november 14, 2012
features
THE
The
Mika l Mind
Freshman Mikaeel Yunus proves his abilities above grade level photo by Kylie Walters
Freshman Mikaeel Yunus excels in AP math and science courses typically offered to seniors and dreams of one day being an astrophysicist.
Jill Oliver & Parisa Siddiqui Features Reporter, Features Editor
While many of his classmates in the sixth grade were learning the basics of factoring and pre-algebra, Mikaeel Yunus, now a freshman, had already scored a 730 on the SAT Math Level I subject test. Yunus’ academic intensity and positive outlook from a young age have inspired his community, according to his teachers, classmates and family members. Yunus said that math has always been a particular strong suit of his. “[My sixth grade math teacher] encouraged me to skip seventh grade math. There was a lot of peer pressure because one of my friends ... was going to be in eighth grade math that year, so I skipped a grade,” Yunus said. Yunus’ interest in and talent for math also led him to take the AP Calculus AB exam in eighth grade. As a freshman, Yunus is enrolled in AP Calculus BC. Yunus’ calculus teacher, Charles Petrizzi, said that Yunus’ outlook has contributed to his success in this college level course. “You have ninth grade classes, and then BC Calculus is usually for twelfth graders,” Petrizzi said. “[Yunus’] attitude is very enthusiastic, and [he is a] very proactive student.” Yunus said that behind his achievement lies a passion for mathematics that motivates him to delve deeper and deeper into the complex field. “What I like about math is the logic behind it,” Yunus said. “It’s a set of rules that a bunch of remarkable men and women have found over the years that basically explain how nature works by applying those rules to any situation you’re given. It’s remarkable that math can apply to the real world when it’s just a bunch of numbers, letters and equations.” This enthusiastic approach to exploration carries over to science courses as well, according to Yunus, who is taking AP Physics C: Mechanics after a summer studying physics at the Center for Talented Youth at Johns Hopkins University. Initially, Yunus said he felt extra pressure to succeed in his science class this school year due to his age. “[Then], I started to
talk to more and more seniors. They’re really nice people,” he said. “They’re always willing to help when [I] need it.” Competition, in addition to collaboration, has motivated Yunus, according to freshman David Zhang, a friend of Yunus’. Zhang said he encouraged Yunus to start taking more challenging classes as a sixth grader by competing with Yunus academically. “He likes to challenge himself, and so do I, so I wanted him to have more of a challenge because the classes he was taking were easy for him,” Zhang said. Beyond earning high scores in the classroom and on standardized tests, though, Yunus said his hobbies have always been unlike his peers’. When Yunus was seven, he wrote a book entitled “Just Me and My Special Sister.” Yunus said the idea for his story about his relationship with his autistic sister, Emaan, came from another book he had read. “The author, she talked about ... her younger brother
One of my dreams is to help contribute to the discovery of what the true nature of dark matter is. - Mikaeel Yunus, Class of 2016 with autism and how they got used to life together,” Yunus said. “My mom actually showed that to me when I was seven, and I said ‘I want to do that,’ so we sat down one day, and I started writing.” By the time Yunus was nine, his family had self-published his story in a picture book and donated hundreds of copies to students with special needs. In 2008, President and First Lady Obama recognized Yunus’ work. Yunus’ father, Mamoon Yunus, said that meeting the first lady was a key moment of affirmation in Yunus’ life. “I would say his [greatest] accomplishment [was] to write the book, to present it to her and to get a letter back a month later from the president encourag-
ing Mikaeel to follow his dreams,” Mamoon said. Besides gaining notoriety, Yunus also inspired readers and fueled his own self esteem, according to Mamoon. “[Publishing the book] made him feel like he was doing something very positive,” Mamoon said. “[Yunus] taking what he has learned with dealing with his special needs sister and trying to educate people who may be facing the same issues in their house, I was very happy about that.” Yunus said he credits his parents with much of his success, from helping him publish his book in elementary school to encouraging him to take college level courses as a freshman. “My father, from the very beginning, has been helping me with mathematics and science. He’s always inspiring me to challenge myself and go further in the SATs and AP Calculus,” Yunus said. “My mother was an inspiration throughout the years. She was the main driving force behind my English achievements, and I’m really thankful to have parents who are always cheering me on and supporting me.” Yunus’ mother, Zehra Mooraj, said, however, that her son is primarily selfmotivated. “It’s an internal drive. He wants to succeed. He wants recognition and encouragement from teachers because he’s a hard worker,” Mooraj said. In the future, Yunus said that he hopes to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology or Stanford University and then to translate his love of math and science into a career. “I’m aiming for astronomical engineering and astrophysics, just working with spacecrafts. One of my dreams is to help contribute to the discovery of what the true nature of dark matter is,” Yunus said. Some of his goals, however, have changed. While just seven years ago Yunus was writing a picture book at home with his mother by his side, Yunus said he now hopes to take the message and carry it even further. “I might write a sequel eventually,” Yunus said. “It’s not going to be a picture book; it’ll be a little longer.”
9
APPLICATION
The Roar follows four seniors with different interests as they navigate their way through the college process over the course of the school year and will reveal their identities and final college decisions in June. Emmy* finished her applications to all the Canadian schools to which she is applying, including University of Waterloo, University of Toronto, McGill University and McMaster University. Emmy said her new goal is to review part of an application each night for the American schools on her list, which include Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northeastern University, Columbia University and Carnegie Mellon University. Although she still has work to finish, Emmy said she is happy with her progress. “I’m actually feeling pretty comfortable,” she said. “The Canadian application is so simple that it’s not stressing me out at all.” Tyler* has submitted early action applications to University of Massachusetts - Amherst, University of Vermont and University of New Hampshire. Tyler said he has also been working on his 15 supplemental essays for Brown University, Dartmouth College, The George Washington University, College of William and Mary, Union College, University of Richmond, University of Virginia and Wesleyan University. Tyler said that submitting his first application brought on a variety of emotions. “When I pressed submit, it felt like there was a lot of weight taken off my shoulders,” he said. “[But] I feel kind of nervous because it’s out of [my] hands.” Greg* recently faxed his application to the athletic office at Boston University and is now waiting to hear from the college’s coach of his chosen sport. Greg said because he is applying as an athlete, his application process is not very stressful. “[Applying as an athlete] took a lot of the stress away because it sort of helped me figure out where I want to go by figuring out which schools were interested in me as an athlete,” Greg said. “I feel pretty confident that I’ll probably get in.” Heather*, who has already applied to the theater department of Fordham University, University of the Arts in Philadelphia and the theater conservatory of Roosevelt University in Chicago, is now perfecting her four audition pieces for the other 11 schools she will apply to and audition for in the coming months. Heather’s top choice is Boston University. Completing the work has been difficult, and Heather said she is proud of herself. “I feel like I’ve been struggling ... and preparing, and finally it’s now starting to click,” she said. *Names have been changed