About Me
My name is Brook Schmid. I am a curious hardworking student, passionate volunteer, and adventurous soul. In school I've had great success, excelling in my classes, and taking many APs. This, however interesting to me, is not the only thing that defines me. Ever since I was younger I've understood that life is about living, it is about experiencing new things, learning your passions and applying them to yourself in order to make the best of the one life you have. This has been the message that I have taken with me through every step of the journey of my life.
My father is an immigrant, born in Switzerland, and raised in the US. My resulting dual citizenship, and the culture I inherited is a large part of who I am. Ever since I was a child we would have fondue and raclette dinners on holidays, attend 1st of August festivals filled with bratwurst and alp-horn music, and visit our relatives in Switzerland. Maybe it was because of these trips to the natural beauty of Switzerland, or maybe it is just in my blood, but I've always loved nature and the mountains. Skiing is a passion of mine, I also enjoy hiking, especially with my dog. I can get lost in nature for hours, both literally and physically. Traveling in general is another feature that defines me. Due to my dad's job at an airline, I have had the privilege of getting to travel all across the globe. From Santorini to Thailand, I have had lasting adventures that gave me a greater appreciation for culture and human differences. Despite worldly traveling, I have also lived in many places around the country. I was Born in the sunny state of California, then I moved to Chicago suburbs, in which the majority of my childhood took place. In 4th grade, my dad's job took us to the Boston suburbs where I had the pleasure of being near my cousins for a few years. Yet again, I was moved to Philly suburbs right before the start of high school due to my dad's job. This constant change was very impacting. As sad as it was to leave my friends and family behind as I moved, I now have connections all across the country, and I have a strengthened ability of being able to adapt to anything that is thrown at me, whether it be new situations or challenging environments.
I've always been a people person; I thrive on teamwork and collaboration. I also have always been curious, my mom would tell me stories of how as a kid I would never cease asking questions, or trying to find my own way of doing things-gaining the nickname "do it myself" girl. As I progressed in my education I realized that I had a passion for Science. This along with the traits I previously stated made me interested in the medical field as a future career option. Honestly, I have no idea where in the medical field I'm going to end up (doctor, PA, nurse, technician), but biomedical engineering has sparked my interest, and I'm going to see where it leads me. This field actually has a special place in my heart, because when I was younger my dad had an artificial valve put in through open heart surgery. I think its safe to say that without that technology my dad wouldn't be alive today, and I would love to be able to help others just as my dad was helped by amazing health care professionals.
Another important part of my life, which contributes to my medical interest, is volunteering. I have had the pleasure of both participating in, and being an officer of the Interact (High-School Rotary) Club during high school. Within our club we organize numerous events including dinner and a show for senior citizens, a community carnival and a babysitting night. However, we are also involved in worldwide events such as packing medical supplies through project cure, holding Rise Against Hunger meal packing events and supporting Roniel and Lyell (two boys in the Philippines). Furthermore, through Interact, I had the tremendous opportunity to attend RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards), where we were able to hear from captivating speakers including (but not limited to) an Alex's Lemonade Stand founder, a polio Survivor, a project Honduras volunteer, and discuss the implications of service above self, all the while creating lasting relationships and learning about myself as a leader. Being a part of Interact all these years has not only brought me closer to my community, but it has also opened my eyes to the passion I have for service, and influenced the path I want to take in life. Being able to change one's life for the better, even a little bit is absolutely fulfilling. Everytime I see a smile on a kids face, or get letters from Roniel and Lyell, I realize once more that I love to help people, and I don't want to stop making that impact. I may not be able to fix all the world's problems but I've realized that I want to try.
Overall, I'm excited to see where life takes me and am open to new ideas, accepting any challenges that come my way. Hopefully I'll be able to follow my passions and end up doing something I love, but for now I'm less worried about the destination and just focusing on the journey. I'm eager to expand my knowledge base both educationally and about the world in general, I'm even teaching myself guitar right now. As I said on the home page, I'm just a girl trying to find her place in the world.
My father is an immigrant, born in Switzerland, and raised in the US. My resulting dual citizenship, and the culture I inherited is a large part of who I am. Ever since I was a child we would have fondue and raclette dinners on holidays, attend 1st of August festivals filled with bratwurst and alp-horn music, and visit our relatives in Switzerland. Maybe it was because of these trips to the natural beauty of Switzerland, or maybe it is just in my blood, but I've always loved nature and the mountains. Skiing is a passion of mine, I also enjoy hiking, especially with my dog. I can get lost in nature for hours, both literally and physically. Traveling in general is another feature that defines me. Due to my dad's job at an airline, I have had the privilege of getting to travel all across the globe. From Santorini to Thailand, I have had lasting adventures that gave me a greater appreciation for culture and human differences. Despite worldly traveling, I have also lived in many places around the country. I was Born in the sunny state of California, then I moved to Chicago suburbs, in which the majority of my childhood took place. In 4th grade, my dad's job took us to the Boston suburbs where I had the pleasure of being near my cousins for a few years. Yet again, I was moved to Philly suburbs right before the start of high school due to my dad's job. This constant change was very impacting. As sad as it was to leave my friends and family behind as I moved, I now have connections all across the country, and I have a strengthened ability of being able to adapt to anything that is thrown at me, whether it be new situations or challenging environments.
I've always been a people person; I thrive on teamwork and collaboration. I also have always been curious, my mom would tell me stories of how as a kid I would never cease asking questions, or trying to find my own way of doing things-gaining the nickname "do it myself" girl. As I progressed in my education I realized that I had a passion for Science. This along with the traits I previously stated made me interested in the medical field as a future career option. Honestly, I have no idea where in the medical field I'm going to end up (doctor, PA, nurse, technician), but biomedical engineering has sparked my interest, and I'm going to see where it leads me. This field actually has a special place in my heart, because when I was younger my dad had an artificial valve put in through open heart surgery. I think its safe to say that without that technology my dad wouldn't be alive today, and I would love to be able to help others just as my dad was helped by amazing health care professionals.
Another important part of my life, which contributes to my medical interest, is volunteering. I have had the pleasure of both participating in, and being an officer of the Interact (High-School Rotary) Club during high school. Within our club we organize numerous events including dinner and a show for senior citizens, a community carnival and a babysitting night. However, we are also involved in worldwide events such as packing medical supplies through project cure, holding Rise Against Hunger meal packing events and supporting Roniel and Lyell (two boys in the Philippines). Furthermore, through Interact, I had the tremendous opportunity to attend RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards), where we were able to hear from captivating speakers including (but not limited to) an Alex's Lemonade Stand founder, a polio Survivor, a project Honduras volunteer, and discuss the implications of service above self, all the while creating lasting relationships and learning about myself as a leader. Being a part of Interact all these years has not only brought me closer to my community, but it has also opened my eyes to the passion I have for service, and influenced the path I want to take in life. Being able to change one's life for the better, even a little bit is absolutely fulfilling. Everytime I see a smile on a kids face, or get letters from Roniel and Lyell, I realize once more that I love to help people, and I don't want to stop making that impact. I may not be able to fix all the world's problems but I've realized that I want to try.
Overall, I'm excited to see where life takes me and am open to new ideas, accepting any challenges that come my way. Hopefully I'll be able to follow my passions and end up doing something I love, but for now I'm less worried about the destination and just focusing on the journey. I'm eager to expand my knowledge base both educationally and about the world in general, I'm even teaching myself guitar right now. As I said on the home page, I'm just a girl trying to find her place in the world.