Hi, my name is Silas Pham and I’m a senior here at Legacy, but of course, that much you already know. As for what you may not know about me, I’m in my 6th year of being a part of the VEX robotics competition, I founded Makers Club in my sophomore year, and I was a former track athlete at Foothill High School doing high jump and triple jump. The most important thing about me though, whether it be at one of my internships or just with the new partner I’ve been assigned for the latest group project, I like to think that everywhere I’ve been, I’ve grown and fostered a community and relationships with those around me into something that they can appreciate and value. Once I end my 4 long years here at Legacy, my plans are to go and pursue a BS degree and eventually, an MS degree in the STEM field meaning another 5 years minimum in school for me. I’m applying for many different majors at many different schools with majors anywhere from computer science to electrical engineering to artificial intelligence for business, so we’ll have to wait and see where I end up. As of right now, my dream college is Harvey Mudd College. It’s part of the Claremont College system, my dad went there when he was in his undergrad years, and I truly believe it’s somewhere I can thrive. I’ll be trying my best on those essays for the next few months and praying for the best, but even if I don’t get it, I’d be happy anywhere where I can get some good food. During my time at Legacy, I’ve learned quite a lot. Not just academically, but about who I am as a person. The biggest thing it’s taught me is to “ride the tide”, but when I say ride the tide, I do not mean to lazily go with the flow of things. In the real ocean, during low tide, riptide is strong, and it’s so easy to get pulled behind. During high tide, the water is deep and fatigue can put you in real danger. Legacy has taught me to adapt and persevere in my ever-changing environment, and that is something I will always bring with me. If I said I wasn’t nervous and had complete confidence in my future, know that I’ve been replaced by a robot. I’ve had regrets that will probably slow me down in my journey, but what I am confident in is my ability to push through and eventually make it out on top. In 10 years, I’ll be almost 28 years old! Basically a fossil at that point from my point of view, but I’m sure I’ll be just as dumb as I am now and hopefully not as broke. At 28, I’d like to have made a good living for myself: a job that I love, friends and family that care, a down payment on a nice roof over my head, and maybe even a car if the gas prices don’t keep rising.