Currently, Jade McAllister is working with the rest of the Robotics team to construct a new robot, working with substantial materials such as wood and polycarbonate, and hoping to move on to printing. And although the team has been facing many challenges, Jade, with a kind smile and a lending hand, makes sure to communicate with her teammates in order to help out however she can.
As a freshman at DSST Montview high school, McAllister joined the Robotics team due to her unwavering interest in the computer side of things, considering herself as a very tech savvy kind of person due to her exceptional skills and expertise on the topic of technology. And when she heard that the Robotics team had separate fields in which to work with, McAllister chose to be a part of the CAM (Computer and Machine) team, working alongside the rest of the team to construct robots and make sure they function properly.
“For my part with what I do in Robotics, other than just sitting at a computer or watching the machine, we actually have to be attentive. Make sure like, nothing like comes [off] at the moment across the room, and then we also make sure, like, nothing fails, that the pattern is going well,” said McAllister.
“I enjoy it. Not just the part of like, just looking at a machine, but also like the people that I work with.”
Additionally, McAllister’s experience as a new freshman so far, aside from her participation in Robotics, has been fairly well compared to past experiences, as she has been able to understand her classes material better and feels an overall welcoming and comfortable atmosphere in her new school. Nevertheless, McAllister still experiences some challenges, particularly academically, despite striving to do well and flourishing so far in most of her classes. For instance, she struggles to understand some of the concepts of her Integrated Math I class, working hard nonetheless to tackle that obstacle.
“She [Ms. Gomez] teaches well, but then, like, I can’t understand anything,” said McAllister, commenting on the difficulty of her Integrated Math I class.
“I’m thinking of going to tutoring when I can or like, emailing her [Ms. Gomez] to like, receive some help, if she doesn’t have tutoring of course.”
To conclude, McAllister’s experience as a freshman in high school so far has proven to be promising, making a commitment to persevere and dedicate her time to achieve remarkable things with the rest of the Robotics team, while still hoping to join other extracurricular activities in the future, such as the girls basketball team and the Christian Club. And being aware of what her strengths and weaknesses are, McAllister is familiar with the areas where she can shine and improve on as time goes on. Regardless, McAllister has no particular goals for her future high school experience but to excel in her classes and focus on the present moment.
