual cultural heritage potluck, I was so nervous to bring in my gyro and diriz a djon djon because no one had ever heard of it before, let alone tasted it. Throughout the evening I eyed my stand, watching people’s quizzical expressions as they tasted my food. By the end of the night, so many of my friends asked me about my dish, genuinely wanting to know more about my background. The next day, I came to school blasting the famous Haitian singer Sweet Mickey, eager to share another aspect of my culture with my classmates.

.

Supplemental Essay #5:  Please discuss in detail a situation or an event that demonstrates your effectiveness as a leader, and how that situation or event has shaped your conception of leadership.  Be as specific as you can.

“Okay, we need a team leader for this scenario,” said the instructor.

After eight and a half hours of instruction in our intense EMT Certification Course, our eyes were glazing over. No one volunteered. Finally, despite my own exhaustion and fear of messing up, I volunteered. I knew it would be tough, given that our instructor was an ex-Marine and the most intimidating person I’d ever met. But I also knew I needed the practice and the challenge.

Two weeks into our course, we had already perfected CPR techniques, drilled the vital signs into our brains, applied tourniquets to every bodily appendage, and immobilized countless spines. Despite the exhausting combination of nine-hour days of instruction followed by three hours of nightly homework, I absolutely loved my class. However, I constantly felt like I didn’t belong there. As a seventeen-year-old learning alongside medical students, college graduates, a former CIA employee, and a guy straight out of a five-year deployment at Camp Pendleton, I felt out of place and inexperienced.

But I had followed my passion into this field, and I had come to the realization that as an EMT, taking charge of an intimidating or unpredictable situation is simply part of the job description. If I didn’t volunteer that day, I’d regret if for sure.   

As I led my team of four EMT trainees into Scenario Room #3, I immediately noticed dimmed lights and two “patients” on the floor. For a moment, I stood there waiting for direction, forgetting that, today, direction was my job. Finally, when I saw my colleagues looking expectantly at me, I snapped into action. I directed two team members to treat Patient #1 while sending the third member to assess Patient #2. Meanwhile, I scanned and surveyed the room and launched rapid-fire questions about the scenario to the instructor to figure out my triage strategy. In my head, I went over our EMT flowchart, the basic guide for any patient care, doing my best not to skip a single step.

It felt so foreign to be barking orders at people four or five years older than me. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was doing everything wrong or missing an obvious symptom. I knew that if I made one mistake or skipped over any key symptoms, my team would fail and lose all of our points for the day, so I worked through my panic to lead my team to success. By remaining calm, collected, thoughtful, and decisive, I earned the respect and trust of my classmates when we “saved” both of our patients.

Supplemental Essay #6:  Virtually all Stanford undergraduates live on campus. Write a note to your future roommate that reveals something about you or that will help your roommate and us know you better.

Dear Future Roommate,
B here, the person you are going to be stuck living with for the next nine months. I thought I’d write to introduce myself.
First and foremost, I am a triplet. I have two brothers, and we are all 18 years old. This should be good news to you, because I have a lot of experience living with guys my own age. This pretty much makes me immune to messy bedrooms, snoring, and sleep talking, so have no worries if you indulge in any of these moral offenses.

As a triplet, I am used to sharing a bathroom and am perfectly happy to loan out toothpaste but not towels. I don’t mind sharing clean clothes in a pinch. I am ALWAYS up for a game of basketball or dunkball (if you don’t know what that is, I’ll teach you soon enough).
In the food department, I have learned to be flexible. When I want to go out for pizza and my brothers want sushi, we usually compromise on Mexican. When it is time to choose a movie, my negotiating skills are so keenly developed they could save hostages.
As for living in the dorm, I am quite accustomed to living in a hectic, heavily populated environment. Growing up with my brothers and our crowd of friends has made me outgoing and inclusive. In college, I’ll be friends with everybody, so if you’re shy, lean on me.

Supplemental Essay #7:  Describe the world you come from—for example, your family, community or school—and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations. 

“To what point do you rise, Assemblyman?”

“To speak against this bill.”

For as long as I can remember, conversation at my family’s dinner table has encompassed social rights issues, local ballot propositions, and fiscal policy. While many families are trading peas and mashed potatoes, mine is exchanging political ideas and fiery rhetoric. My mother and grandfather, both attorneys, enjoy considering the laws behind the politics. My father and his relatives, originally from Israel, never cease to bring foreign policy issues to the table. For me, family dinners have always resembled intense debates between Congressmen on the House floor.
In high school, I joined Youth & Government. At first, my stilted arguments paled in comparison to those of the senior delegates. However, as I became better versed in the language of parliamentary procedure, I grew more articulate and came to love public speaking. Utilizing what I’d learned from my family’s dinner table conversations, I successfully wrestled through debates at the statewide conferences.
After countless discussions at the dinner table and four years of Youth & Government, politics has become a pivotal part of my life. Although I intend to earn a degree in physics, I aspire to use my knowledge to spread scientific awareness among politicians; perhaps I will play an active role in pushing legislation through Congress. Regardless of my profession, I will always make analyzing and discussing politics at my family dinner table a top priority.

Supplemental Essay #8:  Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.

The first time I walked into orchestra class in elementary school, I was a soccer-playing, basketball-loving kid who wasn’t sure I wanted to be there. But after trying out several instruments, I fell in love with the viola. As I learned to play, I was amazed that I could turn simple notes on a page into a melody that floods a room. Playing music made me think in new ways; it changed my perspective on myself and allowed me to use parts of my mind that I didn’t use anywhere else.

Throughout middle school, other kids dropped out of orchestra, but I stuck with it. By high school, I practiced regularly at home, worked with friends during lunch, and enjoyed experiencing the music of different cultures and times from the Renaissance through the Romantic Period to our own era’s “Star Wars” score.

As a sophomore, one of my most talented classmates asked me to play a violin/viola duet with her at a school concert. Though the prospect was daunting, I decided to go for it. And on the night of the performance before 300 people, I proudly played better than I ever had before.

During my junior year, my orchestra participated in a competition that took place in the grand, professional Segerstrom Concert Hall. As we all nervously took our places on stage, I looked up and saw the three imposing judges on the balcony. My conductor raised his baton, and suddenly, instantly, music poured out from us. The sounds of fifty instruments were merged and fluid, as if played by a single being. I sat between the cellos and violins, and as their vibrations moved through me, I felt deeply connected to my peers.

Playing in orchestras for nine years has taught me how to work creatively in a group setting. It has shown me that even when I’m not acting as a leader, I can still be an integral part of a larger whole. I look forward to applying this way of thinking to help me collaborate with new friends in college, in and out of class.

Supplemental Essay #9:  Please take this opportunity to tell us about your interest in Hamilton and, in particular, why you believe it is a place where you can thrive.

I am an ambitious learner with many interests. I willingly undertake a difficult, overwhelming challenge simply because I enjoy the task or I can learn from it. Currently I am involved in two challenges. I am participating in a dare to read the complete works of William Shakespeare, and I am trying to solve as many project Euler computer science problems as possible. I do these things because I love them, and I love that they stretch me in entirely different ways. Reading Shakespeare exposes me to language and metaphor and history. Solving Euler problems requires me to become a stronger programmer and mathematician. And, if I ever achieve either goal, the bragging rights will be impressive!

Unlike other colleges’ core curricula, Hamilton’s open curriculum would allow me to continue pursuing what I find interesting and valuable and productive. Attending Hamilton would not only grant me the freedom to take the classes I enjoy, it would require me to reflect on my own educational goals and empower me—dare me, even—to make the most of the college experience as I define it. That is an opportunity and a responsibility I would gladly embrace.

Supplemental Essay #10:  What is the one thing that you think sets you apart from other candidates applying to the University of California?

As I sit in the jury room deciding on the punishment for a 15-year-old girl caught stealing $180 of alcohol, I wonder if I am the right person to help determine her fate.

This past year, I signed up to serve on Peer Court in a Santa Ana Courthouse. As I arrived in the courtroom, the judge gave instructions to the teenagers serving on juries for juveniles who had committed minor offenses.

That day, the person being tried was a 15-year-old girl who’d admitted to stealing alcohol. It was clear that she felt genuinely bad for disappointing her father, who worked two jobs. What she regretted most was that she broke his trust. After telling her story, we jurors had the opportunity to ask questions. Then we went to a jury room to deliberate. A real lawyer was there to help us through the process.

Once in private, we jurors discussed the possible options of therapy, community service, drug and alcohol testing, and probation. Some jurors argued that because the offense was so bad, she should be punished harshly, but I disagreed. I felt more of connection to the girl. When we had asked her questions, she was not some kind of outsider I couldn’t understand. She answered in words that were relevant to me. Even if she had problems I didn’t have, I could still understand them. I recognized her one bad choice did not define her.

After much debate, the jury agreed on the punishment and chose me to deliver our decision to judge. Back in the courtroom, we recommended community service to make amends for committing a crime and therapy for her and her family to try to repair the damaged relationship with her father.

Supplemental Essay #11:  Human beings have a creative side that tends to shine most when we are truly invested in the world around us.  Describe a situation when you responded effectively to a particular need and found yourself at your creative best.

During my freshman year, my friends and I noticed a problem at school. Near the end of the day, parents would drive into the pick-up line to wait for their kids, idle for thirty minutes to power their ACs and radios, and fill the parking lot with exhaust. We figured this couldn’t be good for the students playing on a nearby field. So, we decided to research the effects of exhaust on people’s health.

When we went online, we learned that car exhaust is mainly made of carbon dioxide and nitrogen. These gases are especially dangerous for kids. Though the administration couldn’t move the pick-up line, we realized that if we could convince drivers to turn off their engines while they waited, the problem would be solved. So, my friends and I formed the Turn-Off-Your-Car Club.

First we visited the preschool-through-third-grade classes to do science experiments to show the harmful effects of pollution. Next, we gave a presentation to the entire student body and asked kids to talk to their parents about a pledge we’d written for drivers to promise to turn off their engines. Finally, we put up posters around campus.

For the next several weeks, we spoke to drivers and collected 200 signatures.  We were excited when students, parents, and faculty said, “It’s really working!” Since then, we’ve maintained the progress. Every year we revisit the lower grades, give a presentation to the student body, and continue to educate drivers and seek new pledges.

Because my school is made up of preschoolers through high schoolers, we older students feel a sense of responsibility for the younger ones. By creating the Turn-Off-Your-Car Club, we raised awareness of a problem and encouraged everyone to participate in its solution.

Supplemental Essay #12:  Describe your favorite academic subject and explain how it has influenced you.

When I take a class, I get extremely excited to see how what I am learning applies to the real world.  So when I took AP Human Geography, every day was an adventure.

In class, we studied the Demographic Transition Model, which analyzes population changes as people try to meet new needs and circumstances in developing countries. I connected this to AP Environmental Science lessons about population growth and environment impacts. I even related my great-great-great-grandfather’s movement from Ukraine to New York to Minnesota to Colorado with the American immigrant population’s westward migration.

Studying human geography got me interested in my own Native American roots. I am a member of the Chickasaw People. The Chickasaw originally lived in Louisiana before the U.S. government forced the tribe to relocate to Oklahoma. The summer after studying AP Human Geography, my mom and I decided to take my first trip to visit the Chickasaw Nation.

I arrived with assumptions about what the Chickasaw would look like. I thought they would all be darker skinned with dark hair and green eyes. I was nervous that I wouldn’t look the part or fit in with the tribe. But I was surprised to learn that—because of intermarriage—the modern population is really diverse. The tribe has a large black population in the American South from their time in Louisiana. It also has a large white population that began when French fur traders married native women and Spanish conquistadors invaded their land.

While visiting the Chickasaw Nation, I learned about the tribe’s history, forced migration, and struggles. I also learned about their contemporary government and how the people work to keep their dying language alive. One thing I was surprised about was how fiercely proud the descendants are of their traditions and culture.

Supplemental Essay #13:  USC students are known to be involved. Briefly describe a non-academic pursuit (such as service to community or family, a club or sport, or work, etc.) that best illustrates who you are, and why it is important to you. 

I come from a world of bad tan lines, chlorine-bleached hair, and mascara raccoon eyes.  I have spent ten years swimming, four on Varsity, and one as Captain.  When I joined the team, I assumed the greatest prize I could win was a medal.  I was wrong.

As a freshman walk-on, I didn’t know anyone, but I was excited.  Practices and meets were competitive but fun.  By junior year, I set a goal for myself: to place in League Finals in the 100-yard breaststroke.  After making the top eight in Prelims, I advanced to the Finals.  One minute and seventeen seconds later, I was thrilled to look up at the race clock and see I had met my goal: second place. 

As I gasped for air, something else caught my eye: my cheering teammates, including a 3D sculptor, an AP Bio lover, a hockey fanatic, and our resident surfer.  Prior to joining swim, I had never talked to any of them.  But now, after years of bus rides, team dinners, and mutual encouragement, we had bonded.  In that moment, I understood that people with different interests and points of view could come together to know, value, and inspire each other.

Supplemental Essay #14:  Please select one phrase from the Bates mission statement below and comment on how it inspires you and draws you to Bates (1–2 paragraphs):  Since 1855, Bates College has been dedicated to the emancipating potential of the liberal arts. Bates educates the whole person through creative and rigorous scholarship in a collaborative residential community. With ardor and devotion — Amore ac Studio — we engage the transformative power of our differences, cultivating intellectual discovery and informed civic action. Preparing leaders sustained by a love of learning and a commitment to responsible stewardship of the wider world, Bates is a college for coming times.

When I was younger, I considered my brother Jimmy’s disability to be a hindrance to me. He would draw stares in public, be stubborn at inopportune times, and destroy my Legos. Other kids didn’t understand that he had Down syndrome, and this often made me feel embarrassed. For these reasons, I could not wait to go to boarding school and experience life away from him. But once I got there, I began to recognize and appreciate the ways Jimmy had changed me. My brother ingrained in me respect and empathy for those who struggle. After years of defending him, I’d learned to successfully advocate for those around me, and I believe advocacy to be my most important trait. I came to value these qualities when I saw that even peers I admired could lack the sensitivity that came to me as second nature.

Supplemental Essay #15:  Describe the world you come from—for example, your family, community or school—and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations.

As I squeeze and smash myself into the backseat of a subcompact rental with my three teenaged cousins, I couldn’t be happier. My mom and I have been invited to join my aunt’s colorful family for a tropical island getaway in Barbados. What could go wrong?
Convinced that our gang of eleven could cram into two cars, we venture out under glorious sunshine in search of a garden. One hour later, the windshield wipers slash at the downpour of rain. Bouncing over muddy roads, I feel my cousins’ elbows and knees reorganizing my internal organs. It’s getting dark. We’re hungry and cranky. And I announce, “I’ve really got to use a bathroom!”
Up the road, I see my aunt’s car drive through a big pothole and carry on. But as our car hits the hole, the ground vanishes from beneath us and I nearly pee myself. Both left tires blow, the car rolls to a dead stop, and the screaming begins: “We’re stuck! Our phones don’t work! The sun is setting! We have no food!” I can say only one thing: “Man, do I have to pee!”
In midst of the chaos, I glance out the window. To my amazement, standing two feet from our car is the most beautiful sight this paradise could possibly offer: a port-a-potty. I start to laugh. My cousins look at me like I’ve lost my mind. Then they see the port-a-potty and start laughing too. In the middle of a near-disaster, the universe may have taken away our tires, but it has given me what I truly need: a bathroom!

Supplemental Essay #16:  For one week at the end of January, Reed students upend the traditional classroom hierarchy and teach classes about any topic they love, academic or otherwise. This week is known as Paideia after the Greek term signifying “education” – the complete education of mind, body and spirit. What would you teach that would contribute to the Reed community?

Beatboxing is the imitation of a band’s rhythm section using the mouth and vocal chords. Though this contemporary form of expression might seem an unconventional way to create music, it is one steeped in a history that goes back through early blues and ragtime and even earlier religious chants all the way to unadorned, aboriginal sounds. Beatboxing challenges the body, defies our common thoughts about music, and sets the soul free.

One day while I was walking home from school with a friend, he suddenly started making curious noises with his mouth, conjoining his lips in a “smack.” The beat, which I now recognize as the classic “boots and pants” phrase often used by beatboxing beginners, startled and amused me, so I tried to mimic it. As someone who’d studied serious guitar for years, at first I felt silly. But quickly I found that making these sounds was not so easy. Recognizing that this challenge would both require rigorous practice and offer a fun, new way to express myself, I was hooked.

As I dove into the world of beatboxing, I discovered the demands it placed on the body. I learned that the dexterity of the lips, the precise placement of the tongue, and the innovative use of the breath can work together to create an entire band with the mouth. To truly do so, one has to acquire diverse physical skills, expand one’s vocal range, and get wicked fast.

Beatboxing also challenges the mind. It requires the beatboxer to listen carefully to the music and understand its structure. For example, if one were to beatbox “Rapper’s Delight” by the Sugarhill Gang, a classic piece of early Hip-Hop, one would have to reproduce its precise drum sound, use the vocal chords to repeat the bass or guitar lines, and choose which sounds to accentuate with different parts of one’s voice.

When a beatboxer grows skilled with his body and mind, that’s when he moves into the territory of the soul. Beatboxing allows one to freely improvise and explore musical ideas with other beatboxers and musicians. As Douglas E. Davis, a.k.a the Human Beatbox, writes: “It’s like having a conversation. Doing beatbox for me is as natural as talking is for someone else.”

If I were to teach a class for Paiedeia, it would be called “Intro to Beatboxing.” I’d lead students through different musical recordings, from Lead Belly and Muddy Waters to Michael Jackson and Kendrick Lamar, to explore the rich history and evolution of using the mouth and voice to reproduce a song’s rhythms and melody. Most importantly, I’d teach the students to reproduce the sounds they hear to the last detail.

Supplemental Essay #17:  During Interim, St. Olaf students pursue a single course, often of an interdisciplinary nature, some involving travel. If you could design your own Interim course today, what would it be?"

My family has 284 National Geographic Magazines in our house. For as long as I can remember, I have looked cover-to-cover at the pictures in the issues, enthralled by all the cultures and people from around the world. I have always been especially captivated by images of India.

If I attend St. Olaf, I will double major in Exercise Science and Psychology and eventually get a Masters in Occupational or Physical Therapy. If I could create an Interim class, I would want to combine my passions for exploring new places and for learning about how Exercise Science and Psychology interconnect in the practice of yoga. I have very little experience with yoga, but I know it is a big part of the culture in India. I also know that there is mounting scientific evidence that it is beneficial for physical and mental well-being.

For my class, I would create Exercise Science/Psychology Course 254: Yoga Mind and Body. The course would take a group of St. Olaf students to India, where we would practice yoga and study the physiological and psychological effects of the practice. In order to fully immerse ourselves in the culture, we would arrange homestays and attend a local yoga school. Upon arriving in India, each student would take a physical and mental exam to get a baseline for his or her physical and psychological health.
To understand the physical effects of yoga, the course would examine what the yoga positions are physically doing to our bodies. We would study which muscles are being engaged, how heart rate is affected, oxygen saturation, and increases in flexibility and core strength. In the morning, we would practice yoga. In the afternoon, we would study a local yoga expert at a medical clinic, observing and recording how yoga affects the subject’s nervous, musculo-skeletal, circulatory, and digestive systems. In the evenings, students would research yoga’s place in the culture, history, and literature of India as well as the many different kinds of yoga.

Supplemental Essay #18:  Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.

Particle Physics. Chemistry. Mathematics. Biology. Subatomics. These are the subjects that have always kept me up at night. So last summer, when I landed a spot in a USC aerospace engineering professor's fluid structures lab, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to do cutting-edge, hands-on research.

On the first day of my seven-week internship, my partner Akash and I were handed a small plastic sphere and told somehow to make a tsunami warning system out of it. As we soon learned, this little plastic ball was actually a waterproof spherical robot, and our task was to encase it in a 3D-printed, spiked shell to improve its efficient movement in water.

That night, I spent hours getting up to speed on the engendering jargon, coding techniques, and 3D design software. The next day I dedicated myself to studying fluid structures and the physics behind water.

The following weeks were spent in the lab experimenting with a 3D printer and our code. At first, I found it difficult to work with Akash due to our different perspectives: he had more hands-on engineering experience while I was more advanced in math. However, I soon saw how our differences could be used to our advantage. When tackling a challenge of compensating for directional issues with the robot, I proposed using a mathematical approach involving the Pythagorean theorem while Akash suggested we use a camera to track the robot's position. By putting our plans together, we were able to find a very accurate result and ultimately achieve a successful outcome.

During the course of the program, I learned that conducting research was sometimes a slow and difficult process, yet it was what made me happiest. I was filled with purpose, felt compelled to overcome challenges, and was overjoyed with the expertise I gained. At the end of my time there, as I presented our data in front of 150 people, I discovered I could not only share but also interpret our results in a way that helped everyone understand. Now, I can't wait to study and practice engineering in college and beyond.