Matthew Hornak

Concerned citizen, Musician, Scientist, Student

I am a Junior high school student at Upper Saint Clair High School as of the 2018-2019 school year. I have always taken a keen interest into learning new ideas and skills, meeting new people, and making a name for myself by helping make the world a more knowledgeable place. I have had the privilege of being a member of the Boy Scouts of America, learning character development and handicraft skills. I have also benefited from my passion in music making and helping build the passions in others for many subjects, especially the humanities and sciences. I have also become an active member in the forensics (Speech and Debate) organization of my school.

Making other's happy, learning new (and sometimes obscure) skills, day dreaming, personal expression

One of the duties a child has should be to experience and learn as much as they safely can. We are given plenty of resources and opportunities as children, and plenty of safety nets to keep us from making too many mistakes. To learn to embrace the social nature we as humans have, to find beauty in what we love and what we don't, to logically think and make educated opinions based on both fact and feeling; these are skills that are direly important and becoming more influential in the real world. It is a shame that learning is feared and despised and synonymous with hours of toil for minimal benefit. If a minor can learn to embrace learning something new and finding a lesson in everything, they can be benefited personally and inspire someone else to do better than they ever could.

Writing letters. It is a skill I have learned from my brother and father, and has become a crux of my relationships in some instances. I love to write letters, and love even more watching others react to them.