SYCAMORE ALUMNUS HEADS TO STANFORD; PLANS ON USING ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE BACKGROUND FOR PREVENTATIVE MEDICINE Jay Maturi’s (’14) passions have led him to the
school years were invaluable to his success in high
on environmental studies. “I’m particularly
unlikely connection between medicine and
school. “Sycamore does a good job of fostering
interested in Stanford’s extensive environmental
environmental science. As he heads to Stanford
both peer-peer and peer-faculty interactions and
science and biology curriculum. I think the
University in the fall of 2018, he wants to
prepared me well for University High School’s
classes and opportunities will be a great match
continue learning how we can be healthier
philosophy of collaborative learning.” In 2017,
for my career interests. And it doesn’t hurt that
through understanding how environment
Maturi returned to Sycamore to work with
it’s always sunny there.”
affects our day-to-day lives.
4th graders on a project to recycle electronic
Maturi, who graduated from University High
components, and the results were, according to
When he looks back at classes and teachers at
Maturi, well beyond his expectations.
Sycamore, he sees things that resonate with
School this spring, has already built an impressive
him and foster his desire to learn. “Sycamore
resume. He’s a National Merit Finalist, and is
“One of my favorite activities during high school
provided such an exciting learning environment,
only one of 40 students (joining fellow Sycamore
has been my electronic waste initiative,” he says.
with so many hands-on experiences,” he
grad Maya Mishra from Park Tudor) on the
“I completed my first e-waste drive as part of
says. “Mummifying chickens, launching
Indiana Academic All-Star list; he is an Eagle
my Eagle Scout project, and I wanted to expand
marble catapults, egg drops - these projects,
Scout; he participated in Quiz Bowl, debate,
upon that through an education initiative. I
and competitions like Science Olympiad,
and soccer; he has traveled to learn about
developed an e-waste curriculum that is being
MATHCounts, and National History Day -
different cultures. “High school has really been
implemented in various schools across the state.
prepared me well for high school and set up a
an amazing experience,” Maturi says. “Because
Sycamore gave me an opportunity to teach
habit of lifelong learning. One of the teachers
it’s small, University High School has given me
4th graders about e-waste, and as part of that
whose efforts allowed me to succeed in high
an opportunity to form a tight-knit community
teaching unit, we launched a successful Sycamore
school was Mr. Tormoehlen,” he says. “He
with my peers and strong relationships with
drive that collected more than 5,000 pounds of
dedicates hundreds of hours, before and after
my teachers. It’s also allowed me to experience
electronics for proper disposal.” He has taken that
school, to run math practices and competitions
a wide variety of activities. The school has a
initiative to additional schools to have an even
for his students. Mr. T helped me approach
January term that has provided in-depth learning
greater reach for his recycling project.
mathematics creatively and confidently. The
experiences in topics such as Race in America, the Cuban Revolution, and Hong Kong culture.”
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skills I developed in middle school have helped Jay’s next adventure is out West, to start classes
me through high school math, and I know they
at Stanford University. Maturi targeted Stanford
will continue to serve me through college and
Leaving Sycamore four years ago, Maturi found
because of the curriculum that matches
my career,” he says. “I think Sycamore School
that the pieces put in place during his middle
his career interests and allows him to focus
provides a real leg up for high school.” n
