Name: Irene Yoon

Graduation Year: 2023

Middle School: Gale Ranch Middle School

Hometown: Orinda

 

Why did you choose College Prep? When I was shadowing at College Prep, I was amazed by how much the teachers cared about their students. Seeing them casually make conversation when they saw each other was so refreshing to see. The students that I met were all eager to learn, but what especially surprised me was that everyone I saw was smiling. While shadowing different schools, I had told myself that no matter what, the atmosphere of the community had to match with what I wanted to be a part of. High school is such a big part of our lives, and so I wanted to be part of a community with a strong sense of camaraderie and a passion to learn more, not only about subjects offered by classes, but also about themselves.

   

What is your favorite place on campus? Next to this building called the Scott Building  there are a few benches under the oak tree, and it's such a nice place to relax because you can see nearly the entire campus from up there. When you're sitting on the wooden bench, the tiny waterfall and stream make a calming sound and the small garden is right beneath you. It's a simple place, but the simplicity is what I think makes it so beautiful.

 

What are you involved in on Campus? I was the section editor for the art section in CPS's online newspaper, Radar, and was recently promoted to Co-Chief Editor. I am also one of the leaders of ArtsMag, a club that publishes an annual magazine filled with art pieces that students submit, ranging from poems to photographs to paintings and drawings. Besides ArtsMag, I am part of other clubs such as the Asian American Association and Korean Club to name a few.

 

What has been your favorite class? English has been my favorite class so far because hearing how my classmates interpreted the same sentence in such distinct ways is fascinating to me. I may have thought of one way to take in the sentence, but then someone else may have an opinion on it that I may have never considered. I think that developing your thoughts by listening to diverse opinions is exciting and intellectually challenging as well. Thanks to the amazing teachers and class discussions, I don't think I'll ever get bored of doing English at College Prep.

 

What has been the best thing about College Prep? I love how College Prep gives us the opportunity to experience things that we wouldn’t have the chance to try otherwise through the Intraterm program. For about a week, they take us out of the conventional classroom setting, and we sign up for a "class" that teaches us about almost anything, from surfing to Taiko drums to flying to Area 51 (to name a few from the 2020 Intraterm before COVID-19). I did an Intraterm class called On Stage and Behind the Curtain where we traveled around Berkeley and Oakland watching plays and going "behind the curtain" to see the props, costumes, and sets of professional theater companies. It was something I had never done before and not only was it fascinating to see the work put into these performances, but I also got closer to upperclassmen as well as Molly and Coakley, the instructors for the class.

 

1. I can fold my tongue into a four-leaf clover shape and my brother and I are the only ones in our family that can do it!

2. I lived in South Korea for about a year and a half, from the last part of 3rd grade to all of 4th grade.

3. I have this terrible habit of wasting my time by watching tutorials on how to sew outfits, and I like taking pictures of clothes that people draw or create with the intention to make them for myself. While that may not seem bad, it has come to a point where I delude myself thinking that I’ll someday make them and they’ll magically look like the most fashionable clothes I own. I even own a sewing machine, but I haven’t found the time (or patience) to properly read the manual and learn how to use it. I made a skirt with it almost 3 years ago, and it actually looked decent until it fell apart later that same day. I was pretty proud of myself though!