Year Two Winter
This Winter quarter was very busy but I felt very passionate about all of my learning.
One of my favorite parts has been my internship with The Math Agency through UW's CELE UCBI program. In this role, I have coached 3rd-5th grade students in math at West Woodland and Stevenson elementary schools and completed remote work to support that learning. The Math Agency uses online platforms designed to encourage students to be independent learners, so the coach is mainly there for support, to keep the students focused, and provide guidance when needed. I have very much enjoyed getting to know the students and working with them to help them progress. I felt energized walking out of the classroom and I really believe that education in this setting would be a motivating and fulfilling career for me.
This quarter I also continued the organic chemistry series with CHEM 238, and started the organic chemistry labs with CHEM 241. I was very nervous to start the lab course because chemistry labs can be intense and this was six hours/week with a specific lab exam instead of the general chemistry three hours/week. This went far smoother than I expected and I found myself enjoying the lab time. Mixing the chemicals, following the procedures, and finding evidence-based results to support our learning in lecture was fascinating. I am pleasantly surprised with both my performance and passion surrounding organic chemistry lab and I am far less intimidated going into CHEM 242 next quarter.
I have also been getting back into climbing at the IMA this quarter. I have been very excited about my progress, however, I fractured my foot while climbing on the Saturday before finals week. This led to many unexpected doctors appointments and hours spent managing my recovery, and less time to study for my organic chemistry exam. I was very stressed about not being prepared and felt ill-equipped for the exam. However, I am very proud of myself for doing everything I could, no matter if I did not feel my efforts reflected my full potential; in that situation, I did my best. I feel as though this emphasized to me that there are factors outside of my control and in certain situations, I will not be able to feel as fully prepared as I would prefer. I can only do my best and balance health, wellbeing, and learning.
Overall, I feel this was a very successful quarter. Feeding the ducks and crows around campus, as well as interacting with energetic young children, helped to keep my spirits high during the overcast days. I am looking forward to continuing my internship and organic chemistry journey next quarter and finishing the year strong.
Artifact 01
Honors 231B Reflection 2
This is my second reflection project from my Honors Reproductive Justice in Practice: Movements, Methods, and Meaning. I created a visual art digital collage based around a fence metaphor that one of the guest speakers discussed. I represented the many marginalized groups who are denied reproductive justice (RJ) behind the fence and brought together images of community resistance and resilience in front of the fence. I am very proud of how this piece turned out and how it represents my growing understanding. This course was incredibly inspiring and widened my perspective. I had previously mainly considered RJ to be the ability to choose to not have children, but I have learned that there are many other key tenants of RJ, including the right to parent children in safe and sustainable environments. I also learned about the deeply intersectional nature of reproductive justice and how many other social justice issues are intertwined with the movement. In general, this course has opened my eyes to the many facets of the issue and taught me to think more broadly.
Artifact 02
Math Agency Coach Photo & Recess Game Slide
This quarter I started an Undergraduate Community-Based Internship site manager internship with The Math Agency, an organization working to close the math educational achievement gap in Seattle elementary schools. This is a group photo that all of the coaches at Stevenson Elementary took after one of the sessions. Some of the other coaches are UW interns, other college students, or have completely different backgrounds. The slide is the first activity/topic I created and presented to the class, as my fellow intern and I were tasked with planning and executing a game to build community and bonding during recess. I remember being so nervous to address all of the students at once, but I grabbed and held all of the students' attention, my explanation went smoothly, and the kids loved the game. This photo and slide represent my time at this school, learning alongside and from this dedicated team, the progress I have made in my teaching journey, and my future in education. I have discovered my passion for teaching 3rd-5th graders and this internship has expanded my understanding of classroom management, how to motivate students, and the administrative/supportive work that education requires. I have really enjoyed this internship and am very much looking forward to continuing it next quarter.
Artifact 03
March 2025 Resume
This is a copy of my resume as of March 2025. I have been looking for summer opportunities to explore the the veterinary field, so I needed to update my resume. I feel as though this is my first "adult" resume, as in my first resume where all of the listed experiences are relevant and I feel highlight my best traits. I did not consider my previous resume to be good enough to apply for certain opportunities, and revising it has been a constant task on my to-do list. In order to relieve that small stress, taking the time to update and craft this one felt very important to me and like it was marking an significant step. This resume is definitely geared towards a career in veterinary medicine, reflected in the "About Me" section, but I can use it as a starting point for other positions I apply to in the future.