Hi there! My name is Courtney Mar-Lew, and I am a current junior at SHC. In the classroom, I have explored various interests — everything from history to science to art. My favorite classes of all time are APUSH and Honors Biology for their interesting material and types of critical thinking. However, I think the class that pushed me the furthest was Art 3,4, where I learned an entirely new discipline: creating conceptually interesting, well-developed artwork. This class changed how I brainstorm and execute ideas, plus it gave me the confidence to join i2 this year.
My SHC experience would also not be the same without extracurriculars. As someone who loves everything creative, I spend a lot of time on projects in Photography Club, our school newspaper, The Emerald, and for our school’s yearbook.
Currently, I am serving as vice president of the Photography Club, so I help plan club meetings, online photography competitions, and field trips. I have been a member of the club since my freshman year, so it has been really rewarding to see how far the club has grown. Additionally, as SHC News editor of The Emerald, I both brainstorm and edit all articles related to SHC’s current events, as well as write about topics that I am passionate about. In Yearbook, I have been working diligently on photography and design, making sure that significant SHC memories do not fade. I’m always excited about photographing major school events like Bruce-Mahoney games, instrumental concerts, and more.
Despite my background in the arts, my project this year is focused on the effects of music on memory, originally with the intention of finding alternate dementia treatments. This topic is very personal to me because I have seen the negative effects of dementia on my grandma. Although we could not focus on dementia patients due to IRB complications, I hope to continue this type of work and raise awareness of the disease.
Specialized Auditory Learning (SPAUL) investigates the effects of music on short-term memory.
Project details