Due to the current pandemic, education has been confined to online classes. Though teaching has become more complicated, there are students who continue to stand out despite the change in learning. One of these students is Derek Ramos Matos, a freshman who has managed to give a prominent impression through his attendance at the WHSAD Summer Bridge and WHSAD Makerspace Studio Programs. The element that made him stand out the most, however, was his project created during the Summer Bridge Program.
When posed the opportunity, Derek was willing to answer a few questions on himself and his experiences at WHSAD thus far.
Can you share a little about yourself? (Such as hobbies, goals, motivations, etc.)
“Well to start off, my name is Derek Ramos and I am a freshman at WHSAD. In my spare time, I enjoy playing chess and other types of games where I can interact with friends and compete against others. I also really enjoy sitting down and drawing as it helps me relax and it eases my mind. One of the goals I have set for myself is graduating with honor grades. Another goal I have set for myself is to become more organized and efficient with the work I have to complete. I will work on these goals, and I hope my time at WHSAD will help me develop, and in time, help me accomplish them.”
Please tell us about experience at WHSAD thus far.
“My experience at WHSAD has been fulfilling and new. I am doing new things and working on things that I never imaged as an 8th grader. Things like the Summer Bridge program are what really got me introduced to the school and classmates along with some teachers. My transition from 8th grade has been really smooth, and I also give a lot of thanks to my teachers because my classmates and I are still receiving a high school education even though we’re experiencing a lot of changes due to COVID-19. I hope things will get better in the future and I have high expectations for my four years at WHSAD.”
What are some extracurricular activities you partake in? How do they benefit you?
“I partake in a few extracurricular activities that are helping me grow and advance as a student here at WHSAD. I take part in the WHSAD Makerspace Studio, Art Club, and I am currently working with the WHSAD recruitment team. These clubs and teams are further developing my skills when it comes to presentation, drawing, and the architectural design process. They also help me gain community service hours that are required for graduation. These programs will sharpen my skills, and I cant wait to get further into these programs.”
What was your inspiration for such an elaborate project in the Summer Bridge Program?
“My inspiration came from recent advances for NASA to visit the moon again and from me wanting to be an astronaut when I was smaller. When this opportunity came up for me to design something, I wanted to focus my project on something that was different and unique. I thought about what to do for a couple of days when finally I found an article about how NASA is planning to go to the moon again in a program called Artemis. This sparked the idea for me to design a habitat on the moon. I was already familiar with lots of aspects of space so when I started my project, I was able to think about how to actually make it plausible. This is what inspired and drove my Summer Bridge Design project.”
To view Derek’s Summer Bridge presentation, click on the YouTube link: