I was recently approved for an internship at Cedae, a company which provides clean water and sewage treatment for the whole state of Rio de Janeiro. Being an intern for 400 hours is mandatory, so I can graduate from my high school as a technician. However, taking this initiative in junior year was optional. After receiving a recommendation from a friend, I couldn’t let this opportunity go to waste.
Last year, I came up with the idea for Gifting For Thrifting. Gifting For Thrifting is a corporation that my best friend, Alaina Frazier, and I began that aims to make a difference in our community and the surrounding area. We collect clothing donations from friends, neighbors, and schools near us, and we hold pop-up thrift stores, where anyone can come and shop for free!
During this program, I loved discovering a unique setting with incredible diversity of people and backgrounds. I learned to broaden my perspective and my thorough understanding of the world. Cooperating with people from all around the globe was truly uplifting, not only culturally but also intellectually, as I explored new paths to Science.
I am launching a project aimed at providing Malaysian youths, especially those from underprivileged communities, better access to training in soft skills and youth programs (like conferences and competitions). There has always been a discrepancy in Malaysia where scholarships meant to benefit those in the lower-income bracket end up being awarded to those in the higher income bracket.
Through the seminars and lectures led by world-renowned professors and capstone projects created by various students during the program, I gained knowledge that I wouldn’t have learned in my normal coursework. One of the most valuable lessons came from my capstone instructors, who said to start from the bottom and learn the material as a team when I was assigned an unfamiliar topic for my project.
The experience of YYGS impacted me so much that I started to see things differently. I realized that we must take action in order to make the world a better place irrespective of our age. I therefore addressed the school assembly about the merits of YYGS, gave more of my time to help other senior students with their university applications, and encouraged people to apply colleges such as Yale and Yale-NUS. Being an unofficial YYGS ambassador is my way of giving back to the community that supported me; both at home and at Yale.
Months before I was on my way to YYGS, there was a concern than my father and I had. I had managed to get financial aid to attend YYGS but unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to cover the entire cost of the trip. My father was willing to take out loans and find any way for me to attend the program, because he saw it as a grand opportunity for me. I didn’t want him to take out loans and I began searching other ways of financing my trip to New Haven.
I’m currently the curator of an annual school-wide art gallery called The Salon. This initiative started five years ago, and my co-head and I took up the role of curators in 2018. Although I’m very interested in science, visual art is still a big part of my life, and The Salon provides balance to my STEM based coursework. The Salon was started to display and share the talent present in our school community. We accept all forms and every piece of artwork that is submitted.
