- Senior Projects: While Seniors are hearing back from universities, they are helping out underclass folks on their projects and will be acting as judges at the Showcase.
- Junior Projects: There are a number of really exciting projects underway among the 11th graders. Leah Zheng and Madi Lee are working on developing a math tutoring service for middle school students called Math Genies, while Padma Ignatius, Kylie Abrego, Shane Ryan, and Zhivan Khaleeli are continuing to develop Kismet, a mentorship program to broaden the opportunities of elementary students. Brandon Holland is putting the final touches on his CallMap application that will visually map incident reports on college campuses, while Emily Raley and Eliot Hom are developing a water filtration device.
- Sophomore Projects: Lots of really terrific projects being developed by the sophomore class this year, with a number of projects reflecting the sophomore theme of artificial intelligence. Veronica Panina is examining the use of AI in medical care in a TEDx SHC talk – please come by and in the audience on April 14th at the Collins Theater for the 10th anniversary of SHC’s TEDx program. Simran Phojanakong is working on a project exploring future applications of AI in genonomics, while Aanya Shah is developing a chatbot to advise you on the impact of AI on jobs of the future. Slava Shabelsky is developing an idea of self-deploying snow chains for cars.
- Frosh Projects: The 9th-graders are working on a range of cool projects. Kieran Batchelli-Hennessey is exploring the field of geo-engineering, specifically the potential of cloud-brightening technologies as a way to deflect solar radiation and cool the Earth. Liam Cannon and Fionn De Barra are developing a program at SHC to educate the community and tackle the issue of electronic waste. Alex Chang is working with SHC to develop a plan to deploy solar panels and heat pumps in the buildings at SHC to drive down our climate impact. Prototyping methods of restoring coral reefs suffering from warm ocean temperatures, Piper Johnson, Ava Perez, and Cali Tangaan are building water tanks to test out possible approaches.
A Huge Welcome To The i2 Class of 2029
We all loved meeting you at the i2 Showcase – those of you who were able to make it. If you couldn’t make it, we’ve got your welcome gift waiting for you. Mr. Standley will be in touch with you via email at the end of the school year with more information and some dates for you to put on the calendar for next year.
i2 Showcase: The i2 Scholars showed some amazing work at the Showcase on Saturday, April 5th. There were some simply jaw dropping projects – more on that to come!
Themes: This year focus themes have been introduced to each grade level. For the frosh, the theme is the climate crisis; for the sophomores, the focus is on artificial intelligence; and for the juniors, it’s the “Anthropocene” (suggesting that we’ve entered a new geological epoch in which humankind is altering the planet in a variety of ways).
Forecasting: Also new this year is the introduction, across all grade levels, to the skill of future thinking. Integrating the themes, i2 scholars are learning the basics of looking ten years into the future, drawing on many of the same thinking skills as historical thinking.
A snapshot of all the activities i2 Scholars are involved
in at SHC (click for large-scale image)
The Inquiry & Innovation Program (i2) is a four-year leadership and enrichment program that challenges students to inquire how their capabilities and passions can serve communities from the local to global scale and to explore innovative ways to do so effectively.
The i2 Program develops students’ problem-solving, creativity, analytical abilities, and leadership skills through a curriculum that integrates STEM, liberal arts, and service. Through annual projects, field trips, talks, performances, and outdoor adventures, students examine and address ideas and issues outside the classroom.
As they involve themselves in the many programs at SHC, including Robotics, the Student Launch Initiative, and TEDxYouth@SHC, i2 students build their capacity to create positive change in the world.
Starting in the 9th grade, i2 students get to know each other and begin to build a sense of community through dedicated ninth-grade Physics and World History courses.
(click here to learn more)
This year, Izzy Guzman showed off her third generation version of her award-winning Senser project she began last year. With Senser, Izzy is developing an enhanced version of the white cane used by the visually impaired, adding electronics to the cane to alert users of the distance of objects in their path. Last year, she built a prototype, attaching an ultrasonic range finder, a vibration motor, and a speaker. She also presented her project at SHC’s Student Launch Initiative and received funding, which she is using to purchase the updated components for version 3. As she updates the design, she is testing it out as part of ongoing work at Lighthouse, an organization in San Franciso that supports the blind and visually impaired.
We know this is a bit aspirational – and we’re not sure how if we can make this work, but…we’re reaching out to i2 graduates in hopes that we can hear from all you out there and catch up on what you’re doing, hear your stories and learn about your adventures. Shoot us a note and tell us what you’re up to!
Please feel free to contact Dabney Standley with any questions, updates, offers of help, and support! We’d love to hear from you.
i2 in Photos
Ziplining Adventure
