Jaxson Hill: Class of 2019
Graduated in 2019, Jaxson Hill founded the Wylie Math Tutoring club and is now a student at Harvard University, studying Mechanical Engineering, with aspirations to work at NASA in the future.
What year did you graduate from WEHS?
2019
What activities were you involved in during high school?
Wylie Math Tutoring, Choir, Solar Car, Academic Decathlon, Robotics, NHS
What was your favorite/least favorite subject in high school?
I think AP Physics 1 and 2! I loved learning about how the world fundamentally works, and Physics 1 and 2 covered such a broad range of topics. That really appealed to me since I felt like I was learning a little bit about everything out there. I still use knowledge from those classes in my courses in college today! I did not quite have the same love for my English classes… I can’t say I loved analyzing poetry the same amount I loved learning about how nature works. But I did love my English teachers. Shoutout to Mrs. May and Mrs. Vernon!
If you could do something over again? What would it be and why?
I am actually not really sure! Looking back, I spent a lot of time working on schoolwork which definitely paid off, but still had fun and did things I enjoyed. There were definitely times when I stressed out too much on small things that in the end didn’t matter too much. If I could go back and do things differently, I would have tried to keep in mind the things that actually matter, and be ok with letting go of some of the smaller things. Additionally, I wish I was better at saying no to things! I definitely overcommitted, and as a result stretched myself too thin.
What did you do after high school? If you went to college, what did you major in?
I flew off to Cambridge, MA to attend Harvard University. I now study Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Astrophysics and will graduate in 2023.
What is a lesson you learned in college that you wish you knew in high school? And do you have any advice for current high school students?
I wish I knew how truly powerful reaching out to others could be! Whether that is for help or just to chat, people are more willing to help you out than you might think. Whether it is a teacher you enjoy talking to or some adult you just think has a cool job, sending emails and asking to talk to people will get you far. You’d be surprised how many opportunities you can unlock for yourself just by randomly reaching out and talking to people. For example, earlier this semester I emailed some professors (that I had never met before) asking about their research and if they had any job spots for undergraduates. Now I have a cool job lined up for the spring! You are surrounded by fascinating people with interesting life experiences and a lot of wisdom. Don’t let that pass you by.
What are you doing now? What’s next for you?
I am currently trying to find what I will do over the summer! I’d like to work in the space industry, most likely on the science side with NASA and less so on the rocket side with SpaceX or Blue Origin. After college I anticipate going to graduate school for a Masters or PhD in Space Engineering, then hopefully onto working on new space exploration missions or getting humans to Mars!
Just for the fun of it–
Last Netflix show you binged? It’s a Hulu show (but answers the spirit of the question I hope), Brooklyn 99
App you spend the most time on? Definitely YouTube
What celebrity would play you in a movie of your life? Maybe John Krasinski if he had smaller ears!
Favorite song from high school? This is tough. Maybe You Can Call Me Al by Paul Simon