“For most of my life, I’ve been constantly reminded of how well I do in my math and science classes. My parents have often tried to push me in the direction of the medical field and my teachers have frequently encouraged me to become involved in STEM activities. As much as I have always enjoyed these, I have honestly always felt that the humanities have truly sparked my interest; it has been in the moments of discussing literature and philosophy in my classes that I have felt the most interested and engaged in school.
Thus, applying to the Literature, Philosophy, and Culture session of YYGS gave me an opportunity to pursue subjects I had never truly had the opportunity to explore in-depth at school. The strict school curriculums and premediated lessons of my academic career had often become factors that hindered my participation in these fields of humanities that were often left undiscussed in school settings. Attending YYGS, I was exposed to countless ideas that ranged from Islamic philosophy to the examination of longstanding Western concepts. I hadn’t realized that it was possible to really study these types of subjects with other students my age who were genuinely interested in learning about them. I could finally hold complex conversations about obscure topics and bond with a diverse group by expressing our interests in them.”
Over the past few months, I have been working as a part of Holocaust Impact Theatre, a theater production that is written, directed and acted by high school students in Miami, Florida. Its main purpose is to spread awareness about social injustices that remain prevalent in today’s society while relating back to the Holocaust and why it must never occur again through a two-hour play. This is my third year being a part of this wonderful organization, and I am incredibly happy to be a part of both the writing and acting team in this production.