Richard Neumann Scholarship

I’m staring down the nose of the deadliest animal in the world with sweat pouring profusely down my neck. The air is moist as I swat at the creature responsible for a host of debilitating and deadly illnesses ranging from dengue to Zika. But I’m not here to kill mosquitoes; I’m eradicating their breeding grounds: plastic containers. Through my science classes and my daily dose of the news, I became aware that piles of discarded plastic bottles, bags, buckets and single-use plastics had become mosquitoes’ lair; I brainstormed alternatives to plastic. Many jars and pots filled with varying ratios of plant starches and polymers later, I created a novel bioplastic material that was water-resistant, durable, lightweight and antimicrobial. Although plastics get a bad rap, my journey into processing plastics led to my discovery that the first plastic was made from plant cellulose and that plants’ long polymer chains give plastic “plasticity.” Zika’s vector is mosquitoes that love breeding in small containers filled with water. Our plastic ends up in developing countries where monsoons allow mosquitos carrying disease to breed easily and spread quickly. At UC, I’d study the intersection of poverty, environment and demographics and brainstorm ways we can disarm this perfect storm. To further my interest in the intersection of our environment and society, I learned about the impact of our energy choices on our society and our world in a college course. I gave presentations at the library focused on distilling complex environmental issues into accessible content for elementary and middle schoolers. My efforts did not go unnoticed; I was recognized by state Senator Dave Cortese for my climate leadership and my environmental action group was awarded San Jose’s 2022 Youth Climate Champion of the Year for our leadership in fighting climate change and spreading awareness on this matter to move people, especially our peers, to take action. Two years ago, nearly 11,000 lightning bolts struck near my hometown in a siege. Wildfires relentlessly battered surrounding communities, and hundreds of thousands of acres burned before firefighters could contain the blaze. Even though we weren’t directly in the wildfires’ path, the constant fear and anxiety of impending doom overwhelmed me and my community. Growing up here, I always acknowledged the occurrence of natural disasters like earthquakes and wildfires but never fathomed that a large-scale catastrophe could happen at my doorstep. Recognizing this unspoken apathy, I joined Teen CERT (Community Emergency Response Team), a national organization of volunteers trained in disaster preparedness and emergency response, to increase the confidence of as many families and community members as possible. As a Teen CERT, I will assist frontline disaster relief in the aftermath of an emergency, by providing information about the damage, assisting in evacuations, providing housing, and triaging survivors by the degree of injury when activated. To further educate my community, I’m planning a workshop to teach my peers skills that they’d need in any disaster situation. Not only will I lead by example, by staying level-headed during emergencies, but I teach my peers to do the same and become future leaders during times of crisis. I took the knowledge I’d gained from textbooks and lectures and applied it to the real world to stop the worsening of climate change. That’s why I’d be excited to join researchers to expand upon my past research in college. Today’s teens, the future generation of an ever-changing, disaster-prone world, are the ones who will tackle the predicament that is the climate crisis. We have no choice but to take charge and lead by taking urgent action.

Lonely, depressed, and longing for human contact. This is how so many of us felt during the long months of the pandemic. Not only did my friends and I sympathize with each other about our emotional mindset, but I also started to see the psychological toll it was having on my grandmother. She lives alone in Texas and is in the highest risk group for COVID, so she needed to be completely isolated. In searching for a solution to ease her sadness, I realized how much a simple phone call lifted her spirits. I thought about how many senior citizens were not receiving phone calls and were left alone with no human contact. It also occurred to me that most senior citizens are not proficient with computers, adding to their disconnect from society. To address the problem, I began to seek out a program matching senior citizens with peers at my high school. Due to this sincere issue, I created a program that I named “Old School Meets High School.” I contacted the Center and was pleased to get an email putting me in touch with the Administrative Clerk, who was able to reach out to the senior citizen population. I created an advertisement in the Goebel Center’s newsletter and embarked on reaching out to high school students who I thought would enhance the program. Once seniors learned about the program, they were eager to participate with the high school juniors. I created a timeline of 8 weeks for each senior-student pair to have a weekly virtual call in which a variety of subjects would be discussed. I realized how awkward it could be to speak with a stranger from a different generation, so I researched and created a list of predetermined topics that seniors enjoy talking about, ranging from childhood memories, to favorite foods, to travel and entertainment. I provided corresponding questions for each topic to facilitate conversations. During this program, I met two wonderful seniors who provided me with insightful stories and life lessons. One senior spent her entire life traveling the seven continents and immersing herself in new cultures. When we knew each other better, she confided in me how car mechanics took advantage of her limited knowledge of cars, as well as her being an elderly woman, to make a dishonest profit. In return, I confided in her and discussed the daily stress that comes with taking AP classes. I learned from this senior the importance of broadening my perspectives and understanding how different cultures work. My other senior has spent her entire life involved in community service, helping feed and find shelter for the elderly. Based on her experiences, I am reminded of how fortunate I am, and why I always try to give back to the community. By identifying a need, taking the initiative, creating the program, and recruiting participants, the benefit was exponential. It required that I become more comfortable speaking to members of another generation and asking others to help reach a common goal. Not only was the feedback from the senior citizens outstanding, but I was surprised to find the high school students benefited just as much, if not more, from the wisdom passed on by the seniors. The “Old School Meets High School” program has enriched the lives of both high students and seniors, who have integral life lessons to share with younger generations. As the delta variant once again threatens those most at risk, I hope that my program will continue to bring a spark of happiness to all who participate.