In Geology 12, I developed my communication skills through the various projects we were assigned. Most notably, the Planet X143B assignment where we were given data regarding areas of high volcanic activity and mountain ranges to determine the movement and sizing of plate tectonics on a hypothetical alien planet and present our findings as a report. Throughout this project, I grew my communication skills by discussing and arguing my ideas and representing them in and clear and concise way. Additionally, I had to reflect on my thinking and format my findings in a professional manner. Another core competency I strengthened this year was my critical thinking in Life Sciences 11. Particularly, through our animal dissections. I practiced questioning and investigating by examining the body cavity of an earthworm and squid to detect its major body systems and critical organs and consider how their structure and position uniquely reflects that organism. Furthermore, I had to analyze and critique the data from the lab and apply that to the discussion questions relating various parts of the organisms to humans and each other. However, one of my goals for the future is to develop my social responsibility, specifically my contributions to the community and caring for the environment. I can achieve this through volunteering and making a conscious effort to reflect these values in my personal life.

In CLE 10, we worked on our financial projects over the course of a month, which was a great demonstration of the critical thinking core competency. In this project, we had to think critically and consider different options and methods to afford various necessities later in life. For example, we had to consider the benefits of buying groceries in bulk, different modes of transportation, and what entertainment sources were the most cost effective and relevant to us. I had to compile and analyze information from different sources, then apply my own judgment and personal experience, to make a decision and reflect on my choices. Additionally, through the course of the semester, I’ve grown the most in the creative thinking core competency. In my English class, I practiced looking at media, like Aladdin and Star Wars with an open mind, and writing essays on individually generated interpretations of the content we were shown. Additionally, I had to use my imagination to create plot and characters in my time travel short story, using inspiration and skills we developed from examples given in class. In the future, I will focus on developing my social responsibility core competency further. I have begun practicing making contributions to my community and solving problems I see in CLE 10, where my group members and I spoke with NaloxHome to learn about what they offer to the community and their contribution to solve British Columbia’s drug crisis. However, I would like to get further involved by volunteering with charities and organizations in my community to make an even larger contribution than simply spreading awareness.