Biography

I hold many values in great esteem. I value honesty above all else. It is the most important characteristic for an individual who wishes to make his mark on the world. I also believe that one should help others whenever possible. A person must give of himself to his community. I have enjoyed tutoring the 5th graders, and also have found my work at MODS gratifying. I try to abide by these values at all times.

I have held many leadership roles throughout my high school career. In 9th grade, I was grade representative for my school's Science Fiction/Fantasy society. More recently, I was elected as the historian of both my class and my NHS chapter. With my NHS chapter, I plan to set up a web site to keep people informed about upcoming events, as well as including driving directions, times, contact information, and other such materials. For my grade, I plan to create a photo CD scrapbook, which can be given to the class as a keepsake by which to remember our senior year. These plans may seem ambitious, but I'm sure that I will be able to accomplish them.

I have participated in many activities during my high school career. I volunteered at the Love Jen festival. This is a fund-raising fair held by my school every year in memory of a student who died of cancer. The proceeds are donated to a local hospital. I was gratified to work hard for a good cause. I also volunteer at our local science museum, the Museum of Discovery and Science (MODS). I have worked there regularly since the summer before my sophomore year. At MODS, I work on the floor, explaining the exhibits to the visitors. This provides me with the opportunity to spread my interest in science to others. I greatly enjoy helping others expand their knowledge.

I have also been involved with scouting. During my freshman year, I was honored to earn the Ner Tamid, the Boy Scout award for the study of Judaism. While I did the research for this award, I acquired a deeper appreciation of my religion and its moral roots. Also, during my freshman and sophomore years, I maintained my troop's web page, adding content and updating the monthly calendar. In addition, I helped my mom with her girl scout troop, assisting with various activities.

I have also participated in various summer programs. I attended a Spanish Immersion program in Spain during the summer before my sophomore year. As a result of this program, I gained a better understanding of the Spanish language and the culture of Spain. As a rising junior, I was fortunate enough to be selected for the SSTP program at the University of Florida. This is a competitive science-research program during which a student is paired with a researcher, and then does legitimate laboratory research. While I was at the University of Florida, I worked with Drs. Marshall and Simonne on a project involving natural coloring in potatoes. I learned the joys and disappointments of true science research, and developed a greater understanding of where our scientific knowledge comes from.

I recently have started working on a research project sponsored by the Nova Southeastern University graduate school. I will be investigating the presence of various type of bacteria in beach sand, to determine whether it has been contaminated by sewage. The results of this study will determine whether current beach testing methodologies need to be revised.

I am uncertain as to precisely what I want to do in the future, but I expect that I will work in the fields of math or science. I feel I have special abilities in these fields and hope to someday use these abilities to make a meaningful contribution to society. I hope to attend an excellent college, such as MIT, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, or an institution of similar quality, and then go on to graduate school. My dad has influenced me by cultivating my interest in math and science, and by whetting my thirst for knowledge in general. My mom has encouraged me to enjoy reading, especially science fiction and fantasy.

I have done very well academically throughout high school. I have been named to the Honor Roll every trimester in high school. I am a National Merit Semi-Finalist as a result of my NMSQT/PSAT scores. I was one of four members on our NHS chapter's Brain Brawl team during my junior year (I was the only junior; the rest were seniors). We won three rounds, and ended up scoring 3rd place in our area. I received the Voracious Reader award in my sophomore year. I was selected to represent our school at the MA competition in my freshman, sophomore, and junior years. I have always taken the most challenging courses available and have taken honors and AP corses whenever offered. I have had special permission to take some science and math courses a year earlier that normally permitted, and have sometimes "doubled up" while taking these advanced courses. I am currently a member of MAθ, NHS, and Spanish National Honor Society (SNHS), and have done service work for these clubs.