Iowa BIG continues to be positive experience

Positive learning experiences, like all positive experiences in general, can be credited to the people involved in making them happen.

I can honestly say the people I've come to know at Iowa BIG have contributed greatly to the positive experiences I've had here.

I've met some of the most passionate, intelligent and all-around awesome people, from teachers to peers to partners. The entire community has made my time here so far truly memorable and rewarding, and I still can't believe I get to work with such amazing people every day.

I really enjoy working with my teachers at BIG, key words: 'working with.” Instead of having lectures, we embrace one-on-one conversations. Instead of raising our hands and being called on, we dive into open discussions. Because of this, I feel like I've really gotten to know my teachers, and I must say, they're pretty spectacular.

During a recording session for my audio production group, my teacher laid down a drum track, adding to other tracks we recorded that day.

Meetings are fun and often hilarious, but still productive.

The students I've met are enjoyable to work with for many of the same reasons my teachers are.

Did you know we all come from different schools? I've made a new friend in every high school in the Cedar Rapids and College Community school districts, which I guarantee would have never happened outside of BIG. I'm extremely thankful for that though, because previously, I had no idea that such awesome people existed outside of my high school. I met a student at Washington who invited me to play viola in her quartet for a wedding. Now I play with the group regularly and consider the other players to be close friends of mine.

While we are all so complex and unique, we still can come together and combine our talents to make something great, in or out of the classroom.

Our partners have been able to provide me with so many amazing opportunities that I wouldn't have had access to before. So far this year, I've gotten to tour an in-home recording studio, chat with one of the creators of the website 'WeCreateHere” and even write a piece for 'The Gazette”!

Knowing such influential and successful adult members of my community support what I'm doing, and even want to help make it happen, is a really great feeling.

Previously, I had never been so rooted in my community. Now, I know my community is rooting for me, and it makes me feel proud of my education and my city.

I think the coolest part about being human is getting to connect with other humans, and at BIG, I've gotten to do that on so many levels.

Each day at BIG is different. Projects will pivot, meetings times will shift and conference calls will be canceled. However, the one thing that never changes is the incredible community surrounding it.

' Aren Buresh is a junior at Kennedy High School. Comments: coordinator@iowabig.org