The Importance of Research: Maya Bloom

At the age of 18, Maya Bloom has already written an original research paper entitled, “Are Organic Foods Free of Genetically Modified Organisms?” Although there is a federal requirement that all products labeled USDA Organic have only natural products in them, studies indicate that 85% of corn products are genetically modified. Maya Bloom formed a hypothesis that nationally produced products would possess genetically modified organisms, whereas locally grown products would not. After extracting DNA from six samples, one from a local farm and five from nationwide distributors, Maya Bloom was able to prove her hypothesis. 100% of the samples from nationwide production facilities tested positive for genetically modified organisms; the local sample did not.

After successfully completing this project, Maya Bloom realized the importance of research. If there is something you are questioning or that you want to prove, Maya Bloom wants to encourage you to construct a research project. Maya Bloom believes that research can help solve existing problems or even identify problems that people did not know existed. Many people trust the USDA Organic stamp; however, through this experiment, Maya Bloom discovered that it is flawed. She hopes that people will learn from her research and start looking for ways to fix this problem.

Maya Bloom believes that if you want to acquire new knowledge, it is vital that you do your own research. Without research, new findings would never be uncovered. Maya Bloom hopes to inspire other young students to start reaching out to mentors and begin researching areas that are of interest to them. The more research we possess, the better we can form our own opinions. In the future, Maya Bloom hopes to continue researching other areas of interest to her. After finishing her first paper, she now has the confidence to continue uncovering new knowledge.

How To Successfully Work on a Team: Maya Bloom

Maya Bloom is aware that working on a team can be difficult. Whether it is at school, work, or a sport, it can be an extremely grueling task to get various personalities to mesh and work together. As a 13-year member of the Girl Scouts, Maya Bloom has effectively learned to work with multiple people. Maya Bloom hopes to provide insight to others on how to effectively work on a team. She knows that when synergy is created, there is always a great outcome. Here are some tips on how to appropriately work as a team member:

• Know your place on the team. If you have a specific objective as a team member, make sure you stick to it. Do not try to make yourself the leader if that is not your role. If multiple members of the team try to step up as the leader, it can lead to a power struggle and lack of communication. Maya Bloom recommends that you fulfill your duties and respect whoever is in charge.
• Take turns. Maya Bloom believes that it is crucial that everyone in the group gets their turn to speak. Members of the team should respect each other and view each opinion as equal.
• Provide positive feedback. While working together, it is important to keep morale high. Maya Bloom expresses the importance of providing your team members with words of affirmation. This will help the group maintain a positive attitude throughout the project.
• Act selfless. While working on the team, you should consider each member individually. Maya Bloom notes that each member is of equal importance and you should try to be accommodating whenever possible.

Maya Bloom believes that when individuals successfully work on a team, greater outcomes can occur. Although it may be difficult, if you follow these easy steps, you will be on your way to successfully working on a team.

Maya Bloom: How Students Can Manage Time

Although she has now been accepted to college, Maya Bloom was once a busy high school student who had to balance multiple extracurricular activities with her academics. She acknowledges that finding a healthy balance can be difficult. High schools provide a taxing workload for students and colleges want applicants that excel at other activities. This makes for a daunting schedule for those hoping to do well in academics and excel in activities outside of the classroom. With these tips, Maya Bloom hopes to help other students manage their time more effectively. 

·         Construct a “to do” list. It is important to keep a list of all the tasks you need to complete and to sort them accordingly. Maya Bloom notes that you should sort your list by priority. This will ensure that you do not miss any deadlines, so that you can space out your time accordingly for future projects. The list will also hold you accountable for everything you have committed to. When you have a hectic schedule, it can be easy to forget an assignment or commitment, so always write it down.

·         Make a schedule. Having a schedule will help you effectively allot your time. Reference your list of tasks and place them in appropriate time slots. Maya Bloom also encourages everyone to make time for disruptions. Distractions are inevitable and if your schedule is too packed, they will cause you to get off schedule.

·         Break large tasks into smaller ones. By breaking large assignments into smaller tasks, it will help you slowly complete a project and relieve unnecessary stress. Maya Bloom notes that if you leave a large task until the last minute, you will struggle to complete it.

 
Say no to unnecessary tasks. Maya Bloom acknowledges that saying “no” can be difficult; sometimes, however, it is necessary. If a task does not help you meet your future goals, it is better to pass it to someone else. Maya Bloom adds that this does not relate to homework assignments!

The Successful Academic Career of Maya Bloom

Maya Bloom is a well-rounded student who has experienced much success in academics. At the age of 18, Maya Bloom has already received a multitude of awards for her leadership, academic advancements, and community service work. Her success is due to her hard work and dedication to excellence in everything that she commits to.

In 2011, Maya Bloom was inducted into the National Honor Society. Prior to her induction, Maya Bloom was already an existing member of the Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society and MENSA. Maya Bloom has consistently excelled at forensics and hopes to one day obtain a job in cyber security, helping the United States battle against attacks from foreign soil. Her future goals seem easily obtainable due to the forensic successes she has already achieved. Between 2009 and 2011, Maya Bloom received a Medal in Forensics, as well as an award for Outstanding Work in Forensics. Furthermore, Maya Bloom received a gold medal at the FIRST Robotics Boston Regional and went on to obtain 12^th place at the National Robotics World Championships in Atlanta, Georgia.

 Maya Bloom is also a budding author and has written an original research paper entitled, “Are Organic Foods Free of Genetically Modified Organisms?” For this study, Maya Bloom took samples from six USDA Organic products and extracted their DNA. Her findings concluded that 100% of the products from national organic production facilities tested positive for genetically modified organisms. However, the sample obtained from a local farm was indeed organic.

Along with her academic successes, Maya Bloom has also received recognition for her work in Girl Scouts and other extracurricular activities. Maya Bloom hopes that her academic advancements will lead her to a successful career in the future. It is evident that her hard work has paid off and, in 2013, Maya Bloom will attend the National Youth Leadership Forum on National Security.

Maya Bloom and Girl Scouts

Maya Bloom has been a dedicated Girl Scout for over 13 years. After serving as an instructor at Camporee from 2009 to 2011, Maya Bloom was elected to be their delegate at a state convention. Recently, Maya Bloom received the Girl Scout Gold Award for a project that took 333 hours to complete over the course of a year.

Today, there are 3.2 million Girl Scouts and Maya Bloom is one of them. Girl Scouts works to build courage, confidence, and character within young women who wish to make the world a better place. Maya Bloom is passionate about serving and helping change the lives of others, something she owes to her upbringing within the organization. The Girl Scouts have helped Maya Bloom increase her understanding, skill, and respect. Additionally, the organization has endowed Maya Bloom with exceptional leadership skills and strong moral values.

As a recipient of the Gold Award, Maya Bloom had to complete a seven-step project that solved a community problem. The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest award that the organization gives. Maya Bloom had to: 1) identify an issue, 2) investigate it thoroughly, 3) get help and build a team, 4) create a plan, 5) present her plan and gather feedback, 6) take action, 7) educate and inspire. Maya Bloom chose to build an outdoor classroom at a local elementary school and created a brochure that guided students through outdoor activities. In addition to the Gold Award, Maya Bloom also received the Prudential Spirit of Community Award and obtained recognition from Governor Maggie Hassan, New Hampshire Representative Mel Myler, and New Hampshire Senator Sylvia Larsen.

The Girl Scouts have been a fundamental part of Maya Bloom’s life. She is thankful for the learning experiences the organization has given her. Maya Bloom plans to continue serving outside of Girl Scouts upon entering college.

Maya Bloom on Extracurricular Activities for Students

Maya Bloom is a prime example of a dedicated person who has learned to balance academics with her extracurricular activities. As a member of Color Guard, Girl Scouts, Concert Band, and Varsity Track, Maya Bloom exhibited exceptional time management in her high school days. She received awards both in and out of the classroom for her service, leadership, and academic advancements. Maya Bloom warns that although parents may think it is crucial to have their children focus solely on academics while in high school, extracurricular activities teach things that textbooks cannot.

First and foremost, Maya Bloom notes that most clubs and sports require students to maintain a minimum grade point average. If you are concerned about your student’s grades slipping, the sport or club will hold them accountable. Generally, students who partake in extracurricular activities possess higher academic scores. Maya Bloom adds that getting involved in extracurricular activities helped her work on her time management skills. She had to find a balance between school and her other hobbies, but most importantly, she always strived for excellence in both areas. Maya Bloom indicates that mastering time management has adequately prepared her for a rigorous college workload. Getting involved with her school also helped Maya Bloom build new friendships and learn to work in groups. Maya Bloom indicates that she feels more comfortable around fellow classmates now due to the time spent with them outside of the classroom. This has ultimately helped her to excel in academics, especially when working on group projects.

Maya Bloom states that she hopes parents encourage their children to engage in extracurricular activities. Although it may seem like clubs and sports will take away from time spent studying, your student will learn to adapt to these new time restrictions and excel in both areas. Now that she has been accepted to college, Maya Bloom plans to continue working hard on her academics, as well as engaging in service work and playing Division III softball. Maya Bloom knows that having some extracurricular activities, along with a demanding academic course load, will help keep her focused.

Get Involved in Your Community: Maya Bloom

Community service is something that Maya Bloom is extremely passionate about. As a 13-year member of Girl Scouts, Maya Bloom has served hundreds of hours each year within her community. Recently, Maya Bloom was the recipient of the Girl Scout Gold Award for a 333-hour project that took a year to complete. For this project, Maya Bloom built an outdoor classroom at a local elementary school and created a brochure that guided students through outdoor activities. Maya Bloom’s brochure had 85 outdoor activities, along with local resource listings for outdoor adventures. In addition to the Gold Award, Maya Bloom also received the Prudential Spirit of Community Award. She was also recognized by Governor Maggie Hassan, New Hampshire Representative Mel Myler, and New Hampshire Senator Sylvia Larsen. Maya Bloom is enthusiastic about serving and hopes more people will begin to engage. 

Maya Bloom wants to inspire and encourage others to work in their local community. She believes that it is easy – you just have to find a way to get connected with community outreach programs. However, Maya Bloom notes, you must first establish what kind of work you want to partake in. There are various ways to serve. You can go to a soup kitchen, work as a tutor, or even assist the disabled. Once you have selected something you are passionate about, start reaching out. Churches, nonprofits, and even schools have opportunities to get you connected to a project. Maya Bloom notes that you also have the option to go online and search for opportunities that may interest you.

Maya Bloom believes that serving helps build character and a sense of selflessness. The friendships and memories that you build with other volunteers are priceless. Maya Bloom hopes that everyone will begin to serve and play a small part in something big.