I started programming during 2011, the start of freshman year of high school, when I enrolled in a course called Introductory Programming. The next year, I took AP Computer Science and scored 5/5 on the AP Exam. Both of these courses were taught using the language Java. During the rest of my high school years, I was involved with several programming and computer-related projects, including:
Since graduating from Laguna Hills HS, the majority of my software experience has been with Answerkey Technologies. My role with Answerkey began with the responsibility of rewriting their entire LAMP webapp; I updated from outdated versions of PHP, MySQL, and JQuery, implemented Bootstrap CSS on the frontend, and implemented an object oriented model view controller on the backend. After a successful update, my work continued with them for several years in the direction of additional features and entirely new projects.
This sort of personal blog, which you are so kindly reading, serves me mainly as an exercise in CSS, including only three lines of JavaScript (no Bootstrap, definitely no JQuery) and has taught me plenty about flexbox, transitions, and query selectors.
Other projects I have worked on include Presto! It's Music Magic Publishing as well as Zokko Music. I am currently enrolled in a Full Stack Web Developer (MERN) certificate program, and intend to pursue additional merits and accomplishments in the software industry.
I grew up learning to play piano and read the staff as a child, via private lesssons, YouTube, and the gracious support of my parents. As a teenager, I became much more interested in Guitar. A lifelong friend of mine inspired dreams of being a band together, and we would play Guitar Hero, and Rock Band, obsessively.
In high school, I participated in two different semesters of band on the guitar. The first of these was SMCHS Marching Band, a unique and interesting experience that introduced me to playing professionally in a group of musicians. Two years later, I participated in the LHHS Jazz Band, which was a highly memorable experience of learning and exposure to what felt like a new world of musical expression: improvisation.
The year after I graduated high school, I attended Northern Arizona University for one year, where I met several of my closest musical colleagues to this day. My first experiences creating original music were both unexpected and plentiful upon joining my first band, Brannen Ave.
Since then, I have completed 2 years of Applied Music focusing on Jazz Guitar at Saddleback College. I also seek any opportunity to play music for hobby or profession, and have been recorded for independent projects such as the original tune, Mantis, a collaboration driven by the creative inspiration of Zokko.
This section would not be complete by failing to mention the time I have spent in various choirs, both in high school and at Saddleback College. The opportunity to sing among so many voices is incredibly valuable.
Since late 2022, I have been formally working as a music instructor and tutor at several locations, the most notable of which is the Laguna Niguel School of Music, Where all of the instructors incorporate the method, Presto! It's Piano Magic, which stands alone as modern, inclusive, organized, and effective. They encourage their instructors to implement supportive, patient, and individualized strategies which maintain that music should be fun!
The combination of a diverse set of interests with a passion for learning and expression allows me to be a creative, supportive, and effective tutor. I began tutoring at age sixteen and since have gained one-to-one teaching experience in all of the subjects below.
Prospectively, I am confident that I could assist anyone struggling in math-based courses through undergrad Phyiscs and/or Calculus, as well as the programming languages Java, PHP, Javascript, and much more.
I have been skateboarding ever since about eight years old. These days, I can land a kickflip somewhat consistently, but my best is a varial. However, I technically landed one tre flip before, and never since. Most of my practice has been on flatground, but I enjoy streets and parks just the same, as well as longboarding, surfing, snowboarding, and skating on ice or wheels!
If I ever stream video games or music, you can find me on Twitch. My primary game has been Rocket League for a few years now, but I enjoy occasionally revisiting certain childhood favorites such as Legends of Zelda, Minecraft, Assassin's Creed, and more.
In 2022, I took my first restaurant job, where I learned many things, the most notable being how rarely I used to eat fresh food. Since then, I have been committed to cooking for myself (and the people around me) at least a few times every week, including but not limited to beautifully seasoned steaks and chicken, omlettes, Mexican style salsa fresca and guacamole, pasta, burgers, and more.
Proper care of and efficient technique with kitchen knives is one of my favorite aspects of cooking, as it is so similar to something like music or programming: there is always more to learn, and personality is always represented in the finished product, for better or worse!