The way an individual experiences deafness is influenced not simply by their body, but by the community that surrounds them. When a space is created that only accommodates the needs of hearing individuals, Deaf individuals often find it challenging to build relationships and participate in the same activities as their peers. However, many Deaf individuals do not view their deafness as simply a medical condition, but view it through the lens of shared history and Deaf culture.

Two jobs that I have held during high school are working at Kumon and being a rescue squad EMT. At Kumon, I’ve been able to tutor and work with kids from a variety of different age groups on topics from math to writing to reading to science and each student I worked with taught me something different. By working with students in preschool and kindergarten, I learned the importance of compassion and patience in teaching. By working with kids in elementary and middle school, I

My proudest accomplishments are hosting a Holocaust Remembrance Assembly at our school and raising over $1,300 for cancer research initiatives. Having the opportunity to offer Ms. Randi Zucker a platform to share her grandmother’s story during our school assembly this past year was something incredibly meaningful to me, especially because of the conversations I heard about social responsibility after the assembly along with the insightful discussions we had in our history cla

For most of my childhood, my answer to “What do you want to be?” was akin to that of many others: a doctor. What changed as I grew up wasn't my answer, but the depth and the understanding behind it. When asked today, I say a hematologist-oncologist. One of the very first research questions that intrigued me was how cancer cells switch between phenotypes, for example from epithelial to mesenchymal, to metastasize or evade treatment. I encountered this while researching metasta

In a world that’s become home to a myriad of diverse and expansive cultures, it leads one to wonder why it is that some face acceptance, while others face ignorance. It poses a question of why it’s seen as an effort to accommodate different ideas of thinking, rather than force assimilation. The United States, for example, was a country founded on immigrants who brought with them a diversity of thought and customs, yet the 21st century still sees persecution and prejudice of t

I think that the extracurricular activities that I have found to be the most meaningful involve areas where I have had to be a leader and where I’ve had the ability to apply my creativity in a constructive manner. One of my leadership roles that I believe I’ve had the most growth in is being the Vice President of Culture & Diversity Club. I began as a member my freshman year and I discovered that although many of us as students belonged to the same ethnic group, there was sti

The first time, It was a mirror. Reflecting back the joy of youth, the naivety in innocence. Its waves weaving a melody, as soothing as a mother’s lullaby. Running barefoot across foam-tipped laughter, no fonder a friend was there. Twinkles of blue melded, its end obscuring the sky’s beginning. A jellyfish pulsed lightly near the dock, but how would its sting be anything but soft? No lovelier a feeling of home, the sun’s kiss lulled me deeper, deeper, deeper… The second tim

When I was younger, the ocean was always a place of light for me. Nothing made me happier on vacation than collecting little seashells and pebbles while just feeling the sun on my back. I would pretend that the ocean was sentient and even tell it about my day. That's what I explore in the first stanza of my poem, the first "side" of the sea. Yet, life couldn't stay as pure as it once was. Grief isn't something that's felt all at once for many people, but something that often

Throughout history, human and community responses to events of paranoia have been deemed “social delusion,” “mass hysteria,” or “mass psychogenic illness.” Despite the various classifications, the concept of “mass hysteria” most efficiently explains the way humans react to frightening situations such as the Salem Witch Trials, Cyber Ghost Scare, Nazi Germany, the Red Scare, and the French Reign of Terror through the shared characteristics displayed in each situation: the infl