My Global & Environmental Identity
- As a global and environmental citizen I strive to preseve the well-being of our planet and to collaborate with others about global issues. My curiosity drives my interests and motives me to gain knowledge and make a difference. I spend most of my time in small suburban towns surrounded by family and friends. I spend a lot of time outdoors, mostly in the water or on a mountain. I value traditions, both cultural ones with my family, and silly ones with my friends. I love to travel, explore new places, and immerse myself in different cultures. I learn best from having conversations with people and hearing about their life experiences. I am interested in diverse cultures and different ecosystems. My role as a student of global and environmental studies is to make an effort to understand the different relationships that create the foundation for human life. The connection between humans and the environment, between the government and the people, between opposing countries, and between species and habitats. I learn from the interactions between human societies and the environment, which shape what life is like on Earth now and in the future. My goals for the GESC program are to gain a deeper understanding of how different places interact with their natural surroundings and how that can be applied to our everyday lives. I wish to take small steps to making a bigger change. Most of all, through the process, I hope to meet lots of new people, collaborate intently with them, and learn new things.
Global & Environmental Resume
GESC-designated Courses
- World History
- French
- CL English IV: Literature and the Environment
- CL Economics
- CL Statistics
- Ceremics I
- Digital Photography I
Elective Courses
- As one of the co-leaders of the Darwin Club I plan and engage in hikes, camping excursions, and other outdoor activities with the school. This year, we worked closely with the administration to recieve more funding for the program be able to grow.
GESC Experiential Education
Over the summer, I spent 10 days traveling to 4 different locations in Scandinavia- Cophenhagen, Samsø, Aarhus, and Malmo. During that time I studied sustainability and innovation. We learned about biking culture in Copenhagen, farming practices on the carbon-neutral island of Samsø, and different architectural styles in Aarhus.
Learning Artifacts
GESC Coursework
- In CL Economics, we were tasked with presenting recommendations to help economically grow underdeveloped nations. This project allowed me to develop empathy for people, learning how these challenges affect their day-to-day lives. It motivated me to think critically about how others and I can help them both on a larger scale, but also with little things. I was able to seek knowledge by exploring the cultures of my chosen country, Haiti, and understand their economic patterns and trends. While there is a lot of work to be done in Haiti, this project will hopefully inspire others to take action and help create a change.
GESC Seminars
- #2: Going into this excursion, I thought that my life would be very different than the people I engaged with. And in some ways it was, but in most ways, it wasn’t. The girls I talked to have a lot of the same interests that I do and spend their free time in a similar way. One thing that I found interesting is how they used the building for many different things– prayer, classes, and events. This reminds me of what I learned about the use of space on my trip to Scandinavia this summer. One thing I thought was interesting was how there were separate prayer rooms for boys and girls. Then the girls feel like they have space where they aren’t being watched by men and can be themselves. I wonder how this affects other parts of their culture?
- #4: In seminar four, I learned about how Mahinalant Cavalier embarked on a 17-day voyage, sailing from Hawaii to Tahini. Mahinalant was not the first to do this, but rather someone who wished to carry on her cultural traditions from hundreds of years ago. On the voyage, while some improvements have been made, they still follow many traditional methods. One of the most impressive parts of her voyage was that all the navigation was done by traditional methods of chart and star analysis, rather than a GPS. It was inspiring to hear about the traditions she helps uphold and the insights she gained while at sea. Mahinalant developed new skills as she adapted to life on board, which she noted was the most difficult part. The biggest takeaway I had from this presentation was the idea that the water, oceans, connects us as opposed to divides us. For generations, people have been sailing around the world on different voyages in an effort to meet people and share their culture by using this environmentally friendly way of transportation. Mahinalant and her fellow crew mates strive to seek knowledge by exploring their culture and history, and analyzing how it fits into modern time.
GESC Electives
- The Darwin Club seeks and identifies opportunities for collaboration by encouraging people to connect outdoors with nature and with one another. The Darwin Club took a trip out to the cabin this fall, to clean it up and explore the area, in preparation for future trips. The Darwin Club provides a space and the resources for me and others to enjoy the outdoors and share our findings. Being a leader of this organization has motivated me to urge others to utilize the space for the better and to be grateful for the environment.
GESC Experiential Education
Capstone Project
Language Tables
Project rationale
On my trip to scandinavia, we realized that everywhere we went, we expected people to speak english. We also expect visitors to speak english when they come to the United States. My partner and I identified this as an unjust double standard. In an effort to take small steps to address the problem, and bring awareness to it, we established language tables. Language tables happened during Wednesday lunch and were simply a place for students to come together in a casual, comfortable, fun environment to practice speaking french.
Target Audience
The goal of the language table is to develop the speaking and communication skills of students at Loomis. Our focus was on the french program, as both my partner and I take French, but we hope that the program grows and expands to other languages in the future. We welcomed students from all levels, one through six. For the students at lower levels, we encouraged them to speak and reminded them that mistakes are okay, but we didn't force them, as just the act of listening to the conversation helps develop skills. And we saw students in higher levels take a leadership role, pushing the conversation in more challenging directions.
Project Process
We crafted a lot of our plans during our time in Scandinavia, where we received extensive feedback on the idea. Once arriving on campus, our first step was to meet with the head of the language department where we discussed different directions for the program. We also met with the head of the French department and started planning. Before each table, we prepared talking points in case the conversation fell flat or to encourage students to speak about topics out of their comfort zone. The hardest part was getting students to the table. We had cultural food at every table, macaroons and madelines. We hung up posters around school, had announcements in the daily bulletin, emailed with teachers, and displayed ads on the dining hall TVs. But we had the most success when we reached out to students directly and their teacher encouraged them to go as well.
Visual Interests
Add images of the project process and/or final product. (There is no minimum number of images, as this is largely based on individual experiences and project trajectories.)
Project Reflection (To be written upon conclusion of your Capstone, 250-300 words)
Language tables target the "develop skills" section of the matrix, specifically "expanding active listening, open communication, and self-reflection techniques". Running this initiative helped me gain a deeper understanding of how different forms of communication can connect and separate us. When we view language as a tool that connects people globally, rather than a blockade, it becomes a necessary tool to understand the world around us. This also gave me a newfound appreciation for the different initiatives Loomis does to grow our skills and character, as it proved to be challenging. The success of language tables motivates me to continue to view problems with the idea that their is a solution, even if small. I believe this program made a difference; it definitely helped my own language skills, and I am excited to see how it continues in the future. In the future, I hope to see language tables continue and expand to other languages. I think more incoperation into the language program would be beneficial in getting more students involved in the program. If the program continues to grow, I think that language tables could become a part of the community work job program. Students could apply to be a language table leader, where they were responsible for creating talking points, encouraging people to speak outside their comfort zone, and reminding everyone to speak in the target language as much as possible.
GESC Reflection (150-300 words)
In my original statement of intent, I said that I was more interested in the global part of this certificate. My interest has continued, but on my experiential learning trip, I drew a connection between the global aspects of the program and the environment. I was able to gain new insights about how different places used sustainable methods. Coming back to campus, I was able to look at our sustainability efforts with a new perspective, bring new ideas to the table, and learn how to minimize our carbon footprint. I also wrote about how I wished to develop problem-solving skills that I could use to help the Loomis community. For my capstone, my partner and I recognized a problem in Scandinavia- an unjust double standard of Americans expecting everyone to speak English. We were able to identify this problem and use our developed skills to take a small step and fix this within the Loomis community. Overall, I am proud of what I have accomplished with the guidance of this certificate and excited to share what I have learned.