PolyGlobal 2024 South Africa Trip
In March 2024, I had the wonderful opportunity to travel on a one-week service trip to Cape Town, South Africa. In the Langa Township, I met students from LEAP High School and those involved in the iThuba x Happy Feet after-school program. Alongside other Poly students I learned about the history and lasting effects of Apartheid and collaborated with LEAP students to design interdisciplinary programs in STEM, humanities, sports and creative activities that supported both learning and well-being.
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Student Athletic Leadership Committee (SALC)
As a two-year SALC student leader, I foster community and school pride by planning spirit events, promoting athletics through posters and social media (@polysalc), and mentoring younger students on practicing good sportsmanship both in and beyond competition.
Poly Student Science Organization (PSSO)
As a PSSO club leader, I help culticate a tight-knit, science-loving group of Upper School students through inviting professors from local universities like USC, UCLA, Caltech to speak about their inspiring STEM research, and doing fun Kahoot games and demos during our club meetings.
Middle School Public Debate Program (MSPDP)
As a certified MSPDP judge, I support the debate community by volunteering at tournaments to judge 2-4 rounds. I offer constructive feedback and guidance to help young debaters strengthen both their communication and critical thinking skills.
Nurturing communities and uniting them together.
I’ve always been drawn to people and their stories and have wondered how spaces can be created where everyone feels connected. I strive to build tight-knit communities that spark understanding between people, nurtures belonging, and open doors to even more ways of connecting.
Impact
5,000+
Individuals Reached
4+
Communities Reached
20+
Artifacts Created
Through storytelling and mentorship through different mediums, I foster an exchange of ideas, advocate for the local, regional, national, and international communities, and amplify voices that deserve to be heard.
Women
Through interviews, walks, and articles, I have advocated for women, their rights, and their representation in both academic and everyday spheres.
Aspiring Researchers
By promoting an exchange of innovative ideas and among teens and providing platforms for their voices and work, I advocate for the growing high school research community.
Athletes
As an upper school sports mentor, and athletics council member, I foster school spirit, good sportsmanship, and a positive attitude among new and developing athletes on multiple sports teams.
Growing Public Speakers
I continue to mentor emerging middle school debaters, drawing on my past MSPDP experience to guide their growth and confidence.
Langa Township Community
On a service trip with fellow peers, I advocated for multidisciplinary education to help township communities in South Africa thrive.
Science-loving Students
As a science club leader and media manager, I help invite local university and lab professors and inspire curiosity about science throughout the school community.
Adore Your Buds
After my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer, I was inspired to learn more about the disease through firsthand accounts, highlighting the experiences of those influenced by the disease. Through interviews, written stories, and spotlights, I've become receptive and more understanding of the diverse circumstances that the affected have lived by and endured, and AYB has since blossomed into a community dedicated to breast cancer advocacy, fundraising, and dismantling stigma through stories.
Funds Raised
As of now, AYB has raised over $6,000 for breast cancer research and patient assistance programs.
As a writer I am always looking for the next viewpoint to feature and the next story to shape through creative reflection.
As a journalist and creative writer, I examine aspects of identity, society, and the environment by uncovering how global issues affect through personal lives. Whether reflecting on the changing environmental or political climate, the biases we inherit or the technology that defines us, I hope to remind readers that awareness is the first step toward intentional and compassionate living.
Writing Awards/Recognitions:
Scholastic Art and Writing Awards
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Silver Key – Poetry (2023-24)
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Silver Key – Personal Essay & Memoir (2023-24)
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Honorable Mention – Poetry (2023-24)
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Honorable Mention – Poetry (2024-25)
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Honorable Mention – Humor (2024-25)
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Honorable Mention – Science Fiction & Fantasy (2024-25)
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Silver Key – Science Fiction & Fantasy (2024-25)
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Silver Key – Flash Fiction (2024-25)
National High School Poetry Contest
2022-23 Topical Winner (Fall)
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Named 1 of the winners out of thousands of nationwide submissions in the Live Poets Society of New Jersey competition for the poem "What is Left?", recognized for thematic depth and literary excellence
2024-25 National Winner (Winter)
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Recognized as 1 of 23 national winners in the Live Poets Society of New Jersey competition for the poem "sip and sip and finally spill," showcasing exceptional literary talent and poetic expression
Top op-eds
The Eaton and Palisades fires expose how climate change amplifies California’s vulnerabilities and how students are leading the fight for a sustainable future.
Centuries of male dominance in politics demonstrate how gendered expectations still dictate who we see as ‘fit’ to lead.
When 26 years of life are spent on screens, it’s time to rethink how we connect with others and with ourselves.
Creative writing unlocks what academic essays cannot by allowing students to explore identity and the beauty of everyday life.
Co-hosting school-wide democracy assembly featuring The Paw Print Founder Joe Mathews