Personal Narrative: The Eastern Box Turtle

Rosie was the proud owner of an Eastern Box Turtle! Excitement radiated from her as she read through the Wikipedia pages and turtle forums I had found. She could not believe how much there was to learn about the baby turtle she had found in her backyard. After an hour of passionate debate on the diet of the Eastern Box Turtle, she left the lab to brag about what she had learned. I had come to the senior center expecting to teach some lethargic retirees how to create email accounts, but I left reminded of the unbridled joy that comes from learning and teaching. As I have progressed through high school I have used Rosie’s infectious energy as inspiration in my life. Her enthusiasm has pushed me to go past the curriculum and share my passions
with others. I delight in finding the connections between my classes and using them to develop my knowledge. However, learning is not an independent activity and it thrives in the presence of new perspectives. From explaining the fundamentals of calculus to my younger brother to learning how to simulate thermal conduction in Fortran from a physics graduate student, I try to never miss a chance to teach and learn from others.// Technology has given Rosie and everyone else the unprecedented ability to explore and share their knowledge. By chasing my passions with unqualified enthusiasm I hope to push forwards the next era of technology and create the catalyst that will spur even more people to explore.