Sarah Knotts
My name is Sarah Teresa Knotts. I am seventeen years old and entering my senior year of high school in the fall. I have a mulitracial background that I very proud of (Indonesian, Korean, Italian). I was born in Boston and have lived here for my entire life.
I am interested in public service because I have a drive to help improve the lives of underserved and underrepresented demographics in my community. I believe in the power of compassion and camaraderie. When they are strengthened and people from many walks of life come together to talk, listen, and find common ground, greater societal progress can slowly be made. I decided to apply for the Fellowship because I felt it emphasized a similar sentiment.
There are several things I done while in high school that I am very proud of. I joined my school’s theater program, which has pushed me out of my comfort and helped me develop as a performer and creator. I especially loved being able to be apart of our productions of Cabaret and Beowulf. I was also able to create a club called STEMulator that helped high school and middle school girls learn about different STEM fields and projects. I wanted to help inform them so they can decide whether or not they wanted a career in STEM or what specific field they could see themselves studying and pursuing.
I have been very lucky to have gotten some job opportunities that I have learned so much from. I’ve worked as a Teen Leader at the Boch Center. Over a summer, we got to create an original play about social inequities and present our own workshops about these issues to youth programs all around Boston. We even got to give a presentation against art budget cuts at the State House. The next summer I worked for the New England Aquarium as a Community Outreach Educator. I really enjoyed getting to bring live marine animals to youth programs and public events around Boston as well as providing education about climate change and ocean activism.
As I enter my senior year in the fall, I am excited to push myself even further out of my comfort zone. As I apply to colleges and look towards the future, I am interested in finding environments that best support my health and happiness. I hope to use all the experiences (good and bad) I have gained in high school to guide me in whatever I decide to pursue in the future.