Personal Statement
Hello, there!
My name is Simon Hartt. I want to introduce myself in order for you to get a better understanding of who I am as a collegiate prospect.
As a Junior at Francis Parker School in San Diego, CA, I am enrolled in an aggressive course load including AP English Language & Composition, AP Biology, AP US History, Honors Spanish Language, and Honors Pre-Calculus, which is my favorite course. As a way to start developing my experience in engineering, I became a member of the Francis Parker Robotics Team, a nationally ranked team in the FIRST program. This year, we have designed and constructed a robot that can stack plastic totes and containers on steps in order to compete in the upcoming competitions. These competitions satisfy my desire to be a part of both an engineering project and a tight-knit school community.
Athletically, I developed a passion for rowing back in September of 2011 and am now in my fourth season as a rower, and my third year on Varsity. As a member of the Varsity Men's team at San Diego Rowing Club, I am ranked second on the team for Erg scores. I am very interested in taking my skills to the next level as a collegiate rower and am a very determined and responsible person that would be a great fit for a college program. I attended summer camps at Stanford University in the summer of 2012, and at Princeton University in the summer of 2013. In addition, in the summer of 2014 I was invited to attend the USRowing Junior National Men's Development Camp, but declined due to a minor injury. I am very committed to improving my ability and dedicating time to the sport. I will be attending the 2015 USRowing Junior National Men's High Performance Camp, where I hope to represent the United States in a number of international races this summer.
My spiritual life is also very important to me. I am a member of St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Del Mar, CA and am an active contributor to the Youth Group. Last summer, our Youth Group walked the Pilgrim's Coast-to-Coast trail across England. This two-week, 192 mile journey was not only a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but an opportunity for me to expand the scope of my mindset. I believe that this trip has helped me to appreciate simplicity in a complex world such as ours. The solitude of the English countryside allowed me to reflect on how I go about my daily life in San Diego. I also participated in the Sierra Service Project's trip to the Navajo Nation in Arizona during the past two summers. On this week-long trip, we helped families in need by doing construction and repairs to their homes. This opportunity helped me appreciate how fortunate I am in my life, and allowed me to be much more gracious in my other endeavors.
I appreciate you taking the time to get to know me. I look forward to speaking with you further about being a student-athlete at your school.