I am a 17 year old, rising senior at William W. Bodine High School for International Affairs in Philadelphia, PA. I’m an aspiring engineer and math enthusiastic. I can often be found tutoring math at my school, learning new script languages online, or participating in STEAM based programs in Philadelphia. My other interests include outdoor activities such as camping, playing soccer, traveling around the world, playing guitar, reading, and serving my community. I am currently challenging myself academically by participating the International Baccalaureate program(IB), a rigorous college preparatory program that regulates strict curriculums that are unilateral across the world.

Through my school’s connections with profit and nonprofit organizations, I have been given the opportunity to explore my interests. The three programs I’m fond of are the Sailor Program, Outward Bound, and the Spring-Trip Abroad Program.

-The SAILOR program at the Independence seaport museum where a group of students build a duck boat from scratch, learn core STEAM concepts and teamwork/leadership skills. Another program offered by the Independence Seaport Museum I hope to join is SeaPerch, which teaches basic engineering skills while building an underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV).

-Outward Bound is an international, non-profit program that takes students on an outdoor-expedition teaching survival skills while emphasizing character development and teamwork. I have participated in 2 expeditions: Backpacking through the Delaware River and backpacking through the Appalachian Trail.

-The Spring-Trip Abroad Program offers students the opportunity to travel around the world and learn about different cultures, and develop different perspectives through new experiences. I have gone on excursions to Costa Rica, London, and Paris, and hope to participate on next year’s excursion to Italy.

I acquired my love for traveling from my experience moving from Colombia to the US when I was 10 years old. Through my transition, I faced many issues regarding culture and language. As I overcame these challenges, the idea of learning new cultures and languages fascinated me. I now consider myself trilingual for I speak Spanish and English fluently, and am proficient in French.