A curious student with a passion for science, technology, music, and service.
In this paid internship, I built a Python-based interface that analyzes images to detect and classify objects. It was my first opportunity to apply my programming skills to a real project, and I loved every part of it. I learned how to design user interfaces, fix tricky bugs, and break problems down to find the root cause. This experience deepened my passion for computer science and showed me how much I enjoy tackling challenges with code. It made me excited to learn more about how computers work, take on bigger projects, and continue exploring this subject in college and beyond.
I was elected by the VBAS Board of Directors to serve as its youth representative, advancing public engagement in astronomy and space science. I lead initiatives that broaden our audience and strengthen the long-term sustainability of the VBAS, which was founded 70 years ago by the rocket scientists responsible for NASA’s Apollo Program.
I help inspire more than 5,000 students each year by volunteering at outreach events and planetarium shows where I operate telescopes, share the VBAS meteorite collection, and help educate the public about space science. One Saturday each month, I work as a Planetarium Intern, operating planetarium and AV equipment.
I support hands-on astronomy outreach events where I bring telescopes and meteorites to communities, including rural schools with limited science resources, helping students experience space science firsthand. Through this work, including hundreds of volunteer hours, I've earned several awards including:
I also create educational videos for the VBAS YouTube and Instagram accounts, like the one below. My videos have received more than 40,000 views and added hundreds of new followers, helping to attract new members, donors, and grant opportunities. This digital outreach played a key role in raising donations for a new $50,000 endowment fund in 2024.
I founded a student-led computer programming club as a freshman, building it from a small interest group into a competitive team that meets weekly to learn, teach, and collaborate on coding projects. I led peers in preparing for hackathons and programming competitions, fostering both technical growth and a strong sense of camaraderie. Under my leadership, the club earned multiple city-wide and state-wide awards, while giving members hands-on experience with real-world programming, AI, and problem solving.
Awards:
I auditioned for and was selected by state music educators as the sole jazz guitarist in the band in 10th, 11th, and 12th grades (alternate in 9th). As a band member, I attended a 3-day workshop each year and performed in front of an audience. I learned how to play with a large group of highly talented musicians and rehearse new songs with them in a short period of time. I also had the opportunity to perform several improvised solos, which is my favorite part of playing jazz.
Original music recorded by me, playing all instruments. Primarily surf-rock inspired guitar music, with some Christmas songs in my personal style.
As a member of my high school varsity bowling team since freshman year, being elected Team Captain my senior year has been one of my proudest experiences. After earning Teammate of the Year as an underclassman, I was excited to take on a leadership role and help create a positive team culture. I focus on inspiring my teammates, especially the underclassmen, by encouraging them during tough matches and celebrating their successes. I also make sure we have fun, for example by wearing a turkey hat when someone gets three strikes in a row. Leading the team has taught me how to support others, build community, and set an example through my actions.
As a Model United Nations (UN) member, I participate in activities that simulate the procedures and processes of the real UN. At the 2024 NAIMUN Conference in Washington DC, with 3,000+ attendees, my resolution was the only one that passed in my 100-person committee.
I was one of 16 students selected for this tuition-free program for outstanding high schoolers. I studied with Auburn Science and Math research faculty for one week to explore topics including Computational Chemistry, Quantum Physics, and Human Anatomy.
I attended a 2 week summer camp at Rose-Hulman Institute of Tech, where I collaborated with a team of students to build a robotic prosthetic hand that could be used to help people with disabilities. I was responsible for all programming of the prosthetic. We were awarded 1st place among all student projects.
I design and build electric guitars from the ground up, combining woodworking, painting, and electronics into a single, functional instrument. Each build begins with shaping and finishing the body and neck, followed by winding my own pickups, selecting hardware, and assembling the electronics. I experiment with wiring configurations, capacitors, and pickup placement to dial in specific tones, and I troubleshoot issues like grounding problems, cold solder joints, and short circuits using multimeters and systematic testing. Through this process, I have developed strong hands-on skills in fabrication, circuit analysis, and precision craftsmanship.
Beyond construction, I use the guitars to perform and record music, which gives me feedback on how design choices affect tone, sustain, and playability. Building my own instruments has deepened my understanding of electromagnetism, acoustics, and materials science, and has taught me how to break problems down into smaller steps. I’ve built six complete guitars, including replicas of a 1954 Fender Stratocaster and a 1958 Fender Jazzmaster. I also build custom designs that incorporate unique elements such as humbucking pick-ups that can be coil split to achieve a wide range of tones and sounds.
A machine learning application that predicts wait times for popular Disney World attractions using historical data and weather patterns.
I use the same AI techniques I learned at a hackathon to predict wait times for rides like Space Mountain or Pirates of the Caribbean. I was excited to combine Disney with my love for coding because the magic of the theme parks has inspired my imagination ever since I was a kid. I knew theme park lines weren’t as important as medical research, but the problem was approachable, which made it the perfect playground for me to try my new skills.
I started by downloading ten years of historical ride data I found online. Then I programmed four different neural network algorithms and trained them on that data to create four unique predictive models. Still hungry to improve accuracy, I added data about weather, park hours, and holidays. Finally, I built a webpage that graphed the predictions. When I got the chance to test my program’s predictions on a real Disney World trip, I found they were accurate enough to help plan my family’s schedule and avoid the longest wait times. We all had fun checking the predictions to see how they compared with the real world.
Click here to view the website.
In this game, players control a constantly moving lightcycle while avoiding the trails the bikes create as well as various obstacles randomly generated on the screen.
I created this video game after I watched a similar game depicted in the TRON movies and wanted to find one online to play with my friends. After being unable to find one, I decided to create my own instead.