Interview: Premier Dalton McGuinty

This interview took countless emails and several months to arrange. This was before I got on to Toronto's Supercouncil, so I suppose it would be somewhat simpler now. In the end, it was really nice how he answered each question in-depth.


My Interview with Premier Dalton McGuinty
1. What did you aspire to be when you were in high school?

Growing up, I always wanted to be a doctor. I grew up in a large family. I have nine brothers and sisters … and that’s a lot of dirty dishes. My mom would ask me, as one of the oldest, to help out a lot around the house. I would say to her “but mom, these are surgeon’s hands.”

My mother would have been happy if I’d followed that path. She had plans for her sons to become doctors and physiotherapists and dentists, so we could look after her. But we became lawyers instead.

A lot of people don’t know this but I actually went to university for biology. It’s funny how life turns out.

Don’t worry if you don’t know what you want to be. You’ll find your place … or it will find you.

2. What made you head down the political path?

I have been fortunate because I found my biggest sources of inspiration right at home. My mom and dad showed me a solid work ethic, and taught us all to always look out for those around us.

My father was the MPP for Ottawa South — where I am MPP now — and taught us about the value of public service so I was inspired to follow in his footsteps.

I asked for this job so I can make changes to improve the quality of life for all Ontarians. Especially changes to improve education, to improve the quality of our health care and to build on the strength of our economy.

There was a saying in my family: “None of us is as strong as all of us working together.”

I got into public service because I want to make sure that every Ontarian finds the opportunity they need to succeed here. And we can only do that when we work, build and dream together.

3. What do you like about your job?

This is the best job there is, but I have no idea how long I’ll get to do it. So I’m enjoying it — the ups and the downs, the highs and the lows — and I always try to do what I won’t regret later.

And it doesn’t really matter what the world throws at us — I know Ontarians will always find a way to rise above.
What I really enjoy about the job is when I’m doing things that I know have a connection right in Ontario homes. So when we work together to bring class sizes down, or get kids with learning difficulties a little bit more help, or help families make their homes more ‘green’, or a grandmother or grandfather have a shorter wait-time for a hip replacement, those are the kinds of things I like best.

Those are the things that really make me feel good about the job of Premier.

4. What is the most difficult aspect of your job?

The most challenging part of the job is just trying to stay normal. There are so many demands that are unlike those most people have to grapple with — both in terms of time, and duties. You’ve got to show up at events, you’ve got to give speeches, and some days I think I actually spend more time talking to the media than to my own kids. Well, how normal is that?

5. Gun violence stemming from gang activity is an issue in many Ontario communities. What do you plan to do in schools to target this issue?

As a father, when I hear stories of young lives cut short by senseless gun violence it affects me deeply and personally.

And as Premier, I have a responsibility to take action, to get the guns off the streets, to show young people better choices and to put criminals who use guns in jail.

I believe in you. I believe that if given the right opportunities, you will make the right choices. That’s why we’re working hard to create opportunities for our young people.

Our government is committed to being tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime.

Over the next four years, we will double funding for our community use of schools program, so that space for after-school activities is affordable for all Ontario families and free in communities that need it most.

We’ve raised the school dropout age from 16 to 18 years old and supported that with new kinds of learning opportunities both inside and outside of school. Obviously, you’ll have a better life if you finish high school.

We will continue to work with police and community groups to add more prevention initiatives to our safe-schools strategy.

We have launched the $45 million Youth Challenge Fund and the $28.5 million Youth Opportunities Strategy to give young people, especially those in at risk communities, real opportunities to achieve a brighter future.

If there is even more we can do to make our students, schools and communities safer - and help young people make good choices - we have a responsibility to do everything we can.

We have to keep working together to get the guns off of our streets to create safer streets.

Gun violence is wrong - plain and simple. We cannot and will not become complacent in any way. We will continue to do all that we can to fight gun violence. Young people who pick up a gun will face the full force of the law.

6. Will you be proposing any new plans that will enhance the education in high schools in your new term?

Young people are our most precious resource, so when we invest in your education, we invest in our shared future.

We will build on our successes by expanding after-school homework help and introducing online homework help.

We will also expand Specialist High Skills Majors that will let you bundle courses to prepare for specific careers. You can also take advantage of dual credit programs, expanded co-operative education and innovative Lighthouse projects that could include credit recovery and alternative education.

Students are also receiving better support through new Student Success Teams, a dedicated team that provides extra attention and support when needed, and a new Grade 8-9 transition plan.

7. How are you targeting students that are dropping out and planning to drop out of high school?

We won’t give up on you.

Our government will continue working to improve graduation rates in our high schools, and ensure more young people keep learning beyond high school.

We will raise the graduation rate to 85 per cent by 2010 by expanding learning options for all students and by providing focused supports for students who are struggling academically and students at risk of dropping out.

Our government has introduced the Student Success/Learning to 18 Strategy that helps you stay in school until age 18.

8. What do you think about money going towards private religious schools?

Our government believes that our schools should be places where all our young people, from all faiths, come together to learn from one another and grow together.

I see tremendous diversity in our publicly funded schools. And that diversity is a tremendous source of strength for Ontario, as long as we continue to come together as Ontarians, the way we do in our publicly funded schools.

It would be wrong to disrupt the education of almost two million students — 95 per cent of all the students in Ontario, including the majority of students from every faith.

It would be wrong to divert our funds, and our energies, from our publicly funded schools to private religious schools.

We are focusing our resources, and our resolve on improving our publicly funded schools.

9. Students are becoming more environmentally aware as schools are bringing this issue into the classrooms - is Ontario aware?

There is a proverb that says “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.”

Nothing is more important to our success, our quality of life, our future, and even our survival, than a clean, strong, healthy environment.

When it comes to climate change, it’s true that we can’t do everything. But we can all do something. We can all take action in our homes, in how we get around and in our schools and businesses.

We have launched two websites — http://www.obviously.ca/ for secondary students and www.ontario.ca/ezone for elementary students — that explain the challenges facing our planet and how you can take action to protect the environment.

We will make schools greener. We will make sure all new schools will conform to better energy efficiency standards. We are putting in place all of the recommendations of our Curriculum Council so that environmental education is part of every student's learning.

10. What message would you like to leave the students of Martingrove Collegiate Institute with?

I want to thank the students of Martingrove Collegiate for all your hard work. I want you to know that anything is possible. I mean anything.

When I was growing up, one of the things my parents impressed upon me was that all you had to do was work very hard and nothing could hold you back.

They taught us that where you start out in life is not relevant and that what counts is how hard you take hold of your opportunities to succeed.

You can overcome any obstacle — if you dream big, work hard and seize every opportunity.

I believe in you. With your energy, your enthusiasm, and your idealism, you have what it takes to build an even better Ontario, with a more prosperous economy, and a stronger society, in the years ahead.

Our job is to equip you with the education and skills you need so you can each reach your full potential.

Book Review and Interview: Daughter of the Forest; Juliet Marillier

Fiction: Daughter of the Forest
Author: Juliet Marillier
Genres: Fantasy, Fairy Tale, Romance

I remember that fateful day when I asked the librarian for an interesting fantasy novel and she picked one off the shelf, stuffed it in my hands and told me that I just had to read it. Little did I know that it would eventually become my favourite novel. If you’re a sucker for romance fantasy novels, perhaps you should flip through best-selling Daughter of the Forest and see how much you might like it.

Daughter of the Forest is basically a spin-off of a classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale called The Six Swans. Like numerous fairy tales, the main character Sorcha has to deal with an evil stepmother who not only spellbinds her father, but also curses her six brothers to become swans. Faced with the impossible task of overcoming challenging obstacles all on her own, Sorcha has to vow herself to silence and weave shirts of stinging nettles to break her brothers’ enchantment. However, with a twist of fate, Sorcha falls into the hands of the enemy, but also in love. Perhaps her biggest obstacle yet is deciding between “the life that she has always known and a love that comes only once”.

Unlike most fairy tale adaptations, Daughter of the Forest is not set against a backdrop of blue skies and pretty butterflies. More often than not, the impediments that Sorcha faces are realistic and meaningful. This is not a quick read, and sometimes deals with deep and grim situations. In addition, this novel also has a historic component to it. It’s set in Ireland and Britain in the ninth century, with a good description of the feud that pits both cultures against one another.

For the few days that I was engrossed in Daughter of the Forest, I think I was living in the world brought alive by Marillier’s “rich words”, as the librarian put it. I felt like I was brought to a world that I wished was in existence and was finally given the chance to experience; to watch a fairy tale play out before my eyes. One of the main characteristics of this book is its ability to incite emotions. I laughed and cried, both literally. For those who can’t get enough of it, there is a second and third book to this trilogy. However, I believe both are less compelling than the first one. To put it simply, this is a must read for all fantasy lovers.

- Annie

Short Bio

Juliet Marillier is an Australian best-selling author who was born in New Zealand and grew up listening to old Celtic legends and folktales. Some of her works include The Sevenwaters Trilogy, the Saga of the Light Isles and The Bridei Chronicles. They have been welcomed by many in eight languages. We were fortunate to get in touch with her through email and had this interview.

My Interview with Juliet Marillier


A: Is it really true that you wrote this all at one time as a 200 000 word blockbuster?

I did take three years to write Daughter of the Forest, because I was working fulltime in another job and was a single mother of two school-aged children. I worked on it evenings and weekends.

A: Was it hard for you to publish it? Did you get rejected at first?

Not very hard. I sent it to a local publisher for an opinion (I knew it wasn't the kind of book they published, but they had a policy of reading and commenting on any manuscript sent in by an author from this state.) They were very encouraging and suggested two mainstream publishers for me to try. Only one of those two accepted unsolicited manuscripts, so I sent an outline and three chapters to them. They asked to see the whole ms, and when they'd read it they made me an offer.

A: If I'm writing something and I get a writer's block, how do I get over it?

If you can't summon up the motivation to write something, it's probably better to put this piece of writing aside for awhile and try something completely different. I don't really believe in writer's block. You might get stuck on a particular piece of writing, but there should always be SOMETHING you can write, even if it's just a daily journal entry. If you're trying to write and can't get the flow happening, doing some exercise is a good circuit-breaker.

A: Did you get a chance to choose the cover you wanted for the book?

No. This is usually all done by the publishing house. Sometimes the author gets consulted - my Australian publisher is very good about this. Sometimes the author doesn't get to see the cover until it's all done. I found some of mine rather surprising! My best covers are the ones by the artist Kinuko Craft (American editions of Wolfskin, Foxmask, Wildwood Dancing and the forthcoming Cybele's Secret.) Kinuko always reads the whole book and captures the atmosphere perfectly in her painting.

Interview: Prof. Dr. Fraedrich

A Chat with Prof. Dr. Fraedrich

By: Annie Li

I was in a wool sweater and snow-pants when I first met Prof. Dr. Klaus Fraedrich in the middle of summer last year. I was three thousand metres above sea level, and contemplating whether or not I wanted to go on a glacier climbing expedition that afternoon when I saw two white vans pull up in front of the gate. My dad, who had brought me along from my ambitious shopping spree in Urümuqi, China, to his Tianshan Glaciological Station two hours north, had been trying to help me retain the little knowledge I had left from the school year in my head.

Prof. Klaus Fraedrich had been one of the scientists sitting in that white van meandering along the side of the mountain; with a steep drop into a gulley that was perhaps ten-stories down on the other side. Unlike me, he seemed unnerved by the experience and stepped out of the vehicle unfazed. So did the other German scientists who were with him in China to participate in a Sino-German Symposium on “water resources in large river catchments of western China and the effects of climate change”.

He was extremely interesting in the sense that he was both funny and knowledgeable. It was he who guided me down a slippery mountain slope in the drizzling rain when we all went mountain climbing. It was I who whittled him into taking an afternoon off from listening to the boring drone of countless speeches into going out and experiencing the fascinating culture of the local people (and to shop a little).

During the actual conference, I was given the role of being a translator for the Head of Water Resources for the Xinjiang province. As I made a fool of myself by translating a page of Chinese into one sentence along the lines of “Hello everyone, welcome to the conference”, Prof. Klaus was tackling serious global climate issues in his own presentation.

Dr. Fraedrich is director of the division “Theoretical Meteorology” at the Meteorological Institute of the University of Hamburg:

“…where a broad spectrum of research topics such as non-linear system analysis, climate modeling and theoretical concepts are studied. The group enjoys international recognition through its fruitful cooperation with institutions of oceanography, meteorology and physics. He has authored over 150 publications. In addition to the Gay Lussac Award by the French government, he has also received the Max Planck Award of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and was a member of the Scientific Advisory Board on Global Change of the German Federal Government. His section was home to the only graduate group on palaeo-climate-change of the German Research Ministry's Climate Research Programme.”

Need I say more? It was easier copying and pasting from the university website than to wrap my own head around everything he does. He is the type of person that you can trust with the world to handle the problem of climate change.

My Interview with Prof. Dr. Klaus Fraedrich

1.You do a lot of research in your work, especially regarding climate change, is global warming very apparent in your research?

Yes, our whole group is working on it. We have just received funding from an excellence cluster by which we can hire about hundred scientists, 10 professorships etc. Altogether, by this Hamburg will become one of the top-places for climate research in Germany.

2. What do you like/dislike about your job?

I don’t dislike anything, but help is needed to cope with administrative matters.

3. Can you give us some insights about your job?

When I read loudly, I give a lecture, when I read quietly, I do research.

4. What is the hardest aspect of your job?

To concentrate on one thing at a time, as there are too many things to do.

5. What did you aspire to be when you were in high school?

I wanted to be a lot of things, though I wondered how I would be able to do everything that I wanted to do.
6. Share a high school memory with us.

This was a long time ago in high school when we were asked to have all official schoolbooks constantly with us. [Imagine lugging every textbook assigned to you from class to class and getting punished if you forgot one.] So one day we decided to do the very first demonstration ever in my school. We borrowed big suitcases from our parents, put the books into them and then walked into the school building one after another. We were like a gaggle of geese with big suitcases in hand. From then on, that rule was no longer considered to be serious and most of the teachers were sympathetic about it. Mind you, it was long before 1968*, but we became that generation of students later on.

7. Do you have any advice for the students of Martingrove?

Actually, I do not like to give advice as one should know by one's own education. But, as you need a response: do what you would like to do but also keep in mind what others would like you to do. Concentrate on matters of interest to you and try to achieve perfection in it; do it on a very regular basis and keep going. Things you don't like to do: try them, there may be something in it that you may enjoy. If something new is presented to you, do not start by criticizing it but try to see the positive aspects first. Learning different languages and music is another important thing. Travel to learn in other countries - after all, we are all people of the world in the first place and, thereby, realize that you have access to resources another person do not.

*The German student movement of 1968 was a protest movement that was a reaction against the perceived authoritarianism and hypocrisy of the German government. It was also a revolt fighting for better living conditions for students.

Interview: Noah Robischon

Gawker
By: Annie Li

For those who spend life outside of school on the computer, blogging has become a daily routine in addition to checking emails and hanging out on Facebook. What do blogs offer? They offer the personal and interactive touch that's accessible nowhere else, not to mention the opportunity for anyone, anywhere, to achieve a global audience with a shoestring budget. Fifteen of the Internet’s biggest publications – from Gizmodo to Defamer, are managed by Gawker Media, which also publishes the eponymous Gawker. These websites are where more than 30 million readers stake their territories every month.

The managing editor of the Gawker Media Network is Noah Robischon, who’s been an editor and writer for nine years. His works appear in The New York Times, Business 2.0, Stuff, GQ, People and Entertainment Weekly, where he worked as a senior writer for five years. For those who just happen to watch New York 1 News, he does a Digital Living Review each week.

My Interview with Noah Robischon


1. What inspired you to go into writing and blogging?

I started my career in radio and documentary filmmaking. The lure of online media is that it combines writing, video and sound in new ways.

2. Please share with us your experience with Gawker Media and the things you've learned from being in this job.

It's a world apart from the glacial pace of mainstream media. The days are fast-paced, exciting, and I go home feeling that something has been accomplished.

3. What do you like most about your job?

Working with the editors and writers in our network of blogs.

4. What is the most difficult aspect of your job?

Working with the editors and writers in our network of blogs.

5. Can you give us some insight into your day-to-day life as Managing Editor of Gawker?

This morning I handled a reader complaint, worked with developers on a new design element that will appear on the sidebar of every site, gave an editor notes on yesterday's posts, estimated next month's budget numbers, and created an account for a new writer.

6. What's the best way to get into the writing/journalism field?

Network with peers. Keep pitching yourself and your stories, and don't be afraid of getting turned down.

7. As technology continues to develop, what role do you think blogs and Internet publications will play in the media sphere?

Blogs in some form will be the dominant force in daily news coverage. Readers are already shifting away from print and television to online. It's more participatory and accessible than any other medium.

8. Many people are apprehensive towards information on the Internet due to user-provided content. How does this trend impact your work and industry?

Reader participation is a blessing more than a curse, but it does have drawbacks at times. Still, I prefer having active readers and dealing with those problems than being alienated from readers the way writers are at many print publications.

9. Just for fun, please share a high school memory with us.

I played Scrooge in my HS production of A Christmas Carol.

10. Do you have any advice for the students of Martingrove?

"The best writing is rewriting." - E.B. White.

Interview: Kyle MacDonald

One red paperclip
One house
One year

By: Annie Li

Everybody has heard of them – from the 17 year-old millionaire to the 12 year-old novelist. Most people have dreamt of or even came close to realizing these potential achievements, but it’s much easier said than done. Just how many times have you imagined becoming a millionaire overnight, being the CEO of a successful company or starting the next trend in our technologically dependent society? Actually, there’s just one thing from stopping your dreams from coming true.

An idea.

A creative idea that is so powerful and moving that it will undoubtedly sweep everyone off their feet and into an obliviously satisfactory contentment. The red paperclip is an idea of similar magnitudes.

In the hot summer days of 2005, a man named Kyle MacDonald in Montreal had the light-bulb idea of trading one red paperclip that he had sitting on his desk for “something bigger and better”.

He posted this idea on the Internet and the next thing he knew; two people from Vancouver had called him up and were offering to trade a fish pen for the paperclip. He gladly accepted the trade and proceeded to trade the fish pen for an even better object. Thus began his journey to gain objects that were more valuable.

Kyle’s idea began to gain momentum and it was only a matter of time before he gained a one year lease to an apartment in Phoenix, Arizona. He traded this for “an afternoon with Alice Cooper” with an employee of the rock star who saw the apartment deal as her big chance for free rent.

Amazingly, Kyle then traded the afternoon with Alice Cooper for a snow globe, which seemed quite insignificant at the time, but proved itself to be worthy when it garnered a role in a movie. The trade was made with Corbin Bernsen, an American actor who happened to be one of the biggest snow globe collectors on the planet. In return for the snow globe, Kyle received one paid, credited and speaking role in a film by Public Media Works, room and board during filming and return airfare from anywhere in the world.

At this point, you might wonder, was Kyle satisfied? What more could he have wanted? Well, his bartering wasn’t over just yet. During the whole process, his one and only goal was a house. Since he wasn’t rich enough to buy a house with a snap of his fingers, he proceeded to achieve it through another way. Approximately one year from the emergence of his idea, his dream came true when he was offered a house in Kipling, Saskatchewan for the movie role. In fact, he was even given the Key to the Town of Kipling. Kyle immediately accepted it.

The manifestation of the concept of the one red paperclip received a swarm of media attention, and a large number of people tracked his progress online. It was an inspirational idea in which people were attracted to it as moths to a flame. In the end, one seemingly unimportant idea had blossomed into a life-sized reality for not only Kyle MacDonald, but also for those whose lives had been touched by his venture.

Needless to say, it’s possible that one of your own far-off fantasies might spring to life, and all you need is a key to unlock it. So when you feel like an anchor plowing through the depths of the seafloor while your ship sails on overhead, use your mind a little more, and perhaps your next inconsequential thought just might be that key.

My Interview with Kyle MacDonald

1. What gave you the idea of one red paperclip?

It was actually morphed from a game that I played when I was young. It was based on the same concept: asking for better things to trade than what you had in the beginning. When I saw that red paperclip just sitting there, I decided to try the idea online. As you can see, it turned out pretty well.

2. During your trades, you traded one afternoon with Alice Cooper for one snow globe, why?

It was actually prearranged.

3. So you knew that if you traded the afternoon for a snow globe, Corbin Bernsen would trade with you afterwards?

Yes. I had already planned out the next trade.

Note: That really surprised me. No wonder he did something like that, and I thought it was only a stroke of luck!

4. Can you give us some insights regarding your trading experience?

It was an extremely fun experience; I got to meet many people. In the end, I think it made a lot of people happy, which is what matters.

5. What did you aspire to be when you were in high school?

I had no idea – I still don’t. It was just finishing up school and seeing what life was willing to offer.

6. How has the one red paperclip made an impact on your life?

Well, now I’ve got high school reporters from Toronto calling me up. Haha. There was a lot of media attention. I would get recognized while walking down the street or just going about. I have a new house now, and it’s a pretty sweet story to tell. Though since so many people know about it, just a mention of the red paperclip and they’d go “you’re the red paperclip guy?” It made a lot of things happen in my life that wouldn’t have otherwise.

7. Do you have any advice for the students of Martingrove?

My biggest advice would be to keep your options open. It’s good to have one goal and know the one thing that you want to do, but make sure that you have back up plans. A lot of people walk out of the school with their mind made up of what they want to do for the rest of their lives, but that type of thing almost always changes. So be open-minded about the opportunities that are in front of you and be aware that you should hope more while expecting less.

Interview: Lorraine Zander

Chillin’ on the Homefront

By: Annie Li

I’ve always envied other people’s summers. To me, the first day of school means admiring a multitude of perfect tans that don’t originate from the usual sketchy tanning salons, but rather from lazing all day under the glorious sun in countries like Spain, Greece and Italy.

This summer was different for me. The monotonous lull that was supposed to be making its appearance a few weeks after school ended never came. It was because I got a job. Fine, it was a co-op placement, but I like to consider it as “An Intriguing Taste of That Vague Place Which Comes after University”.

It was at the headquarters of Faze Magazine, a Canadian based magazine for teens. I met Lorraine Zander, the editor-in-chief of the place, and also my boss. What I noticed first about Lorraine was that she gave great motivational speeches, and I couldn’t help but be impressed by her knowledge of general human nature – especially of teenagers.

Then there was that small detail of her starting the magazine from scratch and turning it into Canada’s largest magazine for teenagers. She’s had eight years to make it into a very respectable piece of publication with lots of star-studded action. Heck, even I got to meet Avril Lavigne’s in-laws.

I later found out that she was a student at our very own school, and that she walked through the same halls as I did, sat in the same classrooms as I did, and wondered aloud what she was going to become one day. This makes me curious. So what will students from this school be doing ten to fifteen years from now? Will I be vying for an autograph from that guy who sits behind me in math?

My “job” somehow transformed my usually très bland summer into something that could measure up to one of those exotic oversea trips. Though I didn’t get bronze skin, I didn’t get a sunburn either.
My Interview with Lorraine Zander

A: What inspired you to start Faze?

Z: I was looking to purchase a magazine subscription for my brother, who was a teenager at the time, and couldn't find anything that I felt had fun and entertaining content, but also articles that had more depth and substance to them. So, I decided to start my own.

A: What do you like/dislike about your job?

Z: Like any job there are love/hate moments. I work long hours, deal with difficult people at times, and I'm constantly under deadline pressures, however, I also get to work with some great minds (many of which are teenagers!), meet celebrities and go to fun events like the MMVA's.

A: Can you give us some insights about your job?

Z: Publishing a magazine requires two types of expertise: business and creative. You need to know how to make a business thrive and grow and at the same time it's helpful to have an artistic side to help with the look and content of the magazine.

A: What is the hardest aspect of your job?

Z: There is nothing truly "hard" about publishing Faze Magazine, however, I must always make sure that I balance budgets, deadlines, and the quality of the magazine so no one area suffers at the expense of the other, which at times can be challenging.

A: What did you like most about Martingrove while you were here?

Z: I loved the diversity of the student body and teachers. Martingrove is culturally rich. Anyone willing to take the time can learn about the world without ever leaving the school.

A: Do you think your experience at Martingrove has helped you with starting and maintaining Faze?

Z: In a somewhat indirect way, absolutely. It was the first place where I really began to exercise independent thinking, self-reliance, and social networking and where I developed my work ethic and learned how to deal with stress and deadlines -- all of which have helped in my success.

A: What did you aspire to be when you were in high school?

Z: I didn't know "exactly" what I wanted to do, but I always felt I would somehow end up in the sciences. I loved the microbiology program and thought it would lead me into marine biology or a career in research. I appreciate now that I chose to be a "well rounded" student as I find myself loving the world of magazine publishing.

A: Share a high school memory with us.

Z: I remember a student in my microbiology class growing something in a petri dish and then making it into a fire-resistant "fabric", and I clearly recall thinking at the time that I felt privileged to be in the company of such brilliance. I regret now that I never told him how amazing I thought his project was. I think everyone has some kind of brilliance to offer and we should acknowledge it when we see it--whether we know the person or not.

A: Do you have any advice for the students of Martingrove?

Z: High school is a very unique environment specifically designed to help you learn about who you are and what you want to become. You are constantly faced with situations in which your responses will define and shape you: how do you deal with stress, deadlines, disappointment, heartbreak, deception, drama, cheaters, backstabbers ... Learn from every situation and think before you react. You can shape who you become. Take ownership. And of course, have fun along the way.