What's it like to Graduate from Proof School?

As one of the founding graduates of Proof School, my experience was both unique and deeply personal. The class size was small, making the experience even more treasured. The ceremony took place shortly after the symposium, where students showcased their end-of-year projects to their parents and guests. We changed into our gowns and took our seats at the front, followed by faculty and board members such as Paul Zeitz, Sam Vandervelde, Zachary Sifuentes, and Kathy Lin. The ceremony lasted approximately 30 minutes, filled with gratitude and reflections on our time spent together.

My Speech: A Reflection on Three Years at Proof School

Speech:

Welcome to the class of 2018, everyone else.
Three years ago, when I made the announcement at Los Altos High School that I was transferring to this brand new place called Proof School, many were very confused. Why would someone passionate about art be here, if this was a math-focused institution? As I navigated through this new experience, I quickly realized the opportunities to challenge myself and explore new ideas were immense. However, the most unexpected aspect for me was how my community played a significant role in helping me discover new sources of inspiration.

Firstly, I must thank my father. You often quote the classic movie Surfs Up, with the quote, "winners find a way." This has taught me to push through challenges and find solutions. Dad, Mom, Jacob, and family, thank you for your constant support and love. Through your encouragement, I have found the confidence and desire to pursue my curiosities and passions.

Secondly, I extend my gratitude to our outstanding teachers. You have mentored me in independent projects and challenged my thinking in your classes. From zoetropes to recursive trees to Arduino fireflies, from the Color Purple to Between the World and Me, from slavery and freedom to the Peacock Room, from the nine-point circle to parametric surfaces, you guided me and helped me interrogate, question, and dive into new ideas. Thank you, Zachary Siffuentes, Dr. V, and Eve, for dedicating so much time and energy both inside and outside the classroom. Teachers, during times of struggle and failure, when I felt like I was not talented or smart enough to succeed, you helped me see these moments as opportunities to learn and grow.

To say that the teachers were the only people who helped me grow would be a slight overstatement. I was surprised to learn that exploration could come not only from closely interacting with my teachers but also through the students at Proof School. Proofniks, thank you for demonstrating to me that one can be interested in a variety of things: math and poetry, math and computer science, math and robotics, math and music theory. You helped me expand my mindset and recognize the wide variety of passions that exist, allowing me to grow my interests and my understandings of the world around me. Thank you, 11th/12th grade class. Through your kindness and support, you created a learning environment where I felt comfortable to ask questions and step outside my comfort zone.

Proof School, you have shown me the importance of exploring new and different ideas. Through interacting closely with the people in my community, I have expanded my interests and discovered new sources of inspiration.

My message to the Proofniks is simple: find a meaningful and joyful learning experience at Proof School. Let the things that you prioritize be formed by the things that you love and are important to you. In order to find the things you love and are inspired by, we must explore. Close ourselves off and focus only on what we know, and we will miss out on opportunities for engagement with potential new passions. Inspirations come from placing ourselves outside our comfort zones and exploring new ideas. Embrace the different opportunities given to us by diving into our classes and pursuing risky projects with everything we got.

Final Reflections

As I wrote my speech, I spent a lot of time reflecting on how Proof School has impacted me and what I wished for the Proof community. These moments of reflection strongly influenced my graduation experience. Initially, I expected graduating to be extremely sad because I was saying goodbye to people who meant the world to me. My time at Proof School is the happiest I have ever been, and I hated thinking that it was coming to an end. During graduation, all I felt was a strong emotion of love, gratitude, and hope. Graduation felt less like a goodbye and more like a chance to acknowledge the people who have made a significant impact on my life and celebrate the amazing memories we shared together.

While I am thankful for all the ways I have grown, Proof School has helped me realize just how much more I have to learn and has helped me prepare for that journey ahead. The school has provided opportunities to work closely with amazing faculty, become friends with passionate and driven students, and discover new sources of inspiration. Recently, I realized that I can look forward to all these things in my college experience too! While it was hard for me to say goodbye to Proof School, I am incredibly excited to attend Carleton College next fall. My time at Proof School has helped me further develop my expectations and desires for college, and I am excited for what the future holds.

Finally, my grad cap is a symbol of the work of my classmates. It is made from doodles created by them, a manifestation of our collective spirit and dedication to our education.