The transition from middle school to high school is arguably one of the most daunting tasks any child has to face. The idea of going to a school where there are kids ranging from 13-18 years of age would make most incoming students terrified for their first day of school; this theoretical incoming student was me. As I timidly stepped out of my moms car and onto the San Marin campus I felt overwhelmed, scared, and out of place. Throughout that first day I barely spoke out in my classes and tried to redirect the attention of the discussion to anywhere but towards me. It was only when I walked into my STEM physics class after lunch where I finally found the relief I was looking for. It seemed as everyone else had felt the same way as I did around campus on their first day and were thankful for a comfortable classroom environment with similar students like them.
From that day forward I never looked back on my timid freshman self the first day of school. Being in STEM has opened my life up to countless new opportunities and has molded both my social and academic success forever. Through the countless projects I have participated in during my years in the STEM program I have learned how to collaborate with a wide variety of people from diverse backgrounds and have learned to easily adapt my role in projects. By having STEM revolve around the idea of project based learning students are easily able to connect the concepts they have learned in the classroom to real life scenarios.
One of these moments occurred during my physics of sports video freshman year. My group and I decided to learn about the physics of mountain biking and traveled to the newly opened Stafford Lake Bike Park at the time to record our data. I quickly learned that there are hundreds of factors that need to be taken into account when calculating physics such as acceleration, force, potential/kinetic energy, and momentum. Through this project I was able to see a direct translation of my learning to an outside environment.
Not only has STEM helped me apply my learning within science and math disciplines, but has even impacted classes such as my world language. I have taken Spanish all throughout high school and am currently in AP. Last summer I went on a service trip to Tijuana Mexico with the main goals being to improve my Spanish and become more culturally aware . What surprised me most was that by using the techniques that STEM had taught me such as analyzing situations for the most efficient method, I was very successful in choosing the right verbs to use from my limited vocabulary during conversations. Through my success in conversational Spanish it made the experience extremely fulfilling and I plan to return this summer as well.
Apart from applying our classroom learning to the real world, STEM has also taught me how to be a much more well rounded student that strives in helping others. Initially freshman year, I always wanted to take the leadership role in the group and was closed minded by only wanting to listen to my ideas. After a few projects I realized that allowing my fellow group members to speak out to ask questions, add valuable input, and even take the leadership role in our projects helped me attain a much deeper understanding of the concepts within the projects.
Through this, I was also able to find a true passion of mine, helping others be successful and thrive in the classroom environment. Since then I have been much more of an attribute during group projects, not a detriment. Down the line, I hope to use my passion for helping others in a positive way such as going into the medical field. Over the years of being in and out of the ER for a plethora of health reasons I have formed inseparable bonds with my allergists as well as nurses within the hospitals. The patient doctor relationships I have gained have reassured me that being in the medical field is my ideal profession.
Overall, without the collaborative aspect, academic rigor, a supportive environment that STEM at San Marin provided me I would surely not be as successful as I am today. This program has helped me find my true passions in life and become a much more well rounded high school student that is now prepared to go to college.