Piano Videos
Horn Video
Election Simulator
I found a lack of election simulators online, so I decided to create my own using python. It alters numbers from real election results to create a unique election map, with the states being called based on their margin of victory.
What I did for the Congressional Award Bronze Medal
Volunteering
I volunteered for 100 hours to fulfill four goals:
Improve Literacy in my Community
I helped an organization called Wake Up & Read, where I sorted books by type, removed any damaged or inappropriate books, and put them into bags for them to be donated to schools with low literacy.
Help the Less Fortunate in my Community
I made ham and turkey sandwiches, and sometimes brown bags for an organization called Brown Bag Ministry that delivers food to the less fortunate on the weekends when soup kitchens and food banks are closed. each Saturday, I spent 2 hours making these meals and then loaded them on the truck that delivered them. I would make about 150 sandwiches per shift. I also sorted food for the Raleigh Food Bank, a distribution center for many counties, and made sure only higher quality fruits went into the bags that are distributed.
Use Technology to Help the Community
I created and updated our school's Band Booster webpage and calendar with upcoming events. I also transcribed historical documents such as school records and letters online for the state archives, because computers couldn't read the handwriting. Furthermore, I used MapSwipe to identify infrastructure on satellite images to improve map data for organizations like the Red Cross to help them plan their activities.
Facilitate Community Events
I helped set up a World Cup event in Raleigh, and I greeted and directed people during an Earth Day Expo in Apex. I also volunteered at an activity table during my school's Harvest Festival, teaching students math games. For the World Cup, I assembled tents and tables, blew up balloons, and set up soccer goals. On Earth Day, I redirected vendors to where they needed to set up their booths for this free event at the Apex Community Center hosted by the Town of Apex.
Personal Development
I worked for over 50 hours to fulfill two goals:
Develop Piano Skills to Pass Level 8 of Royal Conservatory Exam
I took lessons every week and I practiced six pieces that I performed for the exam. I learned how to play Flip Flops by Gary K. Thomas, Dance of the Elves by Genari Karganov, Solfeggio in C Minor by C. P. E. Bach, Sonata in G Minor by Ludwig Van Beethoven, Nocturne in B flat Major by John Field, and Sunshower by Martha Hill Duncan. I got First Class Honors on the level 8 exam.
Learn about computer science topics covered in the American Computer Science League
I attended classes on Zoom every week, and sometimes in person for additional classes and contests. For Contest 1, I learned about Computer Number Systems, Recursive Functions, What Does This Program Do? For Contest 2, I learned about Prefix/Infix/Postfix Notation, Bit-String Flicking, and LISP Programming Language. For Contest 3, I learned about Boolean Algebra, FSAs, Regular Expressions, and Data Structures. For Contest 4, I learned about Graph Theory, Digital Electronics, Assembly Language. Click here to see the results.
Because of my STEM goal, I earned a STEM Star with my Congressional Award.
Physical Activity
I worked for more than 50 hours to fulfill one goal:
Improve my intermediate fencing skills
I attended an advanced recreational fencing class every week for 90 minutes, and I went to a fencing camp for a week over the summer. This activity was physically challenging because I needed to have a fast reaction time and change directions quickly. I learned and practiced jumps and half-lunges in the fencing class using the foil blade, and learned how to to use the epee blade and a lame in the camp. I went from just doing practice drills to actually dueling with score.
Exploration
The Congressional Award requires a 2-day, 1-night trip that exposes us to new experiences. I decided to explore a part of North Carolina I have never been to before, which is near Mt. Airy.
How I planned for the trip
I first chose a place not too far from where I live that has a different lifestyle, then chose places to go to that are on the way and at the place. I used Google Maps to help find a hotel and interesting places within a 2 hour drive. Mt. Airy seemed interesting because it was near mountains and it was where the Andy Griffith Show was based on. I read more about places to go near Mt. Airy on Google and looked up the opening hours. I made a schedule with the activities and the approximate timing for each, being careful about which places were closed on Sunday.
On Saturday, we Visited the Civil Rights Museum after we had breakfast and had lunch at Jerusalem Market. We hiked Hanging Rock and explored Mt. Airy in the afternoon. On Sunday, We Hiked Pilot Mountain and had lunch at Mama Zoe's. In the afternoon, we went to the historic village of Bethabara and visited a quarry.
How I was challenged
I have never done difficult hikes up mountains such as Pilot Mountain, never planned a hike before, and have never been in a town like Mt. Airy. I have also never picked a hotel. I also planned to have a picnic on Pilot Mountain, but I forgot to bring the cooler, so I decided to go to a restaurant nearby instead. The Civil Rights Museum revealed the injustices in the South during segregation, and it was interesting to see the place where the sit-ins actually happened. At Jerusalem Market, I didn't know what many of the menu options were, but the food I chose was delicious.
