While he had no prior experience with design, the program gave Nock the idea to make his own website in the future.
Matthew Nock
Did you have any design experience before?
I had no previous experience with architecture or anything design related, so this program was an amazing introduction to design for me. It was a new experience for me, and overall positive. I had no clue what I was doing, and [the mentors] were all very helpful and supportive.
Can you describe something that you learned through the program that you might not have otherwise?
On a broader spectrum, I learned how design is everywhere. When I normally think of design, I would think of architecture as buildings. But design encompasses way more, and learning more about that is probably the biggest takeaway for me, because the program goes in depth about the definitions of various things about design. I’m mostly interested in web design.
Are you going to make your own website in the future?
I would like to, yes. I’ve tried making one, but it didn’t work out. I had a couple friends who were also making websites for fun, so I decided to try it out. After learning more through this program, I’m going to try again and see how much better I’ve gotten. They don’t delve too deep into the specifics on certain topics, except architecture, which is what they’re mainly known for. For web design, I have to teach myself most of the coding, but they will assist me when it’s relevant.
What was it like to work with the Harvard students?
It was very interesting to get their thoughts on things. One time I was working on a homework assignment that I thought was perfect, but they gave a lot of constructive criticism. It really opened my eyes to a lot of things I would have missed. It is always great having someone more experienced to guide you a little bit, just to give you that extra push. Everybody was very supportive of everybody’s work. Even if your work isn’t that good, they still critique it a little bit, but then lift you up a lot through your work.
Graciela Mohamedi
Graciela Mohamedi is a physics teacher at the high school. Her mother is from Puerto Rico, and her father is from Algeria. She is a Brookline parent of two. One of her children goes to the high school, and the other is an eighth grader at the Lincoln School. In her free time, she likes to hang out with her kids. One of her favorite memories is an apple picking trip she went on with her daughter and her niece.
What are you looking forward to this year?
I am looking forward to getting to know the high school a bit better. I’ve been a high school mom and now I’m looking at it from a different point of view, which is really interesting.
Do you have any hobbies?
I plan rallies, so I organized the March For Science, I organized March For Our Lives, and I organized together a free immigration rally over the summer. So, if there’s a big rally in the Boston Common, I probably had a hand in putting it together. It’s all super crazy and super stressful, but on rally day, everyone comes together, and you see hundreds and thousands of people coming together for something you believe in, and it is really rewarding.
Have you ever had a student ask you about a rally?
Yes. I’ve had students come and ask me about a [rally] and give them information, but if they want to get involved then that has to be outside of school time. I can’t do that in my role as a teacher. But I love getting students more involved in things. I think it’s super important that students pay attention when it comes to politics. It doesn’t matter whether or not they agree with me, that’s not the point, the point is to learn and find your own way.
How did you get into physics?
When I was really little, I used to take things apart to figure out how they work. My parents hated it. Science was not my easiest subject when I was growing up — math was always much easier for me than science, but science made me think more. When I went to college and told my parents that I was going to major in engineering, they were not surprised at all. As I got more into it and into research, I realized what I really liked was the physics side of things more than the actual engineering, so I ended up doing my doctorate in applied physics.
What do you ethnically identify as? What does that mean to you?
I ethnically identify as Latina. For me, it’s very much wrapped up in who I am. It’s my culture, it’s my family, it’s the language that I speak when I’m with my family, it’s the food, and it’s the color. I’ve done a lot of different things in my life, but when I hear Spanish being spoken it just brings you home. It’s an intrinsic part of me. I’m very proud to be Latina. I love Puerto Rico very much. I still have a lot of family there. Being around that culture is comforting. It’s home.
Erika Sanchez is currently a senior at Brookline High School and has been on the Sagamore's staff since 2018. She likes to spend time with her family and...