November Newsletter
Cool things are brewing...
Hi everyone! My name is Malcolm and this is my second newsletter. Check out my first one here. I am a student in Gr. 10 in Ottawa, Canada. Some of my interests include playing soccer, geeking out about cool sciency things and hanging out with my friends. Here is an update on what has been happening in my life this past month!
Life in TKS
As those who read my last newsletter will know, I am a part of an organization called The Knowledge Society or TKS. For more information, check out their website. As we moved into our third month of the program we got introduced to some more aspects of TKS and were given some really unique opportunities. First off there was the Hackathon that kicked off the month.
Hackathon
A hackathon is essentially a group challenge that takes place over a 24 hour period. Therefore, starting at 5:00 pm on Friday Nov 4th, me and my teammates began work on the biggest challenge of our lives thus far. I was on a team with 3 other students in the program; Kai Goodall, Maryam Jama and Arwa Khan. Make sure to check out their newsletters! Anyways, the problem we were working on for this challenge was drunk driving. We utilized biosensors on a steering wheel that was able to test the drivers BAC before they would hit the road. I’m quite proud of how it turned out and although we didn’t get any prizes, it was a win in my books just for the experience. The laughs we had, the problems we worked through and the friends I made along the way made the whole thing worth it. Can’t wait for Hackathon #2!
Walmart Sprint Challenge
Another challenge we started this month was the Sprint Challenge! This is another group challenge but takes place over 3 weeks rather than only 1 day. I decided to switch up my group and meet some new people I had never worked with before. Our project manager is Emili Osver who is doing a great job organizing and supporting the team. My other teammates for this challenge are Khaliya Thawer, Brian B and Ned Fleming. Check out their newsletters too! Very interesting things going on in their lives. For this challenge, we are working alongside Walmart to improve their customer experience for the future. As we are not quite finished the challenge I’m not going to spoil our ideas but stay tuned for upcoming newsletters where all will be revealed. Can’t wait for the final product!
Focus Project
Throughout the whole year at TKS, students work on what is known as a focus project. This is a 4 step process that includes writing articles, making videos, replicating past projects and finally building your own creation. Each focus project focuses on one topic within science and technology such as A.I. Blockchain or even Longevity. For my focus project I chose to learn about the world of genetic engineering and editing the genome of living organisms. I am currently working on the 1st stage of the process called the “Learn Article”. I chose to write about how CRISPR technology is being used to cure Covid-19. Make sure to subscribe as to not miss my article which will be coming out in the near future.
Life at Home
Although TKS is a lot of work, my life outside of it can be just as interesting and tiring. There are a few highlights of my home life that I want to share with you guys so here you go!
Hiking Trip
In early November I went on a 3 day hiking trip with my school class. I really enjoyed this experience and I am lucky to go to a school that offers trips like this. One big takeaway is the “Hard Work Pays Off” mindset. When you’re hiking for 6+ hours a day with a 30 pound bag on your back, all you’re thinking about is the finish line. Although it is hard work staying strong as you trudge through the forest, there is no reward greater than lying down in your tent for a long nap. Nothing is given to you and you must put in effort to get something out of it.
Winter Soccer
For those of you who don’t know me all too well, I am an avid soccer player and I play all year round. The winter season has begun and I am excited to practise my soccer once again after a long break. I have always loved soccer, but I find it to be much more than just a silly game people play. Soccer is my escape from the working life and it is a chance for me to let loose and have fun with my friends. I think having an escape like this is very important to keep you healthy both physically and mentally.
What’s Happening Next?
As the year is coming to a close there are only a few things left to accomplish. Nonetheless, there is still so much to look forward to in this coming month.
End of Sprint Challenge. Mentioned above, this challenge has taken up a large portion of my last few weeks. I have put a lot of time and effort into this project and I cannot wait to see how it turns out!
Global TKS Session. Midway through December I will get to meet tons more people in the TKS program from all over the world. This is going to be really exciting and will give me many new interesting perspectives on the program and the world.
Winter Break. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah or something different, there is a 2 week break for all students coming up in December. I can’t wait for some time of work when I can chill with family and friends.
Thanks for checking out my newsletter! Before you go, make sure to subscribe to receive my future newsletters! See you all soon! 👋
-Malcolm