So I spent a lot of middle school preparing for MATHCOUNTS competitions by doing past contests and working through textbooks. “I spent a lot of middle school preparing for MATHCOUNTS competitions by doing past contests and working through textbooks,” An says. I also saw other people on the team who were very good at math and wanted to be like them. This was my first exposure to contest math which I found really fun since it usually required clever problem solving. In sixth grade, I joined my school’s MATHCOUNTS team.
Where does your passion for math stem from? I don’t really have a clear idea of what I want to do in the future yet and whether it will even involve Korean or not but I am currently enjoying studying it. This NSLI-Y gap year will probably be my best chance to do so and include a cultural immersion. One of my main goals is to become as proficient in Korean as I can. I’m sure I’ll learn a lot from the classroom. My Korean is currently far from the level at which I would be able to follow a class so I still want to participate as much as I can and interact with my classmates. Source: Serena AnĪlthough NSLI-Y students only attend their high schools part-time, I’m excited to attend. Also, the food (as I’ve seen from blogs of past NSLI-Y participants) looks amazing! I think just being in a big city will be fun with lots of things to explore - a difference from my small hometown.Īn will join the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) soon. I’m definitely looking forward to the programme and being able to apply everything that I learn to my daily life.Īm also looking forward to bonding with my host family and experiencing a different culture. I have been primarily using this website which I really appreciate for its detailed explanations and examples for each grammar point. It’s usually hard for me to sense my progress but I try to be as thorough as possible when learning, memorising and reviewing. I also am able to apply some of my Chinese knowledge to help remember words that are derived from Chinese characters. I always feel satisfied whenever I memorise a new batch of vocabulary or being able to understand and apply a new grammar point. I really enjoy learning Korean and have been studying it for almost two years. We caught up with the 18-year old to learn more about how her affinity for math began and why she’s drawn to the Korean language: What’s the importance of learning the Korean language under the NSLI-Y programme? What are you looking forward to? One of An’s teacher says, “has accomplished phenomenal things in mathematics.” Source: Serena An An will be part of the National Security Language Initiative For Youth (NSLI-Y) programme, launched by the US Department of State in 2006 to promote critical language learning among American youth. While An has the basic mastery of the language of science, engineering and technology - her BHS geometry/AP calculus instructor, Pamela Zubke, says An “has accomplished phenomenal things in mathematics” - she’s excited to take her Korean skills to the next level. First, however, she’s taking a gap year to do something a little different: learning Korean. Soon, she’s set to join the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In between, she earned dozens of awards and accolades such as the Spirit of Ramanujan Talent Initiative, a grant worth US$5,000 that will help An pay for math summer programmes. It began from middle school when she joined the MATHCOUNTS competitions, then progressed to the Olympiads during high school. Serena An, a recent graduate from Brookings High School, is a high-achieving, award-winning math whiz.