Meet AJ!
I’m a high school senior at Buckingham Browne & Nichols, where I’ve spent the past few years balancing academics, athletics, and community involvement. This fall, I’ll be attending UMass Amherst, where I’ll continue my academic journey and play Division I football. As both a student and athlete, I’m passionate about personal growth, leadership, and using my experiences to uplift others. Whether it's through mentoring younger athletes, exploring new interests, or pushing myself on the field, I’m always looking for ways to challenge myself and make a positive impact!
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Coaching Flag Football
About Coaching
Coaching a 14-and-under flag football team over the past eight weeks has been a rewarding and exciting experience. We've had a lot of success, especially in games where our team was clearly more skilled and better prepared than our opponents. Those matchups gave our players a chance to build confidence, execute plays cleanly, and grow as a team. But the most memorable moments have come from the tougher games when we faced talented, well coached teams that pushed us to play at our highest level. Those close, competitive battles brought out the best in our group and showed how much progress we've made. Win or lose, those games reminded us why we love the sport and how important it is to stay sharp, work hard, and always play together.
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Reading Group
Being part of a reading group this semester has been a meaningful and structured way to start each day. I wake up every morning and spend about an hour reading, which helps me stay focused and grounded. Our group, made up of 2-3 people, committed to reading 3-4 books over the course of the project. Throughout the week, we have regular check-ins to share thoughts and track our progress, and on Fridays, we hold discussions and revise our notes. These conversations help deepen our understanding and give us different perspectives on the texts. At the end of the semester, we’ll present on the book that resonated with us the most, sharing both our individual takeaways and the insights we developed together as a group.
Independent Reading Book
Reading If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin as part of my Senior Spring Project has been a powerful and thought-provoking experience. Baldwin’s writing is both poetic and unflinchingly honest, and engaging with this text in a focused, reflective setting has allowed me to grapple deeply with its central themes of love, systemic racism, and injustice. As a student, I found the portrayal of Fonny and Tish’s relationship not only moving but also emblematic of the resilience required to navigate an unjust world. The book challenged me to think critically about the intersection of race and the criminal justice system, and it prompted meaningful personal reflection on how these issues continue to affect communities today. Discussing the novel with peers has further enriched my understanding, offering diverse perspectives that highlight the enduring relevance of Baldwin’s work.
Independent Workouts
Over the past eight weeks, following the structured workout regimen provided by the UMass Football team has been both challenging and rewarding. Each week, I’ve stuck to a disciplined routine that combines weightlifting, plyometrics, and cardio, all carefully tailored to prepare me for the physical demands of college football. The program has helped me build strength, speed, and endurance, while also improving my explosiveness and agility key qualities for my position on the field. I’ve been tracking my progress throughout, and each Friday I take time to reflect on how I’ve improved and what I still need to work on. This consistency has not only pushed me physically but has also taught me the importance of routine, focus, and accountability. Overall, I feel stronger, faster, and more prepared for the next level, both mentally and physically.
Fly Fishing
As part of our fly fishing group, we’ve been learning the basics and building up our skills with help from Mr. Paquette, who’s been guiding us through each step. One of the first things we practiced was our casting, which we actually worked on inside the NAC Gym before heading out to the water. Practicing indoors gave us the chance to focus on form, timing, and technique without the distractions of wind or current. It was a little funny at first casting in a gym, but it helped us get comfortable with the motion and understand how precise fly fishing can be. Now that we’ve taken those skills outside, we’re starting to learn how to read the water, pick the right flies, and really appreciate the quiet focus that fly fishing requires. It’s been a cool mix of challenge and calm, and being outdoors makes the whole experience even better.
Consensus Internship
Throughout my internship at Consensus, I’ve had the chance to sit in on team meetings and observe how a tech start-up operates behind the scenes. Being part of these discussions has given me a clearer understanding of how data influences real-time decision-making and long-term strategy. I’ve also been given homework assignments that involve analyzing datasets, which has helped me apply what I’m learning in a hands-on way. These tasks often require me to look at user behavior, interpret trends, and think critically about how AI tools can improve the product. It’s been exciting to connect what I’m learning with actual business problems, and each assignment has pushed me to become more confident in working with data and thinking like someone in the tech field.