“I think this part of the FAA made [project-based learning approach] learning much more fun and easier than just doing worksheet after worksheet alone. It made the work more approachable and motivated us to actually do it. It also helped us discover new talents.”
Q: What was your favorite thing about the FAA?
What I liked the most was how small the classes were, which meant the relationships with the teachers were great. Support was there every time I needed it. When some of us were ahead, it was easy to separate the class and assign different tasks. Having small classes also meant we were able to form strong friendships with our classmates.
Q: Sometimes bilingualism benefits us in unforeseen ways … you never know when knowing multiple languages will open the world up unexpectedly. How have you benefited from your bilingual education?
Being able to speak French, English, and some Spanish is very beneficial. For example, when I arrived in high school, I was able to enter higher-level French and Spanish classes, which was a great advantage. This summer, I had an internship at a company where I translated papers between French and English because they knew I had a stronger grasp of the language than anyone else. This shows that in both school and real work environments, speaking different languages is always useful and helpful.
Q: Looking back, what impact did the project-based learning approach at the FAA have on the way you learn, solve problems, or collaborate today?
I think this part of the FAA made learning much more fun and easier than just doing worksheet after worksheet alone. It made the work more approachable and motivated us to actually do it. It also helped us discover new talents. For example, some of my friends realized they were talented singers or actors when we produced a musical with the whole middle school.
Q: Do you have any special memories from field trips or school events that you still treasure?
I really remember when we went to Connecticut for a couple of days. We spent time learning about oceanography, and one day we went out on a small boat to see how certain animals live, reproduce, and fit into the food chain. The best part of the trip, though, was that it was a lot of fun. I had a great time with my friends and with my teachers, with whom I became closer.
Q: What’s one small moment or tradition at the FAA that still makes you smile when you think about it?
I think the end-of-year project we created in my 7th-grade class was great. We made a whole play from start to finish, including the script, the songs, the acting, and the directing. It felt more like a year-long project, which made it special because we could watch the movie grow as we created it. I still have the movie on my computer and sometimes rewatch certain scenes or show them to my friends. With my family, it is still something we enjoy talking about as a great memory. At the end of the year, we even had a movie premiere where all the parents came to watch it on a big projector. We were all dressed up and proud of the work we had done throughout the year.
Q: What are you studying or planning to study in college?
I am planning to study engineering in college. I don’t know where yet, but I have many options.
