Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.
Winston Churchill (allegedly)
Hello World! My name is Boyuan Liu. I am a soon-to-be graduate of the Pleasant Grove High School's Class of 2024. My family immigrated to the United States from Beijing, China when I was 12. I have lived in Elk Grove for 5 years and 1 year at Bay Area. It is definitely an interesting experience from living in a megacity and the capital of the second-largest economy in the world to a suburban city in California.
To be frank, I do not know what I have passion in. I do not quite know if I really have a passion for software engineering or is it purely because the stable and high-earning job that it offers. Regardless, I enjoy the ability to write computer programs and have it automate my mundane tasks. I hope I can further my interests in Computer Science and the rest of the world at University of California, Irvine.
Some "fun facts" about me: I'm notoriously famous for being salty of not being on top 10. Like even my AP Economics teacher "made fun" of me about it. I am also the "Ultimate Nerd" (Even though I'm clearly not since I'm not in Top 10...).
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Creative Problem Solver
Community Engagement
Communication and Collaboration
Integrity
Technical Literacy
Self-Awareness, Reliance, Discipline
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Creative Problem Solving
Description
My Physics teacher gave us the task of designing a projectile launcher (i.e. catapult) to launch a small object to a certain distance. The intent of the assignment is for us to apply the concepts we learned (force, kinematics calculation, energy, momentum, torque, motion) and design a real-life project. This is the group project where we need to collaborate and set up meeting times to make the project together. At the end, we will need to write a report on how this project went. This research paper also needs to include math calculation, which was primarily written by me.
Proficency
This project showed my ability to creatively think solutions to various problems our project encountered. For example, my partners and I brainstormed two prototypes and we questioned the advantages and disadvantages for each of them. We also have to deal with various supply problems. For example, we realized we needed more materials for the project and we only got less than 24 hours to get them. We came up with different solutions, such as asking classmates, calling stores and messaging CTE teachers to obtain these resources. Personally, I came up with different creative ways to calculate and minimize the errors within our project. I also wrote different math and physics concepts we used in the project.
Preparation
This project taught me how to apply practical knowledge I learned from CTE courses into real life. There were many obstacles that we as a group have to overcome, and each of us contributed solutions to solve these challenges. In careers, we will be facing many challenges that we have to overcome. Throughout the making of this project, I was able to contribute to the group and come up with different ways to solve these challenges. This project helped me to learn various creative ways to solve problems for my future careers and college.
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Community Engagement
Description
During the last summer break, EagleForce Robotics hosted a summer camp that allows K-6 students to “learn about simple machines, gears, drag-and-drop block coding, and robot designs, as well as gain valuable skills such as problem solving, communication, and cooperation”. I was one of the counselors that taught the students in the camp and provided tech support if necessary. I made a lesson plan for the lesson I am going to teach. I also helped kids to set up their computer and deploy codes to the robot. At the end of the camp, we organized kids into different groups for a friendly competition.
Proficency
Through this assignment, this made me personally closer to my community. I was really glad to see many kids came and participated in this summer camp. It’s definitely a great thing to see kids all around the community participating and learning more about STEM. I’m also very happy to see my lesson plan was able to engage the community with both our robotics team and STEM education better. I was able to gain more experience in volunteering and serving my community.
Preparation
Regardless of what I will do, it’s imperative for me to recognize people around the community and what they need. Serving the community can help me understand my community better and actually help someone. Volunteering is very important to various activities, such as business. In business, it’s important to recognize who we are serving. With the help of this activity, I was able to learn how to help my community and create a lesson.
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Communication and Collaboration
Description
This is a presentation on tone words for English. It was done in a group. My partner and I had the word indignant, which means extremely fierce based on unfair judgment. We prepared a presentation using google slides and presented it in front of the class. We don’t have a lot of time to prepare the presentation and we have to use the time wisely in order to complete the presentation.
Proficency
This slideshow requires detailed information of the word, such as definition, synonyms, sample sentences, etc. Slideshow is just the first step, however. Then there comes the actual presentation, in which we will need to present the slideshow in a professional manner in front of the class. We will need to communicate with each other in front of the class. We also need to make sure that our presentation is engaging by actively observing the audience's emotions.
Preparation
Through this assignment, we learned the ability to effectively communicate and discuss with one another to accomplish a group project. I also learned how to present professionally in front of a group audience. This can help me get more comfortable with public speaking. It also let me develop skills such as getting work done before the deadline and again, communicating with future classmates and coworkers. The most important takeaway from this assignment is to really effectively communicate to each other.
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Integrity
Description
This exam includes all the units (Stoichiometry, Gas Laws, Atomic Theory, Periodicity, Intermolecular Forces) covered in the fall semester. This is a multiple choice test. It suppose to simulates the multiple choice portion of AP exam but with time limited to one hour. It contains contents that may require extensive thinking and calculations. Overall, It's a rigorous test for many of those who took the test. The score I obtained was 93% (after curve).
Proficency
In order to study for this test, I must be diligently put enough work and having fine time management. Mrs. Kennedy, the teacher, helped us by releasing some of the progress check questions made by the College Board. After completing these progress check, I made a list of concepts I'm not sure of, and study intensely on these specific concepts. I also used various online and offline resources, such as YouTube, practice test, released free-response question (since there's no officially released multiple choice), and Princeton Review workbook. After done of the above, the day before the exam, I practically did no studying to calm myself down, and just get ready for the exam day. Overall, this demonstrate my ability to prepare diligently for an exam.
Preparation
The skills I developed will help me to able to adapt a fast-paced college environment, as AP Chemistry requires a lot of independent works just like college. I also need to to strategize time management skills so I can manage AP/Honors classes, regular classes, and other events happening in my life, which will help me in both my college life and beyond. It also helps me to manage my stress and reduce it through practices.
Study guide used to prepare for the exam.
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Technical Literacy
Description
During my freshman year, like the rest of others, I was stuck at home and doing practically nothing. This is until I finally decided to finish the unfinished, the infamous course CS50. This is a course offered by Harvard University’s OpenCourseWare, a platform where some Harvard professors will choose to publish their courses for free and for everyone to complete. CS50 earned its reputation by being the most popular course at Harvard and the most popular introduction to CS course. My focus, however, is a specialized course called CS50 for Web Development.
Proficency
It was a struggle, to say the least, at the start. It took me two months to set up a local Python development environment (a fancy way for saying install certain softwares that programmers need). But I persisted. Some days I would just watch 6-hour worth of lecture videos non-stop. To earn the certificate, I also need to complete various problem sets that involve me using the lesson taught in the lecture to create an actual product, like a pizza shop management website and a book rating website. Most, if not all, of the problem sets are very open-ended and require me to actively find resources online for me to figure out the solution. After months of hard work, I was able to solve all 4 problem sets and created a project of my very own.
Preparation
Through the completion of this online course, I was able to learn a crucial, in-demand skill, known as Python programming. Utilizing this skill, I can create a sophisticated website that I can use to benefit others. This skill can also help me to find a job, technical or not. Similarly, this is an excellent skill to put on a resume. As a prospective student majoring in Computer Science, I could further hone my programming skills and eventually work at a technology company or startup.
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Self-Awareness, Discipline, Reliance
Description
While I was stuck at home and trying to figure out a way to explain to my dad why I got a B+ on my Math II Honors class, I found this opportunity online: MLH Fellowship, which matches students with partner organizations to give students a chance to contribute to real-world product and working with real-working engineers remotely. I was assigned to the Facebook CrypTen project. During my time devoted to the project, I implemented new code to the repository, making the tensor execution better, faster, and easier to use for other methods. I engaged in weekly meetings on the projects, where I would provide updates to the mentors on progress made. Occasionally, the mentors and the project manager would tell us to read research papers on relevant materials, and I learned how to read academic-intensive writings. At the end of the program, my partner and I presented the CrypTen project to the rest of the participants. I also formed a group to compete in the hackathon at the end of this Fellowship, in which we won the best community outreach prize.
Proficency
I took advantage of the other programs and events that this fellowship offers. For example, I had a meeting every three or four days to get feedback from professional software engineers on one of my projects, for free. Through insightful discussion with them, I learned how to code better and more efficiently, as well as the basics of server management. I also reached out to other fellows and made connections with them. Throughout this Fellowship, I made extensive plan and research in order to met various deadlines and meeting with the mentors and the pod-mate.
Preparation
As one of the luckiest high schoolers who got admitted to this (allegedly) 2.5% acceptance rate program, I was able to learn so much more: from working on an actual project used by actual people, to learning crucial soft skills, such as group collaboration and communicating effectively. With the knowledge I learned from this Fellowship, I was able to apply the skills I learned to further my interests in programming and enhance my projects.
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Freshman Summative
Sophomore Summative
Junior Summative
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