Sarek celebrates his last day of middle school and the end of almost 15 months of distance learning with pie for breakfast. He is starting to resist my requests for pictures of milestone moments. You can see the clash between his developmentally appropriate ambivalence and his nature to be a good sport in the pictures.
Describe your best educational experience. What made it the best? What could have made it better?
My best educational experience happened in 5th grade, right before quarantine started in March of 2020. My school’s science fair was about to take place and this was my first science fair project. I did my project on whether the color of a carrot affects how fast a guinea pig eats it. My variable was the color of the carrot, red vs orange. I hypothesized that color made a difference in how fast a carrot was eaten and that orange would be eaten faster. I concluded that part of my hypothesis was correct. Color did matter, but it was the red carrot that got eaten faster. It turns out that red carrots have more sugar than orange carrots, so the color represents how much sugar is in them.
Science is a difficult subject for me, and I had never done a project like this, so initially, I felt overwhelmed and intimidated. However, once I broke the project into different pieces, it not only became manageable but also fun. I grew in independence and learned how to plan out my work. It really played a role in my later projects and school assignments. What could have made this experience better was to actually have presented it in person. Quarantine for COVID-19 had just started, so we filmed and uploaded videos of ourselves explaining the project online. It would have been good for me to get feedback from more people and learn from other projects.
Describe a time when you were able to maintain a positive attitude at school when other students had a negative attitude. What was the situation, and how did you handle it?
A time when I was able to maintain a positive attitude at school when other students had a negative attitude was also when I was in 5th grade. Our class was divided into groups and each group was assigned to research a specific Native American tribe. Then we were supposed to design a board showing the results of our research and present them back to the class. We were given class time but also expected to work on it outside of school. I was in a group with four other students who were easily distracted and didn’t take the work seriously. They would go to other tables and socialize, leaving me to do all the work. Instead of letting that happen, I assigned them parts of the project and set deadlines for finishing their part. I told them that after they finished all their parts we would put it all together. We all agreed that we should present the parts we were assigned. After breaking the project into pieces and taking leadership, I think the members of my group were more focused on the project and determined to do exceptional work.
Long Answer
Who is your hero, and why?
My hero is Kamala Harris for many reasons. First, she is mixed race like me and the actual same mix as me, Black and Indian. That is not very common at all. In fact, she is the only other mixed Indian-Black person I know besides my brother. Second, she was raised by an Indian immigrant mom, also like me. When I see pictures of her as a little girl next to her mom who is in a sari, the pictures look just like me during trips to India or my Mom with my Grandma. Third, she is the first female Vice President ever in the US. All these qualities make me feel like I can do anything and be powerful like her. She seems proud of her background and doesn’t explain or make excuses about it. For example, she once said, “My point was: I am who I am. I’m good with it. You might need to figure it out, but I’m fine with it,” and “Look at what a daughter of first-generation immigrant parents can accomplish.” Kamala Harris was San Francisco’s former District Attorney and California’s former Attorney General. Her accomplishments in my home city and state make her seem more approachable and real. Kamala Harris has been vocal about Black Lives Matter, and social justice is something me and my family care a lot about. She also cares about saving the planet. When I was in 5th grade, I participated in the youth climate strike, and climate change is something I still care about. Ms. Harris is a great public speaker and calls things as they are. When Kamala Harris sees injustice she is not afraid to speak out about it and never backs down. She doesn’t run from difference, she sees the diversity of our nation as a strength.
Sarek and I had an impromptu lunch date in Cole Valley after his 8th grade picture day, where he saw many of his classmates for the first time since school closed a year ago. He said it was fun but somewhat overwhelming. This is the second lunch we've had outdoors at a restaurant in a year. It feels so luxurious to ask for food, have it arrive like magic, and then have the dishes whisked away. The things we used to take for granted. We left a huge tip. I'm an essential worker, but the wait staff are the true essential workers and front liners. They keep our economy running, and they should be treated like the kings and queens they are.
My hands are small, but still! At 13 years of age Sarek is 5 feet 7 inches tall with size 11 feet. Lord have mercy.
Sarek was one of three middle school students chosen for a student panel for a night of "Black Excellence" put on by his school system. He presented on Katherine Johnson, Great-Aunt, and also answered questions posed by the audience.
Way to go, Bubs!
