Rolling Out the Welcome Mat for the Class of 2029: IB Juniors and Seniors present their TOKs at Rising Freshman Night by Kyle McLaren
Melbourne High School’s annual Rising Freshman Night allowed eighth graders from nearby middle schools to learn about the school campus, curriculum, sports, and clubs. The International Baccalaureate Programme was an educational program designed to allow students to participate in a challenging curriculum and complete other components such as an Extended Essay (EE), Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS), as well as their Theory of Knowledge (TOK). At the Rising Freshman Night, IB students presented their TOKs in the Media Center and explained what IB meant to them. Junior Raphael Yucon’s TOK prompt was 18: Are Some Things Unknowable. “My inspiration for choosing it was the idea that some things can really never be found out during our lifetime, and I thought it was interesting to find some limitations in our acquisition of knowledge,” Yucon said.
Yucon’s project explored modern science’s advancements and how close humanity was to knowing and not knowing things. “One thing that I discovered when I was researching was the fact that we are advancing towards quantum mechanics fast. Sooner or later, things like teleportation won’t be a far-fetched topic," said Yucon. Other TOK projects included information about The Golden Record, the Great Pyramids, and the Quadrantids Crystal.
Attendees could walk around the Media Center, view the various TOK projects, and ask questions about IB. “It felt wonderful presenting to the incoming freshmen and families,” Yucon said. “I got to share some intellect about my prompt. It felt nice to express what can be done in the following years.” The event had such a large turnout, at one point there was a line to get into the room. Overall, the soon-to-be freshmen enjoyed their time touring the school and learning about what opportunities being a Bulldog had to offer. Yucon’s piece of advice for the incoming freshmen was “Comparing yourself to others only makes you the fool. Be your own flower and blossom your own way."
Caption: Juniors Raphael Yucon and Sebastian Franco-Castillo discussed Yucon’s project and what Quantum Immortality is.