by Jamie Somerville (Dublin High School Class of 2010 and UC San Diego Class of 2014)
Jamie Somerville (3rd from left)
My high school self would probably die of shock if he heard what I was currently doing. “A PhD?! But that requires even more school and writing (gasp)… A THESIS!” Throughout high school, I was arrogant enough to believe that I wouldn’t need English for my future (Ms. Briggs and Ms. Hollison can both attest to this). I really enjoyed math and I thought that as long as I excelled in it, success would just be piled at my doorstep. In my senior year at Dublin High, I applied only to the UC’s mainly because I really didn’t want to write any more application essays than I needed to. To compound the issue, my belief in the frivolous nature of writing translated into not spending as much time on my essays as I should have. Well, March rolled around and to my horror I was rejected from UCLA. My initial reaction was denial; I thought there must have been a mistake. I even started drafting a letter to petition the decision. Lucky for me, UCSD saw beyond the laziness of my essays and decided to accept me anyway. Moral of the story for any high school students reading this: being a good writer matters in life, not just for applications but also for communicating in the workplace and being able to explain your thinking. That was my first lesson post-high school and I wanted to make sure I got that across this time around.
Oxford – Radcliff Camera Library
With that said, I hope now to answer the maybe more interesting question: how did I go from entering UCSD as a Mathematics major to flying across the Atlantic to pursue a PhD in Materials Science at the University of Oxford? Well the first thing I’d like to make very clear is that UCSD was an absolute blessing for me. After 3 weeks in my first math major class, I decided that conceptual math wasn’t for me and I dropped the class and quit the major. I was fortunately allowed to change to what was the newest major in the university at the time, NanoEngineering. For those of you not familiar, “nanoengineering” (which, for the first time ever, my updated version of Word isn’t trying to autocorrect) is defined as the design and manipulation of materials that have one or more dimensions constrained to the length scale of 1 to 100 nanometers (1 m = 1 billion nm). I was also drawn in by how cool nanorobots sounded. Read more…
Are CollegeBoard Advanced Placement (AP) courses worth the extra work? According to every single Dublin High School alum we’ve interviewed as part of the Life in College and Life After College profiles the answer is a resounding “yes”. Below is a sample of the advice from former students on how AP classes and the high stakes AP exams helped them adjust to college level courses and in some cases graduate early. AP, Honors and Advanced classes (there are 33 to choose from at Dublin High School) can also result in a grade bump (resulting in a higher GPA).
Most important though, AP courses provide students with an opportunity to challenge themselves in subjects that truly interest them – from AP Computer Science to AP Music Theory. But that’s enough from us; here is what Dublin High students had to say:
Malina Jiang – Stanford University – Computer Science: “In AP classes there is a big build-up to the AP exams at the end of the year, exams that cover the material for the entire year. As a result, you are forced to absorb what you learn throughout the year rather than just forgetting the material after a chapter test. You learn how to cumulate knowledge which is really helpful in college.” Read more..
Dublin High Lady Gaels Coach Trisha Campbell
“If you get caught up in things over which you have no control, it will adversely affect those things over which you have control.” – John Wooden. These words were spoken by the legendary collegiate basketball coach at UCLA over four decades ago. However, as one of the most revered coaches and teachers in the 20th century, these words continue to resonate with truth today. They seem to serve as a great lesson for not only current students, but for all of us. The 2014-15 Dublin High School Lady Gaels Varsity basketball team has been enjoying an unprecedentedly successful season. At the time of publication, they have compiled an eye-popping 20-2 season record. In some ways, it is even more impressive than what their profession counterparts, the Golden State Warriors, have achieved this year.
Dublin High Lady Gaels Varsity Basketball
What makes the story even more endearing is that the teams head coach Trisha Campbell is a Dublin High School Class of 2006 Alumnus. She lettered in Varsity basketball in all four years during her tenure. Upon graduation, she completed a B.A. in Psychology from the University of California, Davis. While it wasn’t her preordained path, she embraced the subject of Psychology and felt that this might create a pathway for her to support younger people. She decided to pursue a Teaching Credential from Brandman University and completed it in 2012. Thereupon, she began employment with DUSD and has been teaching freshman and junior level English at Dublin High. Ms. Campbell is also a continuing student on a path to complete a M.S. in Sport Psychology from Capella University which she expects to conclude in 2017. Read more…
DHS Center for Performing Arts and Education
The always popular Dublin High School Drama Club Student Directed One Acts open tonight for a four performance run. Every year, the Dublin High Drama Club hands the directing keys over to the students. The students not only direct the plays, but also select the material, audition fellow students and work through the ever complex series of decisions that result in a thrilled audience. For those new to the theatre, the One Acts is a perfect introduction, with something for everyone.
The One Acts will be performed Thursday – Saturday at 7 pm and Sunday at 2 pm in the new Center for Performing Arts and Education. Tickets are $7 for students and $10 for adults.
The full list of One Acts and casts:
Kelsey hiking a volcano in Rwanda
Of the hundreds of stories we’ve shared over the past five years, few are as inspiring as Dublin High School Class of 2007 graduate and UC Santa Barbara Class of 2012 alum Kelsey Finnegan.
Kelsey last spoke with us in April 2013, separated by continents and time zones, from a cafe in Kigali, Rwanda. Fast forward to 2015 and that’s where we reached Kelsey once again, the Skype connection less shaky but the vibrant, bustling backdrop of Rwanda’s capital unchanged.
It is remarkable to consider that just twenty years go Rwanda was in chaos amid one of the worst genocides in history which saw neighbors slaughter neighbors, leaving millions displaced and over 800,000 murdered. Twenty years ago Americans fled the country while their Rwandan friends and colleagues remained trapped in the chaos. In the years following the massacre, the Rwandan population fell by nearly 2 million as refugees poured into surrounding countries.
From this chaos, it is hard to imagine a better day is possible or that hope can be found. Yet hope survives, and Kelsey’s work with the non-profit Survivors Fund, the first organization focused on the challenges of Rwandan genocide survivors, is one of the reasons why. Kelsey is not only a Project Officer with Survivors Fund, but also the Director of the Happy Kids Orphanage and School in Ghana.
Our story begins in Ghana, were Kelsey’s journey in the African continent began back in 2009, while she was working towards a Bachelor of Communication with a minor in Global Peace & Security at UC Santa Barbara.
James Morehead: How has Happy Kids in Ghana expanded and grown since you first got involved with the organization?
As Dublin High School students make course selections for the 2015-16 school year, they’ll have 19 more courses to choose from. Dublin High’s Advanced Placement program is expanding along with visual and performing arts, language programs, athletics, applied arts, life sciences and social studies. The current Dublin High School course catalog is available here. [UPDATED: 2-3-2015 Three additional classes including AP Computer Science A and two additional ROP classes were added since this article was originally published bringing the total to 19 news classes.]
A summary of the new 2015-16 courses are available below:
Pacific Coast Repertory Theatre is opening not one, but two terrific shows this week, presenting Forever Plaid and Taffetas performed in repertory (alternating nights).
The shows will run from January 30th, 2014 through February 15th, 2015: Friday and Saturday at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm. All performances will take place at Firehouse Arts Center, located at 4444 Railroad Avenue in Pleasanton, CA. Tickets are $17-$38 each, and are available at the Firehouse Arts Center Box Office, by phone at (925) 931-4848, or online at www.pcrtproductions.org or www.firehousearts.org.
OneDublin.org was invited for exclusive access during dress rehearsals – here is a preview of the fun awaiting you at the Firehouse Arts Center:
Valley High School Counselor Liz Buckley Honored by Tri-Valley YMCA
Valley High School Counselor Liz Buckley
In every January, the Tri-Valley YMCA convenes to commemorate individuals and groups that have made meaningful contributions to our community. It is not a coincidence that this ceremony occurs close to the celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This civil rights leader was known for many things, not the least of which was his march on Washington D.C. and his subsequent “I Have a Dream” speech delivered on the National Mall. While the stirring words from this message are easily recounted in our minds, Dr. King had thoughts on other subjects.
“Not everyone can be famous but everybody can be great, because greatness is determined by service.” These words by Dr. King serve as an appropriate backdrop to the event. For 15 years, the Tri-Valley YMCA has celebrated the contributions of many community volunteers. They have hosted a Fellowship Breakfast and this year it occurred at the Doubletree Hotel in Pleasanton on Monday.
Local dignitaries including former Mayor of Dublin Tim Sbranti, Lars Ho-Tseung, TV YMCA Board Chair and former Oakland Raider Napoleon Kaufman offered words of wisdom. Additional honorees included Dale Eldridge Kaye, CEO of the Tri-Valley Leadership Group and members of the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department/ACFD for their work in the Toys for Tots program. However, this day belongs with Ms. Buckley.
Dublin High School’s Malina Jiang Discovers Computer Science at Stanford University
Malina Jiang
The latest entry in both the Life in College and Women in STEM series of articles profiles Dublin High School Class of 2013 valedictorian and Stanford University Class of 2017 sophomore Malina Jiang. Malina talks about how she became passionate about computer science, earned a place in Stanford, and landed her first engineering internship at WorkDay.
OneDublin.org: At what point did you discover a passion for computer science?
Malina Jiang: “While at Dublin High School I always thought I’d be in a STEM field, originally in math. It was college where I had my first exposure to computer science, in one of my first classes. I definitely want to credit all my teachers at Dublin High for keeping me interested in science, math and technology throughout high school.
“My first computer science class piqued my interest, but it was after my second CS class, and learning about recursion, when I really became interested in CS as a major.”
OneDublin.org: Were there any classes at Dublin High School that stand out?
Jiang: “I remember my AP Chemistry and AP Physics classes, which were two of my favorite classes in high school. My AP Physics teacher, Ms. Lewis, was really engaging and showed how the concepts could be applied in the real world. Even though the material was hard, it was worth the struggle to understand the material.”
OneDublin.org: How did you manage to survive an all AP curriculum for your junior and senior years?
Jiang: “I wanted to challenge myself and believed that I could succeed if I put in the effort. I also tried to really understand the material, not just memorize facts, because if you understand the material it’s a lot easier to reason off what you know than it is to keep a bunch of formulas in your head.”
Andrew at the Arc de Triomphe
It’s been two years since Dublin High School Class of 2012 alum Andrew Song wrote about his transition to The University of Chicago. We recently caught up with Andrew after he completed studying abroad in Paris.
OneDublin.org: Before we talk about your semester abroad in Paris, how about a quick update on how things are going at the University of Chicago?
Andrew Song: “I’m in my third year right now pursuing a major in economics, but am actually graduating at the end of this year. Coming into the University of Chicago I had a lot of AP credits. At Dublin High School I took a lot of AP courses and exams which satisfied many of my general requirements. The economics major program usually takes two years to complete in addition to the general requirements, but with so many general requirements taken care of with AP credits I was able to accelerate the process and will graduate this spring.”
OneDublin.org: Describe economics and how the discipline is applied in the real world.
Song: “Economics is one of the disciplines that really ties things together. Concepts like supply and demand are applicable to understanding how many things work in the world. Economics is a social science, and unlike hard sciences like physics or chemistry, it is very hard to run perfectly controlled experiments that take into account every single relevant factor. Attending the University of Chicago helped me understand that in economics nothing goes perfectly and that there are many human factors to consider.
“It’s also interesting how trends emerge from multiple different factors. You can make generalizations using economics, but it is difficult to formulate ideal answers that perfectly capture all aspects of the issue you are trying to solve.”
OneDublin.org: The University of Chicago is home to Freakonomics co-author Professor Steven Levitt. Have you been fortunate to have a class taught by Prof. Levitt in your time so far?
Song: “No, I haven’t! Prof. Levitt typically teaches the upper level students so I hope to be in one of his classes before I graduate.”
OneDublin.org. At what point did you decide to include studying abroad as part of your experience, and how did you manage to do so while staying on track to graduate early?
OneDublin.org 