In this blog post, I will summarize the efforts I dedicated to my studies, my club activities, and examples of how I demonstrated consideration and cooperation during my time in high school.

Efforts in Academics and Learning Experiences

All creativity stems from analytical learning. During my school years, I attended an independent private high school, where I primarily worked on creative assignments alongside my regular coursework. In fact, up until middle school, assignments were given with all conditions provided, so I could complete them without difficulty. However, in high school, assignments required students to reflect their own creative and independent thinking, and generally provided fewer given conditions. For example, there was an assignment to collect five examples of how mathematics can be found in everyday life and to propose formulas or concepts to solve the problems within those examples.
To complete this assignment, I had to constantly think about how to find ideas in daily life, and even after discovering an idea, I had to strive to apply analytical solutions to it. However, I believed that to derive ideas in the first place, one must first engage in analytical learning. This is because no matter how hard you try to come up with a good idea, you won’t be able to generate a solid one if you lack information and resources. So, whenever I was given an assignment, I would first collect a wide range of information related to the topic. For the assignment mentioned above, I referred to books that compiled examples of everyday situations reflecting mathematical principles and collected learning content and video materials, making an effort to review as much relevant material as possible.
As I was exposed to more materials, I began to find aspects that piqued my interest and identified topics I wanted to analyze further. So, when I wanted to discover the mathematical and scientific principles behind the ice cup, I spent a lot of time at the library, sometimes visiting the website of the ice cup manufacturer directly to find information and other times consulting encyclopedias. I then transformed the information I gathered into mathematical formulas to derive simple solutions and conducted research to determine the optimal amount of refrigerant needed for the ice cup to function properly. This creative idea—researching the relationship between cup size and refrigerant quantity—was fundamentally the result of collecting and analyzing a large volume of data.

Consumer Information Analysis Club Activities

During my freshman year of high school, I submitted a proposal regarding the milk distribution system and received approval from the school to change the policy. At the time, the change in the milk distribution system was made possible through the students’ efforts, and I realized that individual effort can have a significant impact. This experience sparked in me a sense of responsibility to protect consumer rights and sovereignty. At that time, there was a club at school dedicated to sharing consumer information and collecting data, and it was then that I joined and began participating as a member.
Our club operated an online community dedicated to consumer information, modeled after a site called “Smart Consumer.” Through my club activities, I learned that various members of society were making efforts to protect their rights as consumers. This experience made me realize that I, too, needed to become one of those people and learn how to assert my rights as a young consumer. As a new member, posting on the online community and managing information was an interesting experience. Drawing on the knowledge I gained through the club, I would process the data I had collected myself to create and post articles.
Through these club activities, I was exposed to a great deal of new knowledge that I hadn’t previously been aware of. At the time, while collecting data with fellow members, we analyzed numerical data such as the Consumer Trend Index, Consumer Sentiment Index, status of consumer damage relief, and the number of damage relief cases received by type. We didn’t just search for this numerical information; we compared and analyzed the content provided by different websites year by year, and we tried to draw our own conclusions based on the data.
We also analyzed the ingredients and functions of various products we use in our daily lives. For this, each of us brought in items we frequently use to identify their ingredient characteristics and determine whether any information infringed upon consumers’ right to know. In particular, we performed price analysis and cost analysis, comparing retail prices with raw material costs to determine whether the products were fair and provided sufficient information.
We compiled our findings into articles, enhancing their readability by including charts, images, and illustrations to boost credibility. To support students’ healthy consumption habits, we posted links to this information on the school website. We also conducted surveys on the items and food products students primarily purchase and shared information about those specific products. When ingredient levels exceeded standard thresholds, we attached warning messages to encourage students to reduce their snacking frequency. Similarly, for products with high levels of endocrine disruptors, we recommended limiting their use.

Consideration and Cooperation: A Case Study on Resolving the Milk Distribution Issue

When I was a freshman in high school, I served as class secretary, keeping a logbook and collecting student feedback to submit suggestions. While we rarely received suggestions during regular times, students occasionally made requests regarding school meals or milk distribution. That semester, there was a flood of complaints and suggestions regarding the milk distribution. Unlike the advanced systems at nearby schools, we were distributing plain white milk to the entire student body, and students requested that this be improved so they could choose from a variety of flavored and nutritious milk options.
I recorded these opinions in the class log and passed them on to the teacher in charge. However, the teacher explained that simply submitting a suggestion wouldn’t move the issue forward; I would need to draft a formal petition and obtain the students’ consent. Taking this into account, I took the lead in drafting the petition myself, attached the students’ consent forms, and submitted the proposal to the school. In a way, I went beyond the role of class secretary to demonstrate a spirit of selfless sacrifice in addressing a difficult issue. Thanks to my efforts, the proposal was approved by the vice principal, and a survey was conducted among the entire student body to address our suggestions.
The survey regarding milk distribution, which originated in our class, ultimately led to our opinions being accepted. A progressive system was introduced where students can change the type of milk they receive once a month and order the specific milk they want to drink individually. Of course, this required higher costs than the existing milk distribution system, but the matter was approved after obtaining parental consent. As a result, milk distribution that takes individual preferences into account became possible, and since we achieved this in just one semester, I felt a great sense of pride. In particular, as the person who spearheaded this initiative, I received a lot of praise from my classmates, making it a very rewarding experience.