Marine Biology

April 1 - April 11 2014, 2015
Action

I chose to spend my spring break both my junior and senior years of high school in the Florida keys. This was no vacation, but the views were wonderful. I participated in the marine biology trip at my high school. This involved a lot of pre-spring break classes that prepared the other students and I for the trip. We learned about the importance of the ocean to the earth from a biological standpoint and learned about the ethical and moral responsibility of humans to take care of it. We learned about all of the species we would encounter and the proper care needed to keep the animals we caught healthy and alive. During one of the last seminars, we are required to learn about the multiple species in the Florida Keys that pose a threat to our health and how they can harm us. This seminar scared me from ever wanting to get into the water once we arrived in the keys. Overall, however, the ocean was wonderful and I experienced no fear or problems what so ever.

The first new experience I enjoyed while in the Florida Keys was learning how to snorkel. I had never done so before. At first it was like learning how to breathe again. The pressure that my lungs experienced made it a little difficult to resist the urge to breathe through my nose like normal.

The next experience I'd like to talk about is learning how to communicate with and engaging in a group project with students from other schools. This happened both years I have experienced the trip. Each group of students is meant to carry out a lab in order to learn something about the environment. My first year, this challenge was easy and I developed skills needed to carry out a lab in a field-research environment. My group studied the effect of distance from shoreline on the population of sea snails in Layton, FL. My second year on the trip, however, I had to use my more intuitive senses and problem solve when issues arose that group members were unable to collect data and our time constraints became evermore tight. After two changes to the design and research question of our project, we managed to pull off an acceptable presentation for our peers. Our final decision was to measure he effect of air and water temperature on the pH balance of the ocean at high tide. We did find that there may be a sight correlation, but there are too many other factors that could have caused a change in the data. Weather might be one example of this, human activity another factor. I had to work with my group to reach the final product.

We gained a lot of on field research information from the variety of locations we were taken on. One of which was a short trip to the Waste Water Treatment Plant. We were given a persona tour of the facility. During this tour, we learned how the Florida Keys process their water and the history of water treatment in the area. There was an emphasis put by our tour guide on the importance of treating the water and not dumping waste into the ocean. This affects the climate in many ways, but all ways negative. In this scenario, our group engaged in issues of global importance. We also considered, like in all situations when dealing with biology, the ethical implications behind using all natural resources for treating the water and how the micro organisms used during the process are treated.

My first year, I also conducted my own experiment. I had to complete the design nd write the entire report myself. I decided to test the photo taxis of upside-down jellyfish in response to different light intensities. Because of the quick nature of my experiment, it is my theory that the jellyfish were not used to their environment and became sluggish, lazy, and felt the need to swim rather than sink to the bottom and rest in the sunlight. For this reason, the results of my lab were inconclusive. However, I did gain some skills as far as taking control of my own research goes. I learned how to write a professional lab report and design an experiment. I also learned the protocols behind using animals as test subjects and considered the ethical implications for caring for my subjects while conducting my experiment.

I also tried photography while on the trip. I am not very skilled with this form of art. However, some of the shots I gained are beautiful and ready to be drawn in my sketchbook (in my opinion).It was a new challenge thinking of taking photos as a work of art rather than just getting a photo of something to remember how it looked. An example of my work is shown below:

Outcomes from this activity:

• Increase awareness of your strengths and areas for growth.
• Undertook new challenges.
• Planned and initiated activities.
• Worked collaboratively with others.
• Engaged with issues of global importance.
• Considered ethical implications.
• Developed new skills.

Drawing with Adobe Photoshop

August 2013 - May 2015
Creativity

I have a Wacom Bamboo tablet at home. What this allows me to do is create images and perform simple commands on my desktop computer. When I bought the tablet, my first intention was to use it to expand the range of skill I have in the field of art. My father also bought Adobe Design Suite for me as a gift. Photoshop CS5 was one of the programs included. It took a full year to gain my first perfect image; a character sketch of a wolf from my novels. However, there are still many tools on Photoshop I either have never used or simply do not know what they do. I have since created several images on the computer and post them online to a site called Deviant Art for feedback, critique, and display myself to the art community and introduce myself to art as a possible career. Deviant Art allows artists to collaborate, trade art, and commission artists from around the globe. My skills in the field of art have increased because I am now familiar enough with the Photoshop program to use it for art on a regular basis. My skill has also drastically increased from the pictures I had rendered in my early learning stages. I have developed a style as an artist and every day I find out more about the areas I can improve and which aspects I am very good with working with when doing art on my desktop. Because of the tremendous amount of time I used to learn the program and still use it for art today, I am showing perseverance and commitment to my art. Photoshop was a challenge since I had not worked with a program on the computer at all before to create art. Below are some examples of my recent work:

Some of the artwork above has a watermark with the label "Rockheart the Wild". This is my internet alias for Deviant Art i order to protect my identity. All artwork is original.

Outcomes from this activity:

Increased awareness of my strengths and areas for growth.

Undertook new challenges.

Showed perseverance and commitment.

Developed new skills.

Symphonic Orchestra

August 2013 - May 2014

Creativity/Action

Every year auditions for symphonic orchestra are held at my high school. Symphonic orchestra is one playing skill level below Camerata Chamber Orchestra, making symphonic the second highest playing level you can achieve in your high school career. In order to be accepted for this group, you must obtain a minimum score out of 100 points. After practicing for my audition and performing, I received a 91 out of 100. Naturally, this meant that I received admission into symphonic orchestra. It was interesting to go from being such a great player in the lower level orchestra to only being an adequate player compared to other symphonic players was an interesting and new experience. For the first time in my life, I began seriously practicing my violin skills so that when concert time arrived, I would feel as though I tried my best. The orchestra also held Monday night practices after school. I attended each of them. During practice, we ran through the music we were assigned and worked on issues we had as a group. Individual playing issues were to be handled on one's own time. All practice was dedicated to concert preparation and improving playing performance. Being a part of a group improved my skill as a violinist and gave me experience being a member of our high school's premiere group. I also worked with many different students helping them to improve their skill, stay in tone, and execute proper performance etiquette. I have learned where my skill is as a violinist at a more professional level and where I stand compared to other player. This includes knowing the strengths and areas for growth for my skill level. Overall, a  very rewarding experience.

Outcomes from this activity:

Increased awareness of my strengths and areas for growth.

Undertook new challenges.

Worked collaboratively with others.

Showed perseverance and commitment.

Developed new skills.

Basketball

May 2014

Action

On my journey to becoming healthier, the best decision I made was to enter a life of athletics once again. At the Boys and Girls Club of Goshen, basketball is offered for girls of high school age. Since I have been playing basketball all my life and have six years experience from younger years I felt as though basketball would be an easy transition. For the most part basketball was easy to relearn and become better at. Beginning practices for we are about reconditioning myself for the sport. It was tiring at times because my body was not used to expending that much energy before. I really enjoyed being able to know what my skills were and how I could help the team. It turns out I am an extremely good point guard! It was a new challenge to play on a team that played against other teams from around the area rather than being in a league where you played against other students from your school. It was exciting to feel great about myself for doing some physical activity. During my basketball period my energy was higher than it was before I started playing. Each game was very quick and I had to tune in to my team's voices. Otherwise, we could have lost the game. The game plans proved the greatest challenge for me as I didn't understand all of them right away. I am usually great at something from the moment I start, so basketball allowed me to see myself as a team player rather than the start of the team. It turns out that athleticism is not my strongest attribute. However, despite my lack of skill I kept playing until we made it to the championships. This sows my commitment to the sport. I also practiced with the basketball hoop I have at home.

Outcomes from this activity:

• Worked collaboratively with others.
• Showed perseverance and commitment.

Trick or Trunk

October 31, 2013
Service/Creativity

I participated in the trick-or-trunk at the Boys and Girls Club of Goshen as a Keystone member. Keystone members help to regulate and initiate many community service projects around the local area..The purpose of this activity was to promote the Boys and Girls Club of Goshen and invite children to gather more candy for their treat bags during Halloween. A friend and I dressed up as medieval princesses and stood along a path in the main gym of the Boys and Girls Club handing candy and other treats to guests who walked by. The experience was rewarding. I had the chance to see many new faces and some faces I already knew, gaining myself a better understanding of the people in my community. I also love playing dress up, so the princess costume was a plus. Before the event had started, my friend and I took a cardboard box and painted a castle pattern on it from scratch. We also glued flags to the corners and cut out a drawbridge to complete the makeshift castle. This was a collaborative effort between my friend and I. Being able to represent the keystone club at the trick-or-trunk allowed me to see Halloween from the perspective of a candy distribution adult rather than a trick-or-treating child.

Outcomes from this experience:

• Undertook new challenges.
• Planned and initiated activities.
• Worked collaboratively with others.

Novel Writing

August 2013 - May 2015
Creativity

I am an artist of many genres. One of the many art forms I enjoy practicing is creative writing. I have developed my skills to the current point I am at, which allows me to begin writing my own novels. While the eventual goal is for my novels to be published, I am taking the time to develop each story to perfection. Character development and writing the ending of novels are some of my favorite things to do. I often visit the local coffee shop or any location where there is both peace and quiet and food and begin typing on my laptop. Most of my inspiration comes from my dreams and life experiences. Since most of my stories also involve animals, I take a large portion of my inspiration from my pets. Music is the last large component of my inspiration, but I take inspiration from anywhere. Most of this inspiration involves the use of animals.

I write a majority of fantasy and science fiction. I was inspired to write by the Warriors series by Erin Hunter. It is not only because of Erin that I write about animals, but because I have always had a fascination with animals. Their forms are so unique and creating your animal can be fun. Trying to develop an entire novel is a new challenge for me because the length and time required for a novel can be pressing when one has a job and schooling to take care of like myself. I have also never completed a novel before, but continue to continue to work on many different starting novels. However, I m dedicating the time for my craft and developing new techniques and skills to improve my writing.  Because I strive to improve my work and eventually complete a project, I am showing perseverance and commitment to my writing craft.

Here is an example of my creative writing talent so far. The title is "Light of Kind and Not", the Prologue for my Maiden Tamer novel:

"The wind whispered songs of joy and love through the forest, and the trees shook in response to the wind's gentle tongues of melody. In the distance, a cheering of human shouts could be heard from the stronghold of Ahlmet. Trumpets blazed, and music danced through the air, causing the sweet melodies in the forest. Even the guards were replaced by a wall of magic no creature could get into. Only one occasion would be able to gain this much attention, and any creature who was not of normal history was in fear of this day. The princess of Ahlmet kingdom had been born.

With only a lantern to light the way, another mother watched the sky light up with fireworks. Reds, blues, and every other color of the rainbow busted, leaving her in awe, despite the great tragedy that she knew had now befallen her family, for she was one of the very few who knew what was coming. She could only watch and see her death. Behind her, her child opened his eyes, a look of pure excitement in his eyes. She always had admired her son's eyes. So wild, so free, so untamed yet gentle enough to pierce even the human's heart. His very heart was a weapon of trust. She tucked him under her wing and groaned slightly for him for follow her back into the darkness.

"Come on my child." She spoke. "We must travel far from here… very far. I cannot stand this much longer."

The dragon frowned, and shook himself away from her grip, opening his mouth wide and whining sorrowfully as if she was dragging him into death itself. The mother hesitated, the ground starting to burn hot from her talons.

"it is time to go, young one." She hissed, walking off a little farther. Still, the youngling did not move. His eyes were wide, calm and collected. One look and she knew he was not leaving, no matter what she did. She sighed, and nuzzled him with the side of her jaw. "You impress me, my son. You always have, and I hope you always will." He nuzzled her back, his tail wrapping around her and sliding across her scales. He purred happily, then trotted a little closer to a lantern. The mother put her tail in his way before he could go any farther. "no!" she said firmly. "There are those who wish to hunt us…and if you stay, I have to stay but I will protect you til my last breath."

Both of their eyes went wide in fear when they saw the lantern break and fall to the ground, glass scattered the forest floor, yet the fire remained, and moved along the ground, between their feet, into the hand of a human. One they both feared.

"Beasts of legend." A voice shouted. "Leave now or die!"

The mother looked at her child again, and he narrowed his eyes at her. He didn't like to challenge his mother, but he knew… he just knew he had to stay. Something bonded his very soul to the roots of these trees. He was born here, and in the short life that he had had so far, he wasn't willing to give up his own spirit to anyone who wished to take it other than the Lord himself. Many dragons did not believe in heaven, but he did, so strongly he would do anything to fight for it. He couldn't leave… but he would fight for his life, as well as his mothers'. She nodded, understanding his glance and roared at the human, a glow in her throat charging a fire. The man laughed, and a mark on his hand also glowed, red like the fire in a dragon's heart.

"Such beauty to go to waste… you amaze me, fire-breather." He said, "but I'm afraid you cannot stay." the fire from the lantern fused into his body. "One more chance. Leave now or die!"

She charged, roaring again and fire blowing out of her mouth in a burning blaze. The sight was blinding, winding around the trees, targeted specifically at their attacker. All the man had to do was snap his fingers, and it went out. He took out a sword, drawing the blade so quickly… the youngling didn't have much time to react. He jumped out in front of the blade, screaming out at the pain that pierced his heart. Tears began to slide down his scales, and with a separate scream from his mother, he knew he had failed. He felt the pressure of his chest collide with his, and he now knew the pain of being impaled… it was terrible. His mother gave nothing but her last cry, and fell silent.

I'm sorry, mother…

He tumbled to the ground with her, the smell of his own blood clouding his senses. Above him towered the man who murdered him, putting black gloves on his hands to bring out the fire he stole from the lantern. All the young one could do was stare defiantly at his eyes. He could feel his mother's body getting cold against his back. He opened his mouth to speak, but like the times before when he tried to talk, no sound came out. So much rage filled his body… he had let her die. He made her stay with him and she died. He whined, flinching as the man stroked his cheek.

"You have a strong spirit, my dear friend… you are a beautiful one. Out of all the beasts I've slayed. I am honored to have touched you with my sword. Your eyes are wild, you will be in a better place, I'm sure of it." He blew on the fire in his hand, and it crawled over him, singing his scales slowly, the dragon closed his eyes. So much pain. No, he would make it. He had to fight! He couldn't die. He wasn't done yet.

"Goodbye." the man bowed, disappearing back into the shadows, leaving him and his mother to burn to ashes. The dragon focused all his energy on his heart, closed his eyes, and willingly let death come, hoping that what he was planning would work."

Outcomes of this activity:

• Undertook new challenges.
• Showed perseverance and commitment..
• Developed new skills.

Face Painting

May 2014
Creativity/Service

As an extension of my volunteer work for the Boys and Girls Club of Goshen, I participated as a face painter at the West Goshen Neighborhood Block Party. This alone was a new experience for me because I had never painted on faces before, let alone have a substantial amount of experience painting in general. The morning of the event, I went to Michael's, a craft store, to buy both glittery and non-glittery face paints. It was important for me to have washable and non-toxic paints to ensure the kid-friendly aspect of the event. I arrived at the block party early to help the residents set up for the event as well. Setting up a tent to house the food and scattering tables around the neighborhood park was the majority of my duties at that time. I purchased the supplies to make posters for the face painting station as well as many other stations consisting of games and food around the park. Corn Hole would be one example. The event was a huge success in my opinion. Several children arrived to have their faces painted by a college and I. I painted tiger faces, butterflies, spider man masks, and a variety of other creatures on the faces of children. It was very enjoyable for me to work with the children and find out what they would like to have painted on cheeks, foreheads, or even noses. I had y phone on me at all times, looking up references for the designs I had more trouble with. Because I was constantly in touch with the children and attempting to deliver a satisfactory face design, I successfully worked collaboratively with others. This was my first time face painting, and proved a fun and relaxing new challenge for myself. After the event, I am honestly more confident in my ability to body paint and developed new skills to use in my career as an artist. I learned that I am not innately exemplary at all forms of art and that practice makes perfect. I also learned how to body paint with greater accuracy and how to work with children at an event. Since I was responsible for my own supplies, the location of my station, and gaining the interest of children in getting their face painted, I planned and initiated activities within the block party.

Outcomes of this event:

• Undertook new challenges.
• Planned and initiated activities.
• Worked collaboratively with others.
• Developed new skills.

Creative Writing Club

September 2014 - May 2015
Creativity

Once a month, the creative writing club school at my high school holds a meeting. These meetings are for the exchange of ideas between writers and offering advice on what one is already working on. We also red aloud our writings during the meetings. I, personally, share excerpts from my novels. I have many different novels, so it is wonderful being able to share a different story every month to my peers. We also discuss club functions. For example, right after Christmas break we organised and carried out a bake sale to raise money or a self-published book. This book will contain an excerpt from every member of the club's work. I entered excerpts from my Moon Chasers saga and my Games of War saga. I type all of my stories on a laptop. I joined this club in the first place to place a more important role on my creative writing in my life and gain the skills needed to one day make this a serious hobby and perhaps an extra source of income.

I have never been a part of a club dedicated to the collaboration and gathering of writers. This is the first time anyone has been able to read my work besides me and a few close friends every once in a while. In this sense, creative writing club forced me out of my comfort zone and was a new challenge for me to undertake. I also planned and initiated activities within the club, such as creating posters for our bake sale and leading one of the shifts for the bake sale during a basketball game at our high school. I always receive criticism for my work and offer criticism to other writers. I have to work with others in order to improve the quality of my writing. My writing has become significantly better since joining the club and I'm really thankful for the experience. I've developed so many useful skills and techniques to use when writing I've lost track of all the techniques I use on a regular basis!

Outcomes of this club:

• Undertook new challenges.
• Planned and initiated activities.
• Worked collaboratively with others.
• Showed perseverance and commitment.
• Developed new skills.

Self-Taught Animation

August 2013 - June 2015
Creativity

Because I want to further my career in art, I wanted to self teach myself how to animate. Most of my current experience with art on the computer involves Adobe Photoshop CS5.1 ,but I also have amateur experience with programs such as Scratch, Pencil, and Adobe Flash. I have not produced any finished works as of now, but I have many sketches and unfinished scripts that are promising leads to a finished animation. I'm challenging myself to animate because this is teaching myself a new skill and developing new skills long way. I do not have any professional experience animating and have never had to produce my own story boards, character developments, and animating plans all by myself. To most quickly familiarize myself with the subject, most of my animations also involve animals because this also what one sees the most as subject matter in my traditional artwork. I have a better understanding of how animals move and their anatomical structures that I understand that of humans. I want to begin animating so that I can have my own original animated series posted online. I plan for this series to be based on a series I am working on called "Incision". Incision will be a post-apocalyptic fantasy series where animals fight to stay alive against the afflictions of a newly developed primordial earth. The value of this event is that I am now able to animate in short bursts with one constant action happening, though I'm still learning. This of course means that increased awareness of my own strengths and areas for growth. I am dedicating myself to this cause and practice at least once a month. I would like this to be more, but cannot afford to put all the time I would like into this hobby due to time constraints with work and school. When I sit down to animate, I use my Windows desktop computer and open the program Adobe Photoshop. I have a Wacom Bamboo Create tablet that I plug in ad use just as one would use a pen and paper. When I draw on the tablet, it translates onto my computer screen. Everything I do on Photoshop is hand drawn from scratch. Now, I use references to perfect the animation I am trying to achieve.

Outcomes of this activity:

• Undertook new challenges.
• Showed perseverance and commitment.
• Developed new skills.

Tennis

Weekdays April - June 2015
Action

After school every weekday for at east two to three hours I play tennis on the elementary school courts in my hometown. I do this to build a healthier lifestyle for myself and start healthy habits for the summer. My most frequent opponents were friends and family members, so this was not a professional league by any means. However, I decided to revisit the sport because I was on the school tennis team my sophomore year. I wanted to continue the sort into my junior year, but my skill level was not where it needed to be. So, every day for several weeks I played and practiced for some involvement with tennis in college. This activity was performed to increase my skill during a sport during the off-season. The purpose behind doing this was to further assess my strengths and weaknesses as a tennis player after such a long period without participating in a sport. I learned that I am better at controlling where the ball will land, but I am still not read to serve or hit with ball with substantial force and still expect it to land where I want. During most of my sessions, I am very good at returning the ball, which I' proud of. My skill is not as poor as I once thought. Although not a new challenge, I showed perseverance and commitment to a sport I love, even if I am not professionally involved with t at the time. I developed new skills playing tennis and am still honing the skills that I learn. In order to pay, I must work with others to interact in a match-like setting.

Outcomes from this activity:

• Worked collaboratively with others.
• Showed perseverance and commitment.
• Developed new skills.

IB Art Talk

September 2014
Service

I participated in an informal student panel where current IB Visual Art seniors and juniors are asked questions by the younger students interested in th art program themselves. We also shared tips and wisdom that we felt would have been nice to know going into IB art, but we didn't have the luxury of knowing to begin with. Most of these tips were the same as all IB classes; don't procrastinate, and pt effort into your work. One of the most prominent topics was whether or not anime is allowed to be used as a project. At Goshen High School, the answer is no. It is simply because that area is a very delicate subject in IB and it is easy to break the rules and bring down scores. I was certainly enjoyable overall to share my experiences in IB art. I believe the program is nothing but rewarding, even if it seems like torture at first. I developed communication sills while talking to a large group, and was able to work with the other IB art students to make sure our panel was maximally successful and effective. This includes making sure wisdom is not repeated and voices are speaking loud enough. talking to younger students about the program

Outcomes from this activity:

• Worked collaboratively with others.
• Developed new skills.

Working Out

August 2014 - May 2015
Action

I began working out as a result from an increasingly poor diet and lifestyle. I saw myself as moody and tired all the time no matter how much sleep I got, and overall my body felt gross and sluggish. The purpose was to get back to the energy level I had before my diet and lifestyle began to change. Exercising would also allow my body to reduce the stress it endured on a daily basis and reset its moods. My main method for working out would be to take a short walk with my dogs outside along a short route, then return home and either turn on YouTube videos, DVD's, or laptop videos in order to find a workout to follow along with. The results made me feel fantastic. I felt more stable with my moods and the fatigue went away for the most part. I had to plan and initiate my own workout schedule and follow through with the plans that I had made for each day. I also immensely researched dietary needs recommended for the body type that I have. My goal is to eventually lose weight and look better as well. My favorite exercises include running, jumping rope, tennis, and swimming. Because I am new to working out, I have many challenges trying to keep up with the instructors on my screen or finding the energy to do enough exercise. However, I still exercise today, and I have shown the commitment to make exercise a regular part of my day.

Outcomes of this activity:

• Undertook new challenges.
• Planned and initiated activities.
• Showed perseverance and commitment.

Keystone Conference

May 2014

Action/Service

Every year, the Keystone community service teen organisation at the Boys and Girls Club either hosts or attends an annual Keystone conference. Keystone clubs from around the regional area are allowed to attend and exchange fundraising and promotion ideas as well as discuss conference project ideas for the larger conference during the summer. In 2014, this larger conference was held in Anaheim, California. It is the duty of the host members to provide hospitality, entertainment, and leadership during the conference. The keystone members run the events at the conference more than their directors. In 2014, the keystone club of Goshen decided to rent out bouncy castles, bring in a guest speaker, and host a pancake breakfast for visiting clubs. The guest speaker specialized in telling personal narratives over the issue of teen suicide. Each keystone group who is invited to the larger conference must produce an idea for a grand-scale project capable of being executed nationwide. In 2014, the speaker that raised awareness for teen suicide inspired a project to raise awareness about the issue and hopefully reduce teen depression in the US. This experience taught club members ho to run serious party events without help or supervision and forced us to work with one another to come up with the final plans and ideas. The success of the event went over extremely well. When the guest speaker spoke, the inspiration for a larger project caused e and other club members to consider the ethical implications and global importance of the issue.

Outcomes for this event:

• Undertook new challenges
• Planned and initiated activities
• Worked collaboratively with others.
• Engaged with issues of global importance.
• Considered ethical implications.

Violinist at a Wedding

April 2014

Service

I served as part of the wedding party at my Aunt's wedding by performing as the violinist during the ceremony. This experience is a great addition into my service record because I did not get and to do this event first off. Secondly, being a soloist for a wedding ceremony forced me out of my comfort zone by bringing my playing ability to center stage as a soloist. I have always performed with the Symphonic orchestra, never just as a soloist. Overall, this was an incredibly new and anxious experience for me. I remember feeling very nervous, wondering when I should pay as well as what should I play. I had a very limited music repertoire. I collaborated with the bride to find out which pieces she wanted to be payed at different events in the ceremony as well as what version of the wedding march she wanted to walk down the aisle to. I chose to uphold this challenge because I wanted to place a more important role on my violin career in my life, which also allowed me to see my strengths as well as my weaknesses when playing alone. Along with the traditional wedding march premise, I played a song I learned from class several years ago known as "Swallowtail Jig". My family is Irish, and loves the song. It is a challenge to play in itself because it is very quick at correct tempo. Keeping one's tonality in check is key. My performance, overall went very well and was deemed successful by the bride herself.I was better able to express my musicality and interpretation with this experience. This performance allowed me to give back to the community by performing a service in front of an audience. Before the day of the wedding, I practiced immensely over a week's worth of time. Because I am willing to further my violinist resume and I practiced extremely hard for my performance, I show how I am completely committed to my duties.

Outcomes of this performance:

• Undertook new challenges.
• Worked collaboratively with others.
• Showed perseverance and commitment.

Teddy Bear Drive

April 2014
Action

During early spring my junior year, I joined the Keystone Club at the Boys and Girls Club of Goshen. The Keystone Club is a teen organisation in the community promoting child welfare and community service.  To help with the local hospitals, I worked alongside one of my friends to develop a drive that would donate both used and preferably brand new stuffed animals to local hospitals for child patients. The way the fundraiser worked, any child who wanted to attend a dance that the Keystone Club had set up for younger Boys and Girls Club members for free would have to donate one stuffed animal a person. During that night, I decorated the dance at which children were attending. Stuffed animals continued to be donated throughout the next few weeks. Each day, the stuffed animals had to be counted, sorted into new and used piles, then shoved into sterile bags and placed out of children's reach. This was to reduce the amount of germs the stuffed animals collected before they were donated to the hospitals. We hand delivered these stuffed animals to all of the hospitals ourselves to ensure a safe delivery after contacting them to make sure it was okay to donate them. Only one hospital out of the several my friend contact would accept the used stuffed animals, which was understandable. However, this meant that a majority of the stuffed animals went to one hospital, leaving the rest with less. It was a thoroughly new experience being able to plan a fundraiser and carry it out from my plans. I also had to work with my friend as well as other keystone members to sort through and count the stuffed animals each day. I learned more about the ethical codes behind what children are allowed to receive as gifts when under hospital care. We were not allowed to see the children who were getting the stuffed animals ourselves, but I knew they would be smiling, and the thought of that warms my heart

Outcomes of this fundraiser:

• Increased awareness of my strengths and areas for growth.
• Undertook new challenges.
• Worked collaboratively with others.
• Considered ethical implications.

Creative Writing Club Bake Sale

March 2014
Creativity/Service

Because I am a member of creative writing club, it is a privilege to attend the 1st annual bake sale for the group. During a boy's basketball game, me and several other team members set up our own table near the entrance and tried to sell cupcakes and various cookies to persons watching the game. All of the baked goods were baked by members of the club as well. I had baked cupcakes for the event and iced all of them by myself using icing tools. This was a new challenge for me in the realm of baking, but the cupcakes turned out well. They also sold well because there were none left after the bake sale was over. The reason the creative writing club was saving money in the first place was to purchase a self-published compilation of all the member work from throughout the year. Since this is the first year the club is active, ll of the funds needed to be made with one fundraiser. This fundraiser was a complete success. I helped to initiate and plan the bake sale before hand as well during the club meetings. Where we would set up, creating the poster to advertise our bake sale, and creating goods for the bake sale were some of the duties I performed. This event taught me how to plan a fundraiser, how to work with others to ensure that an event is successful and meets its purpose, and how to market a product so that it sells well. This event shows my commitment to the creative writing club at Goshen High School overall as I chose to attend the bake sale rather than stay home or participate in another event that would not have been as beneficial.

Outcomes of this activity:

• Undertake new challenges.
• Plan and initiate activities.
• Work collaboratively with others.
• Show perseverance and commitment.

Confucius Festival 2013

August 2013

Creativity/Service

Due to the fact that our high school's symphonic orchestra was playing a Chinese piece, our orchestra was invited to attend the Confucius Festival at Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, IN at the beginning of my junior year. It was a rewarding experience to learn and be able to play on some of the traditional Chinese instruments scattered throughout the school. Even our lunch was based upon Chinese culture, even if it was from a cheap Chinese restaurant across the street from the University. The festival's purpose is to promote Chinese culture within the education field and introduce students from other schools to one another and allow them to see their strengths as they play as part of a very large group. The festival gives back to the community by hosting a free concert in the University chapel. I worked among other students to learn a piece in a matter of a few hours so that we could all play it later that night. Being forced out of my comfort zone, I was placed next to stranger students and expected to play during a mass practice under the instruction of a world famous Chinese conductor. This was particularly interesting to hear about his travels and work experience as he was introduced before the concert began. I also enjoyed listening to the talents of several foreign Chinese students who danced and played their instruments as well during the festival. I learned my strengths and weaknesses as a violin player and as a sight-reader when placed in situations under pressure. I learned about the Chinese musical movement and culture immensely. Being a part of the festival for the first time, I enjoyed my time being able to experience the festival in its entirety. Because I learned how to play the two-stringed traditional Chinese violin, I expanded my skill as a violinist and took on a new challenge while developing new skills. The concert took around three hours to complete, but the festival experience lasted throughout the day.

Outcomes from this festival:

• Undertook new challenges.
• Worked collaboratively with others.
• Showed perseverance and commitment.
• Developed new skills.

School Newsletter Contribution

October 2014
Service

In order to serve our school newsletter, our instructor asked us in an email to provide a short testimonial of our IB experience if we were able. I began to write about how I felt from a student's perspective. This activity occurred at the beginning of my IB career as a junior in high school. Naturally, I felt afraid and timid of my abilities. However, I chose to write a testimonial speaking about the benefits of the IB program. It may not seem to do anything besides torture a student at the very beginning, but the program does much more than this! As a senior in high school, I am very well aware of all International Baccalaureate's benefits. The value of this activity is that I was able to contribute to a collective opinion and that now younger students will know more about the program. My purpose was to encourage as many students as possible to join the IB program at Goshen High School next year. In August, my instructors will be able to see the fruits of my labor. A copy of my response can be seen below:

"IB has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, and while the program may seem to simply be a huge work load and a bunch of extra projects to hinder your social life, the benefits come in more ways than one! My work ethic is fantastic compared to my freshman year experience, and while the program is challenging, teachers are more than willing to help! I don't mind having the extra college criticism either! Classes are extremely engaging and present information in a way that you will want to learn more, and CAS offers the opportunity for you to finally become involved in the activities you love (a little push to blossom you into a proud individual).The work itself is really easy once you know the material, but procrastination will be your biggest enemy. I highly recommend it to anyone considering college or university. After the experience of IB college work will feel like the easiest thing in the world, trust me! Because of IB, I feel amazing about myself as a person, and I know that I'll be in great shape for not only college, but the rest of my life! The opportunity is endless, I tell you, endless."

Writing this piece for journalism is something I've never done before as I'm not particularly a fan of writing narrative pieces myself. I do enjoy reading them, though! This, therefore, was something certainly new to me and I've undertaken a new challenge in writing for our school newsletter. I really hoped that my response would make the final draft. Writing about my IB experience has also allowed me to assess my strengths and weaknesses as a student.

Outcomes from this activity:

• Increased my awareness of my own strengths and areas for growth.
• Undertaken new challenges.
• Showed perseverance and commitment.

One Acts (Audition, Practice, Performance)

May 2014, May 2015
Creativity

I have participated for two consecutive years in my high school's one act play productions. In my first year, I worked alongside a classmate as their co director. My duties while in this position were little, but still significant. I participated in the choosing of cast members and providing scripts to cast members during practice. It was also my duty to provide advice that would aid in the success of the play. It was an amazing experience. My classmate and I's play was called “Spicy Pony Head”. An American customer sits down to eat at a rather expensive-looking French restaurant and expects to order American food. The waiter explains that the only thing they have is Spicy Pony head. This leads to a misunderstanding between the two characters that to the audience is extremely hilarious. The play on opening night was tremendously successful.

During my second year, I participated as an actor. My audition included a reading of several play excerpts that would be performed this year. I tried my best during the audience focusing on projecting my voice, appearing confident, and emphasizing emotion. However, I did not get chosen for a speaking role. I was chosen as an extra in two different plays. In the first, I play the emotion of contentedness dressed in purple, introduced as a figment of a teenage boy's imagination. In the second, was meant to be a patron at a restaurant in a play known as “The Philadelphia”. I was never contacted this role, so I assumed extras had been abandoned due to time constraints. After this happened, I was offered a speaking role in a performance of “The Weirdest Honeymoon Ever”. I gladly accepted. It was a new challenge acting from being the director. It also forced me to escape my fear of stage fright and act naturally in front of an audience. Being able to body paint the different emotions for the play “Insomnolence” was a rewarding experience to see my work displayed before the audience. I had to learn to become comfortable with the other actors and work collaboratively with them in order to produce a worthy performance. In my first year, I was planning and initiating activities sch as practices to make our performance better. Acting, for me, is a first. This was a new experience all together and produced an interest inside of me to continue pursuing acting as a hobby. Because of the one act plays at my high school, I now know my strengths and weaknesses as an actor. This also comes from the advice of my directors.

Outcomes of this activity:

• Increased awareness of my strengths and areas for growth. 
• Undertook new challenges. 
• Planned and initiated activities. 
• Worked collaboratively with others. 
• Showed perseverance and commitment. 
• Developed new skills.

Wolf Park Visit

May 17 2015
Action

On Sunday, May 17, 2015, I had the pleasure of visiting Wolf Park in Battle Ground, IN. Wolf Park is a facility specializing in the socialization of wolves, coyotes, both red and gray foxes and American Bison in order to provide enjoyment for guests and research specimens for scientists all over the country. The Wolf Park also provides a home for wild rescue animals. During my visit, I participated in a guided tour where we traveled around the facility, meeting each animal personally. We learned about the behavioral traits of each species as well as the different projects and opportunities taking place at the Wolf Park. My favorite animal at the enclosure was a wolf named Dharma. She was a gray wolf, but brown and black in coloring. She and two other wolves were kept in their own enclosure because they didn't seem to listen to anyone but each other. One of the many projects we learned about was the use of smart collars on specific wolves and measuring the frequencies their bodies gave off while performing certain activities. The implication is that if attached to wolves in the wild, researchers will be able to monitor their activity at any given moment. This, I found, to be an exciting achievement. While I knew most of the information about the wolf species due to prior interest, I learned so much about the behaviors of coyotes and foxes. Visiting the coyote visit was a wonderful experience I had to work with others to howl and get the coyotes to howl as well Later that day, all of the wolf packs howled together, creating beautiful harmony. Since these wolves are worked with on a national scale and the research performed at the facility helps scientists to understand the behavior of canines, it is wonderful to learn more about the conservation of certain animals and how the ethology field is both growing and developing This majorly relates to environmental sustainability. There also, as with anything completed in science, the ethical questions placed upon performing projects on specimens. A code of conduct must always be followed. While on this visit I also substantially understood more of American Bison behavior. The study of animal behavior I found out is known as Ethology. This might become one of my concentrations in college due to this visit. I also plan on participating in an internship at the Wolf Park the summer of my freshman or sophomore year of college. Below are some photographs and video taken at the park during my visit:

All photos taken personally by Teaosha Cunningham

Outcomes of this visit:

• Worked collaboratively with others. 
• Engaged with issues of global importance. 
• Considered ethical implications.

Biking to Merit

June 2014
Action

During the summer between junior and senior year in early June for two weeks I had to attend merit n order to complete my mathematics credit in order to graduate. The local merit center allows students to take summer courses in order to earn extra or needed credits for high school. Every morning, I would leave at approximately 7:30 am from my house to go to merit. While I attended Merit, I completed the second semester of algebra II. I decided to ride my bike to the merit center instead of driving in a car. This allowed me to increase my fitness level and learn more about where I stand as far as fitness goes. This was a trust exercise between my mother and I considering that I was riding into downtown by myself early in the morning for the first time.

Outcomes of this activity:

• Increased awareness of my strengths and areas for growth. 
• Showed perseverance and commitment. 

GHS Art Show Planning and Event

May 15 2014, May 14 2015
Creativity/Action

Every year high school hosts an annual art show where students are able to put up their work on display and show the community what the art program at Goshen high school is all about. Plus, this introduce students to the world of professional or semi-professional artistry, allowing them see what a gallery would look like and how it functions. As an IB senior in art, I was given two walls to put up artwork on. I chose t display many of the pieces I was proud of during the year, involving themes such as animal conservation and animal cruelty; all of them original ideas from my imagination. Through this experience I was able to give back to the art program by publicizing it with my work which naturally would perk the interest of other people who would want to join the program. I had to collaboratively work with others in order to plan and carry out the event as well as help display all of the work that would be put into the display area. During the middle of the art show, an awards ceremony is held where students are given awards based on the worth of their achievements during the year. I personally was praised for two silver keys I won during the Scholastic Art Awards competition. The value of this event is that I was able to see what a gallery would look like as a became older and pursued art as a career it also showed me what it would be like to work with other artists in a close vicinity, as well as how work should be displayed for professional setting. The community also have the opportunity to see what the art program offered. In this case, I helped plan and initiate activities within the high school as well as displayed my perseverance and commitment to the program at my high school for art. As of now I have successfully carried as activity for 2 years, the first year being a new challenge for having never set up my own display before, but now it seems like second nature.

Outcomes from this activity:

• Undertook new challenges. 
• Planned and initiated activities. 
• Worked collaboratively with others. 
• Showed perseverance and commitment.

Pottawatomie Zoo Day Trip

June 2014
Action/Creativity

For Father’s Day, 2014, I brought both my father and my siblings to the Pottawatomie zoo for a day-long visit. This was to avoid a day pent at home. While they, we all all of the animal exhibit and had a chance to explore the educational butterfly sanctuary. It was enjoyable to learn about all of the differing species and refresh my knowledge on the species I knew about. Another educational experience was learning about the ethical issues concerning zoological exhibits, the methods for obtaining animals, as well as how the animals are treated while on the premises and learning about the habitats the animals naturally belong to. I, personally, wanted to learn more about the anatomy of certain species to improve the accuracy of my artwork. Some of my favorite species while visiting were the leopard, lion, Galapagos tortoise, and the kangaroo enclosure where guests were able to walk through the exhibit. The butterflies were my above all favorite, though.

Outcomes from this trip:

• Increased awareness of my strengths and areas for growth.
• Considered ethical implications.

"Butterflies in the Butterfly Garden at Pottawatomie Zoo" - Teaosha Cunningham

Morning Walks

June-August 2014
Action

My junior year yielded a new learning experience for me. I had more homework than I was used to and this along with extracurriculars kept me busy. I never had any energy, and my diet began to fall short. Because of this, I felt unhealthy and constantly tired. It was time for a change. During the summer between my junior and senior year I walked in the early morning to decompress from over-the-summer IB assignments. My pets needed exercise as well, so at times I brought along my Rhodesian Ridgeback, my Black Labrador, and my Chihuahua. This activity every weekday morning was a method I used to feel healthier during the summer months and made me aware of my own fitness levels. I have since improved the distance I am able to walk and run without tiring. This was a new challenge because I do not usually exercise and have since become sluggish. Because I performed my walk every weekday for several weeks, I showed commitment and perseverance. During the winter months, I also ran on a treadmill once in a while to keep up the progress that I had built over the summer.

Outcomes from this activity:

• Increased awareness of my strengths and areas for growth.
• Undertook new challenges.
• Showed perseverance and commitment.

Art Alley Painting

May 2014
Creativity/Service

Our IB visual arts class has an annual project at the end of each school year where each student must produce a work of art, in particular a painting, to hang one one of the historical buildings in our downtown local area. It is a chance to present ourselves as an artist to our community and produce a piece of culture for our town. This also presents the International Baccalaureate program to younger generations. Even while new to painting, I gained new skills while working on each piece. In my personal experience, it is a challenge to get colors right and even decide on which ideas you want to present to the community. My first year, I worked over and over with colors to make my piece more realistic The idea I wanted to present is the concept that there will never be such a thing as free will. This painting included a drawing of a lion's open mouth next to a crooked-necked cat dangling by strings. The background of this piece became the lion's mane. Halfway done with my piece, I participated in our class' critique. During this critique, we must collaborate and listen to one another in order to improve the value of our pieces. Though I received some negative criticism, it was worth the while to improve my final result. Once my artwork was completed, it and many other paintings were hung downtown in what Goshen, IN calls the “Art Alley”. During First Friday of the Month festivals, our works receive public criticism. It’s an amazing learning experience to introduce an amateur artist into what a gallery will eventually be like. Most recently, I have completed this activity for two consecutive years. This experience taught me how to use colors in my palette and how to incorporate the texture of fur into my work. I also feel as though it helped me gain prestige as an artist overall.

Below is my painting from the summer of 2014:

"Teaosha Cunningham's With Strings Attached displayed in the Art Alley n the summer of 2014"

Teaosha Cunninhham's The Bubble Complex displayed in the art alley in the summer of 2015

Outcomes from this project:

• Increased awareness of my strengths and areas for growth.
• Undertook new challenges.
• Worked collaboratively with others.
• Showed perseverance and commitment.
• Developed new skills.