Jasper's excitement for all he is learning and doing right now at EXPLO is palpable. From his Model UN Course and his Philosophy + Ethics Elective this week to his participation in the upcoming Explosé, a showcase of student performances, Jasper has jumped right in during his first summer as an EXPLO student.
What were you up to in Model UN today?
In our second course period today, we started on our simulation, and we'll be finishing that up tomorrow. I got to be China, which was cool — I got to be on the Security Council. The way it works is that, in the beginning, people propose topics, and then we vote on them based on our country's interests. Then, we debate them, and we attempt to come to a resolution. This was my first time trying Model UN — it seemed really interesting, so I did some research on it, and it's been really exciting and nice to learn about it.
What about your elective?
I'm taking Philosophy + Ethics. We did a few things today, but the main idea we talked about was what differentiates a human from a computer. It tied into Alan Turing's idea about if a computer can deceive you into thinking it's a human — or at least has a consciousness comparable to a human.
Is there anything else that you've particularly enjoyed in your first week at EXPLO?
I've really enjoyed the Explosé Club. I play the guitar, and I sing. Everybody who's a part of the Explosé Club is doing something for the main performance, which is "Don't Stop Believin,'" so I'll be playing the guitar for that. And then I'll also be doing a solo piece, which is a song I wrote. I wouldn't say I'm a songwriter, exactly, but it's something I like to do recreationally, and I enjoy it!
If you could pick up a new skill, what would it be?
I want to learn how to play the drums! I think that would be a really fun instrument to know how to play. I kind of started a bit at my school right before the pandemic hit, and I'm hoping maybe next year I can learn a little more about it.
Victoria Lyons