My name is Claire Hacker, and I live in Cottage Grove, Wisconsin. I'm a senior at Monona Grove High School in Monona, which is near Wisconsin's capital: the lovely city of Madison. Just as Madison encompasses a huge variety of cultures, Monona Grove's nine hundred-some students have very diverse interests both inside and outside of school. My personal interests in school include science classes, Spanish, and orchestra, although really I enjoy learning about anything. At school I am also involved in Math Team and Spanish Club. Last year, I played in the pit orchestra for our school musical, which was an incredibly fun challenge. I am also a member of the National Honor Society.
Claire Hacker
When I'm not at school or doing homework, you can probably find me playing the violin. I began playing eight years ago, and since then, music has added to my life immensely. For the past six years, I have been a member of the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras, which is comprised of four orchestras of progressing skill level. I currently play in the organization's premier orchestra, the Youth Orchestra. We rehearse every Saturday during the school year and give several concerts per season. However, this year is extra special for us; in July, the Youth Orchestra will be touring in Argentina for 11 days. I can hardly believe I have the opportunity to visit South America once this year, let alone twice.
Girl Scouting is another activity that competes for a share of my time. I have been active in Girl Scouts for ten years, and it has given me a wide variety of experiences. My troop is a Mariner Ship, which means that we travel around the state to compete against other Scouts in water-based competitions called regattas. However, this past June, my troop was able to travel far beyond the boundaries of our state. After years of planning, fundraising, and lots of hard work, six of us traveled to Europe for two weeks. Our time there was incredible, and we returned feeling worldly and more like a family than ever. Outside of my troop, I have also served on a committee that created a summer camp for girls. Called CampHERO, the camp's goal is to educate girls about the protective services while encouraging them to try new things. Volunteering on this committee has not only allowed me to help inspire hundreds of girls but has also given me a real sense of what it means to be a responsible teammate.
If I do happen to find myself with spare time, I may panic. After the initial shock, however, I enjoy reading, baking, listening to music, kayaking, and generally being outdoors.
I am excited and honored to be part of this project because I cannot imagine anything more fitting of my interests. I am very interested in other cultures and in broadening my view of the world, and I know this program will give me that opportunity. JASE also excites me because of its scientific aspects. I plan to study biology in college, and marine biology has interested me for years. Through this program, I will experience the reality of being a scientist and researcher, an opportunity that I value highly, especially as I try to define my future. For me, this project will be a challenging, new experience, yet one that I will most certainly enjoy and grow from. I look forward to gaining a better understanding of the world and my part in it, both scientifically and culturally.