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Technovaiton Mentoring

Image result for technovation challenge

Started in December 2018, I volunteered to participate in a mentor training for Technovation. Technovation is a competition that purpose to embrace women in technology and business. So girls around the world would form a team and collaborator together to implement a mobile application and a business model to solve problems in their community. To be honest, I think this is a tremendous opportunity for young girls to demonstrate their greatest ability to the world where historically has been buried down to the ground. That is the reason why I participate as a mentor even though I am a male. One take away from the training is how to be a mature mentor where we not just giving the students an answer rather guiding them through the process.

Certificate of being certified mentor

At the beginning of January 2019, I was officially become a mentor; I felt really proud to be one of the millions who are fighting against the discrimination of women. I was mentoring second cohort students from Liger. Technically, I was a technical mentor (working on developing an application with my students), however, I sometime helping the team on the business model. 

The platform that we were using to code the application is Thunkable cross platform. This version of Thunkable allows our team to work with both Android and IOS operating systems. Thunkable uses code block and drag and drop tools; this version is very important to my students to learn the process of creating an application. There were few limits to the platform, although, we still able to find solutions to solve — one of it was related to the database. Here are other platform we were using: 

Coding platform: Thunkable X

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Database: Google Firebase (Realtime Database)

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User Interface: implement from scratch

Being a mentor for 12 weeks (9 hours a week) with the second-cohort, I feel a lot closer to them. We had a lot of fun: we laugh, joked, cried, frustrated, cheered, hopeless, rushed, determine, etc. The first two weeks of mentoring was like riding on bumpy road due to my lack of experience in teaching and the high technical term related to coding. Although, I started to teach them using drawing and visualization of how to append the database with the application. Moreover, my other strategy is to code on the simple side of the app fist which is the UI.

After the 12 weeks mentoring, the team got select to pitch their idea to judges in the national pitch. Before they got selected, they competed with several hardworking teams around Phnom Penh. On the national pitch competition, the team was on fire; they were the initial team to present, and these 13-14 year-old girls rocked the whole conference. The presentation was loud and clear, the information that were given has all what judges needed, the timing of the presentation ended right before the bell ring, and they answer the questions confidently. With theses reason, the team should fit for first place and they did got first place. I am very proud of the team, their hard work paid it forward. I am also very proud to be their mentor, every time I’m in the class, I’m always simile because of them. I am looking forward to hear great news from the team to get another selection from the global Technovaiton Competition.

The team with the Technovation organizer in Cambodia, USAID, and the minster of Education.
Certificate of completed mentoring a team.

Live of the Pitch: https://www.facebook.com/moeys.gov.kh/videos/353856195475761/UzpfSTE2Nzg0MDQxOTkwMzc4NTU6MjI1NTI1MzY1MTM1MjkwNA/

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Business Model Competition (BMC)

 

BMC is a global business competition for university students. We are the only high school teams to participate in this competition. There are two teams from Liger that both go to the final and my friends team were selected to be the first place representing Cambodia. There were about 96 teams participated in the competition and our team, Chek Rom Lek, was on the top 10. I learn so many skills related to business in this competition such as how to validate ideas, answering questions, and present idea to judges. 

Here is our solution statement: “To create an online store app where authors and experts can publish Ebooks/reports in Khmer language. A platform where readers and researchers can have access to reliable Khmer language resources that could benefit their project.”

Our presentation of the business: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1-iSCAaBxWxcMEIdybrJK_Of5SpjlZRiiQs5CIi5Hrk4/edit?usp=sharing 

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Collaboration with Boston University

Started since October, two students (Visal, Vuthy) and a facilitator (Cindy) from the Liger Leadership Academy received an opportunity from the director of International Labor Organization (ILO) in South-East Asia (Bodwell Charles) to create a wire-frame of an online business learning application for him to enter the app development competition. The opportunity was introduced two days before the competition dateline. This meant that my partner and I need to work our butts off for this project. 

The goal is to create an online learning app where it focuses on how to start a business and how to sustain your business. The lesson in the app is very entertaining– it has a dialog between two charactors that plan to create a business. The first lesson that we currently have on the app is “READY FOR BUSINESS: COMMUNITY-BASED ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT FOR BECOMING AN ENTREPRENEUR.”

After a while, the competition finally announced the winners, one of them is our app! By winning this competition Vuthy and I were able to collaborate with the Boston University’s students to further develop the application. So every Thursday we would have a video conference with the whole team updating what we have done. The application was implemented for Andriod operating systems only, and we used Andriod Studio as a text editor. Our roles in the application were to create the splash screen and the about page. 

Generally, we have experienced using the Andriod Studio to create an Andriod app, however, because of a lack of practice, we forgot some of the methods and objects. Due to this reason, Vuthy and I struggle a little bit to work on the application, but we still can do it. 

Working with university students help up to improve our ability in software development– we use Google Firebase as our database. Moreover, we also learn how to run a project successfully: how to manage each other’s role, how to run a video conference, and how to update our work to the team. We participated in this project because we know there are people out there who want to start the business and this is a really great resource for them. This app will change their life!

The cover of the book that we going to use.

 

Wire-frame that we created

   

 

Overall wire-frame

Actual app:

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Correlation and Causation

On Chapter 3, we earned about correlation. In this chapter, I it was a bit difficult to catch up because there are so many calculation and keywords relate into this. It is a really fun topic to learn, and see the association between two variables. We did a small project where we survey Liger students and we compare those data to see are there a correlation. It turns out that height and weigh have a high correlation. 

Correlation (r) has a range from -1 to 1; when r = 1 or -1 means that two variable are really correlated but that does not means that one causing another. Correlation means that the two variable have an association; causation means that one causing another to happen, we can conclude that only if we do the experiment.

This an example of two unrelated variables, but they do have a high correlation. This doesn’t means that eating mozzarella cheese cause you to have a civil engineering doctorates awarded. Source: http://tylervigen.com/spurious-correlations

 

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S’mores Lab

Part of our chemistry class, in term three, we learn about chemical reactions and determine bonds types. When we learned about determine bonds type, everyone in the class perceives the information quickly — because of our teacher! When it comes to chemical reaction and calculating excess reactant or limited reactant, most of us was froze. However our facilitator, Ellie, assigned us to do a lab where the product is s’mores.  From that lab we need to calculate the limited reactants and the excess reactant. For me, I learn each ingredient of s’mores and I can implement it into the actual chemical. I better understand of calculating chemical reaction better than just learning it theoretically.

Image result for s'mores
Picture of a s’more. Image from: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiNzKDy7ZLfAhUKMI8KHY0yDTsQjRx6BAgBEAU&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foodnetwork.com%2Frecipes%2Ffood-network-kitchen%2Fperfect-smores-recipe-2105042&psig=AOvVaw1ABWb0mr41MYG4RLV1OuQ0&ust=1544448695322030

 

Lab Report

Problem:  Given a certain quantity of marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate pieces, what is the maximum number of S’mores that can be made?  Then figure out your percent yield!

Substance Symbol
Graham Cracker (half of a cracker) Gc
Marshmallow M
Chocolate Piece (individual piece of chocolate) Cp
S’more  (2 crackers, 2 pieces of chocolate, 2 marshmallow) Gc2MCp2

Procedure/data:

  1.  Use the 3 different reactants and one product to write a balanced equation for the making of s’mores

                            2Gc + 2M  + 2Cp → 1Gc2MCp2  

  1. What type of reaction would this be classified as? Both chemical and physical reaction
  2.  Record the total moles (pieces) of each reactant available at your table

Graham Cracker (Gc)-  6 Marshmallow (M)-  8       Chocolate Pieces (Cp)- 6

(amount of halfs of Gc) (each single marshmallow) (each single chocolate piece- 12 per bar)

  1. What is the maximum number of s’mores that your group can make?   3 s’mores

Why? The reason that we can make 3 s’mores because we got 6 mol Gc, 6 mol Cp, and 8 mol M, and for 6 mol of Cp we can only make 3 s’mores.

Which reactant/s is/are limiting?  (the one/s that you will run out of first) : Gc and Cp

Which reactant/s is/are  in excess (the one/s that will be left over) M

  1. Find the mass of one of each of the individual reactants (first zero a napkin and then find the mass on top of the napkin)

Graham Cracker (Gc)-  7.9 g Marshmallow (M)-  3.8 g Chocolate Piece (Cp)- 2.9 g

(one halfs of Gc) (one single marshmallow)           (one single chocolate piece)

  1. Record the theoretical yield/mass of a S’more (Gc2M2Cp2) using your reactants (you can add them together) = 29.2 g
  2. Make your s’mores
    a. Make sure that you follow the chemical reaction equation and get all of the reactants ready.
  3. roast your marshmallows over the Bunsen burner using a skewer. And then make your finished product.  
  4. Before eating your s’more find the actual mass (yield) of your s’more

(put a napkin on the scale, zero the scale and THEN put on your smore).

The ACTUAL (experimental) mass of one s’mores: 29.0 g

  1.  Find the percent yield of your s’mores: 29.0/29.2 * 100 = 99.32 %   Theoretical yield = from part 6 Actual or experiemental yield= from part 7c

percent yield= 99.32%

  1. How did you know which reactant was limiting?

Graham Cracker and Chocolate Piece are the limiting reactants. Based on the chemical equations, to create a s’mor  we need 2Gc, 2M, and 2Cp; we got only 6 Cp and 6 Gc and 8M. When we divide all reactant by 2 there’s no remaining for Gc and Cp, but remaining 2M. From the arithmetic, we can see that Gc and Cp runs out first — so they are the limiting reactant.

  1. How did you figure out the excess reactant?

We know that Marshmello is an excess reactant because we need only 6 (based on the common factor of the limit reactants) to create 3 s’mors, but the total marshmello is 8. This leave a remaining of 2 marshmallows. Also during the experiment, we followed the chemical reaction equation and turned out that there are two marshmallow left over.

  1. How did you figure out your theoretical yield for your product?

We weigh all of the reactants: Graham Cracker (Gc)-  7.9 g, Marshmallow (M)- 3.8 g, and Chocolate Piece (Cp)- 2.9 g. We take each reactant multiply by 2 (based on the equation) and sum it all up; we got a total of 29.2 g per s’mor.

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Chemistry Round 1

This year of Liger we started to have a chemistry built in our essential. I found out that I do like chemistry, especially learning about the atoms. This term, we were learning the introduction of chemistry: Matters, Mole and Molar mass, Periodic Table, Atom Structure, Electron Configuration, and Valence Electron. The topic that I think it was struggling for me is the Electron Configuration. Moreover, we did a lot of experiments: Coin Density, Liquid Density, and Flame Emission.

The picture was taken after the flame emission lab.

The most interesting lab was the Flame Emission! For this experiment, we try to burn many types of salt like Copper (II) chloride, Lithium Chloride, Potassium Chloride etc. Each of these salt emits a different type of color: for Copper (II) Chloride emits cyan light. It was a really fun experiment that I ever have out of other experiments.

For my final project of the round, I did a presentation that explains to the class about the Electron Configuration. I choose this topic because it was a difficult topic to understand, so I just challenge myself to do it. It turns out that I did it very well, my classmates asked me more questions about the topic and I got 1 bonus point!

If you want to see more of my presentation: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/128D5vri_iJmoYJh_sf8qD109vDwXyswbWQcqtGezL3E/edit?usp=sharing
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SAT Preparation

The SAT is in the 2 weeks and I still have no idea of what’s going to happens. Everyday in math class, we had about 30 minutes of class time to work on math section. I don’t think I have enough time to do it! Every students in the school require to practice out side of class time 30 minutes to 1 hour each day. SAT is not the only thing that depict us how smart we are, but for students who want to go to university at America, we need to do it!

During the summer holiday, I spent most of the time practicing the SAT and I did get some good result out of it. I know that the only way to get better is to practice; you need to practice every day! I felt better when I’m at home practicing, but when I’m in school, I don’t feel good about it because of my busy works. 

To be honest, I don’t really practice SAT that much, but in the next two weeks, I will deadly practice it every single day. I know it a procrastination, but practice for 2 weeks is better than practice nothing. 

We use some resources like Khan Academy, textbooks, and college board website. Those resources help me to gain confident little by little. I feel anxious about the upcoming SAT; I hope I do it well.

 

Collage Board Example Questions! Link: https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sample-questions/math/calculator-not-permitted/1
Khan Academy practice questions! It about congruence and similarity. Link: https://www.khanacademy.org/mission/sat/practice/math
Khan Academy alerting system, where it reminds us everyday to practice SAT. I found it very useful because it reminds me to always think about SAT.

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Basketball Competition 3×3

My first event for in this seventh year of Liger is basketball game. The Cambodian Basketball Federation hosted a FIBA 3 on 3 competition U18. The competition requires 2 boy and 2 girls in a team. I am interestin in basketball, so I brought two teams from Liger to participate in the competition. The event hosted in a stadium that looked really epic! It was a national stadium, and it appealed beautiful with the lights. I wish to play on those kinds of the field, and I did.

Before the game, there was an opening game where people with diability play basketball with each other.

The game went really well, the teams our group was really advanced. We won the first game; we were really happy with the result. It was scary to play on the field; I missed a lot of layups. In the second game, it was extremely hard, there was a guy who is a 3 pointer and he was really good at it. The result was lost! We need to win the third game in order to move to the next stage and we played with another great team who’s players are in the national team. We tried our best to compete with them but we just not good enough to beat them. And we lost again! 

So we just kissed the knockout stage and went home. But at the final stage, the teams that we lost were played with each other again. It was really a powerful experience to me. I now know where am I and I learned a lot of others moves. I love this event and I hope they would host it every year!

This is how the stadium looks like!
This is everyone who participated in the event!

 

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SAT Boot Camp

It was my last day of the summer break, and I felt like time was running really fast! I enjoyed my last day by riding a bike to an open rice field and indulge myself with the sunset.  The next day, I arrived Liger and feeling sad about seeing my parent went home. opposite of that, it was a new year, new apartment, new roommates, and new school year. I felt really ready for the first class of the year. 

Guess what, we start the class with a PSAT test! It was really funny to me and it turned out that I did pretty well on it. So our first two weeks of Liger, we started with the SAT boot camp. Our exam will be in the next one month and a half. To be honest, the boot camp was really boring but we just need to face it! We learn many strategies to take the test and it was really helpful! Every student endeavored to finish the intense homework that was given — some of us would be sleepless. Moreover, in that two weeks, we took three PSAT test which is about 12 hours in total. It was really suffering and fun experience with this beginning of the year!  

Full tests: https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/sat/new-sat-tips-planning/new-sat-how-to-prep/a/full-length-sats-to-take-on-paper

This is an example of a technique that uses for implicit and explicit questions in the reading section of the SAT. 

 

 

The writing section of the SAT.
That was a group photo with our mentors in the middle.
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Khmer MUN

Part of our Khmer class assignment, we work assembling Model United Nation (MUN) in Khmer language. We spend time, researching on the topics which are green city and fighting hungers. I had experience in MUN in English language, however, I am inexperience in Khmer language. This is an experiment in implementing this program to other Cambodian classes.