My portfolio reflects the knowledge and skills that I have obtained through working at New Tech, as well as the valuable personal experiences I have had that have shaped my life. Although I will miss my days at New Tech, I must now look to the future and pursue my aspirations.
I was born in San Francisco, on December 24th, 1989. I lived there for seven years with my mother, until we decided to move to Humboldt. I lived there for two years, and then transitioned back by living with my grandparents for a semester. In summer 2000 we moved to Calistoga, where I have resided ever since. I have had a major passion for art throughout my life: it has been an avocation ever since I was a child. My mom enrolled me in many art classes. She always encouraged me to pursue what I enjoyed, so I combined my love for art with my interest in video games and discovered 3D Animation.
I have enjoyed playing video games since I was a child, but realized that I could not play them for a living. I decided that I wanted to learn how to make them instead. During the summers of 2006 and 2007, I attended ID Tech Camps for video game design. There I discovered my passion for animation. For my senior project, I chose to create a 3D model. I worked on this for many hours. I realized that I was really able to stick with it. My experience at New Tech especially has helped me become a better communicator and collaborator. Most of my work with my mentor was done over a long distance, so this was key. It will be in the future as well. Designing games or movies requires team work.
In the Fall I plan to attend the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. There I will major in 3D animation. Until recently I was solely interested in video game design, but with more exploration of the field I have considered film animation. In addition to furthering my professional skills, I am hoping that my time in San Francisco enriches me personally through an exposure to diversity and a broader world view.
Looking back on it all, I am appreciative of my friends, family, and my education at New Tech; I am very excited about my future.
I hope you enjoy my portfolio.
The world is immersed in the use of technology in the professional workplace. Almost all professional establishments now use computers and software for organization, documentation, and efficiency. The tools used require substantial training to understand. Learning these skills in high school will give New Tech students the upper hand in the professional workplace. I have always had an interest in computers, but I was not able to learn much about them before attending New Tech. Digital Media, especially focused on various applications on the computer. I am now able to use Flash and Photoshop. In fact, I now have basic skills in most of the programs used at New Tech. These skills help me create enhanced projects and improve the overall quality of my work. My Photoshop skills will be useful when I attend college; I will not need to learn from the very beginning.
Click here to download an image I created in my digital drawing.
The ability to effectively read and write is crucial in both school and in the professional workplace. Proper spelling and grammar aside, one must also be able to organize their thoughts correctly and deliver their message effectively. Proficiency in this skill also helps when applying for jobs by having a clear, concise resume for the employer to read.
New Tech has helped me learn how to write more effectively in many ways. The English classes I have taken have increased my knowledge of proper spelling and grammar. I have always been able to put my thoughts down on paper; however, I had struggled in organizing my thoughts. After attending New Tech, I saw an improvement in my writing. I have been able to score a 5 out of 6 on the district writing assessments, whereas before, I would receive a 3 or 4.
Click Here to Download an image of my latest writing assesment
Oral Communication is critical when delivering a speech to an audience. There are many times in a person’s life that they will need to get up in front of a group of people and deliver a presentation or speech. Furthering your abilities in this skill enables you to become more comfortable and engage your audience.
Every project that I worked on at New Tech required me to present my work to an audience. Before attending New Tech, I was always very nervous when I had to present. After presenting many times, I have become accustomed to speaking about my work. The project in which I learned to better my oral communication skills in the most was the Political Party project in Political Studies. I had to convince others that my political party would be of the greatest benefit to our country. I had to be well organized to be convincing. In the future, I will have to present my designs and ideas for game or film development. This skill will be of great value.
Click Here to Download my Collaboration Evaluation for this project
Citizenship is the right and privilege to be in a society and involves giving back to it. At New Tech, we do this through community service. For my required hours and through Tech Lends a Hand, I volunteered to help out at the Napa Valley Animal Shelter. I walked, cleaned kennels, and organized storage rooms. Volunteering provided me with a great feeling of accomplishment and taught me the value of donating one’s time. A major ethic (or moral principle) at New Tech is the acceptance and respect for an individual despite differences. It creates an atmosphere of tolerance and support. I appreciate that this was reinforced for me. It is the foundation for harmony, which enhances productivity in the workplace.
Click Here to Download My Certificate of Completion for my required community service
Every project at New Tech requires a substantial amount of collaboration, which is the process of cooperating to achieve an end. When I had attended other high schools, there was little or no professional collaboration amongst students. Although almost every project at New Tech involves a team effort, the project that taught me the most about collaboration was my Senior Project. My mentor lives in San Francisco; the only way that I was able to communicate with him was by email or phone. At New Tech I was able to meet with my group members every day at school and get updates on their progress. My senior project required more in-depth planning and patience. I learned how to collaborate at a long distance which is often a necessity in the modern professional workplace. Below is the feedback I recieved from one of my judges, showing that the work created through my long distance collaboration was a success.
Click Here to Download an image of feedback I recieved for my senior project
Like all schools in California, we must learn material assigned by the State of California. Examples of mandatory material are included in state examinations and assessments..
At New Technology High School, I have obtained the necessary knowledge to graduate from high school, but in a more meaningful structure. Project based learning helped me understand the course material in my classes much more than working out of a text book. Sharing ideas and creating scenarios brings the subject matter to life. During my senior year, I have maintained much better grades than I did during my year at traditional high school. It took me a while after my transfer to “get with the program”. Once I learned how to work in a project based environment, I learned much more about subjects than I did at other schools.
There are many ways that New Tech helps its students prepare for work in the professional workplace. My Senior Project taught me to create an idea and bring it to fruition through hard work and commitment. It taught me not to give up despite obstacles. Another experience that has been beneficial has been my work on a life-drawing portfolio. Because I plan on becoming a 3D modeler, I need a solid foundation in real life drawing. Drawing the human body has helped me understand proportion and form and will provide me with skills that I will need to develop 3D characters.
Click Here to Download one of my Life Drawings of a Male Human Back Muscle Structure
Critical Thinking is the ability to solve problems in various ways. Skills in critical thinking are very important have in the professional workplace, because it helps you come up with more than one approach. If you get too locked into one path, you can miss a lot of opportunities or breakthroughs.
Projects at New Tech are designed to make students think a lot harder than traditional schools seem to have them do. The project that exercised my critical thinking the most was the Scopes Monkey Trial. It required the students participate in a mock trial, debating over the controversial issue whether or not evolution should be taught in schools. We had to debate and think on our feet; this required much forethought on the issues. My role was to question the other team and try to prove their argument less viable then mine. I was able to help bring our group to victory because I was well prepared with my arguments. I have included a project reflection from that project to show my initial reaction to completing this project.