Four months into judo, I’m starting to understand why it’s called “the gentle way” — and why gentleness might be the hardest thing to learn. JŪDŌ: MORE THAN A SPORT The word judo (柔道) breaks down simply: jū means gentle…
More Than Robots: My Journey as Captain in FLL “UNEARTHED” This season, I had the immense responsibility and privilege of leading my team as Captain in the FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL) UNEARTHED™ challenge. This year’s theme, inspired by archaeology, tasked…
Global Solutions, Local Leadership: My THIMUN Qatar 2026 Journey From January 13–16, 2026, the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC) became a melting pot for young leaders from around the globe. As Kuzey, I had the incredible opportunity to participate in…
Science Meets Conscience: My Amazing Experience at YGA Summit 2025! So, What’s YGA Anyway? YGA (Young Guru Academy) is an international non-profit that started right here in Turkey back in 2000. Their main goal? Raising what they call “double-winged” leaders.…
Last week, we went to Pergamon for a school trip. Pergamon is an ancient city located in İzmir. The distance from our school is nearly 90 km. We saw the ancient theatre, we learned about the Zeus Temple. We visited…
Hello! My name is Kuzey Kaan Koltuk, and I’m a high school student passionate about exploring how creativity, technology, and collaboration can make a real difference in the world. I first became interested in global issues through Model United Nations…
Every year, FIRST® LEGO® League releases a new Challenge based on a real-world, scientific theme. Starting with Discover, children are introduced to the fundamentals of STEM while working together to solve fun challenges and building models using LEGO® DUPLO® bricks. As participants progress into Explore,…
Last weekend, we went to the adventure park in Homeros Valley, Izmir. The park is named after Homer, the famous writer who is believed to have lived in this valley. We had a great time at Homeros Adventure Park, joining…
We successfully held the inaugural meeting of the ‘SÜGEP’ program, acting as the youth representatives for the environment for our region. The initial session was a great success; it provided essential information about the program’s objectives and included several engaging…
The Turkish Ministry of Education (MEB) has recently introduced a new rule that changes how AP (Advanced Placement) exams are organized in Türkiye. Until now, students whose schools did not offer an AP program could register to take the exams…