Spruce Creek grad to study Mandarin in Taiwan this summer before heading off to Harvard

Jacob Friedman is passionate about studying biology and climate policy. He has a love for languages, and in his free time, he enjoys playing the piano and clarinet.

Friedman, 18, graduated from Spruce Creek High School May 23. He has been with Volusia County Schools since kindergarten, attending Ivy Hawn Charter School of The Arts before Spruce Creek.

Friedman recalled participating in an Eagle Scout project at the Marine Discovery Center titled “Living Shoreline Terrace Revitalization” while he was in eighth grade. He, along with a team of more than 100 volunteers, totaled nearly 1,000 service hours by planting 150 native plants in a three-tiered garden, which helped stabilize the Indian River Lagoon, he said.

“It kind of inspired me to continue my environmental and science interests, even throughout the pandemic, since it was hard at times, and from then, I was inspired to do Envirothon,” Friedman said.

Envirothon is an “outdoor natural resource education program for high school students,” according to its website. Friedman participated in numerous regional and state competitions, and in July, he competed internationally against students from the United States, China, Canada and Singapore, where he finished in fourth place, he said.

“It was just surreal,” Friedman said. “It was just one of the most transformative experiences ever.”

Friedman noted that during his high school years, he also participated in science fairs, conducted microplastic research, and advocated for the climate.

In October 2022, Friedman created a local Fridays for Future organization, which according to its website is a “youth-led, grassroots movement dedicated to climate justice in Florida and the world.”

“I’ve led various peaceful demonstrations as well as organized some climate education initiatives,” he said. “Although I have to pass it on to the next generation of Spruce Creek to carry on the organization, I’m still really involved with the national level, national coordination team, and trying to mobilize other youth from across the country, and especially driving climate education, since I think that’s something needing to be addressed at different state levels, but also just spreading positivity around this momentum to drive change in our communities.”

Friedman said he was also involved in band, National Honor Society and Key Club, where he served on the district board in 11th grade.

He also said that during his high school years, he visited Iceland with his school and marched in the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Dublin, Ireland.

“I wouldn’t trade it for anything else,” he said. “And I thank all the teachers and family members, friends that have supported me along the way.”

Spruce Creek teacher helped shape Friedman's future

When asked who has been especially influential during his high school years, Friedman thought of Spruce Creek High science teacher Joshua Platt.

“I was introduced to him in ninth grade during the weird, COVID year when I wanted to join the Envirothon competition,” Friedman said. “And since then, I’ve served as an officer, competed many times, and I’ve also taken his AP and IB environmental science classes, which I found to be almost transformative because he doesn’t just teach the content well, but he allows us to live environmental and that somewhat shaped my pursuits for the future.”

Photos: High school graduations in Volusia and Flagler counties, Class of 2024

Navigating the pandemic

The Class of 2024 started its four-year high school journey during the 2020-21 school year. With the pandemic still putting lives at risk, Friedman was online for all of his freshman year.

He said he found it isolating at times, specifically at the start, but FaceTiming friends regularly helped.

“It was quite strange, like being able to roll out of bed and enjoying first period five minutes later, as well as trying to do all my IB homework at home,” he said.

Friedman was still able to stay involved with clubs, he said, through virtual meetings and going to school when necessary.

“Once I entered my sophomore year, I just got involved in as much as I could, and I found that to be so rewarding,” he said. “And I was able to bond with friends through competitions, like, for example, Envirothon or Science Olympiad.

“It was a great year regardless,” Friedman also said about this freshman, pandemic year experience.

Post-grad plans

Friedman said he will attend Harvard College in the fall, where he is considering a double major in molecular biology and environmental policy.

“I’m really excited,” he said. “It’s been a dream school for a few years, and in December, I was lucky enough to be admitted.”

Friedman said his long-term goal still remains undecided, but he hopes to “bridge the gaps in STEM equity and environmental health” through medicine or research.

But before Friedman heads off to the Boston area this fall, he will spend his summer in Taiwan on a National Security Language Initiative for Youth scholarship. Out of thousands of applicants, Friedman is one of 540 students awarded a scholarship, according to a press release.

The program, launched in 2006 as part of a multi-agency U.S. Government initiative, is part of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and promotes the study of Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Hindi, Indonesian, Korean, Persian (Tajiki), Russian and Turkish, the press release said.

“I depart June 26 for a short pre-departure orientation in Chicago, where they go through safety briefings, some expectations about your host family, since you stay with a family that may not even speak English, and from there, we travel to Taipei, where we'll soon attend language classes each day, be able to go on different cultural excursions and practice not just with each other, but with language partners,” Friedman said.

While he is nervous to take on the journey by himself, adapt to a different lifestyle, and adjust to a 12-hour time difference, Friedman is every bit as excited.

“I feel like it'll be incredible — both a way to explore somewhere new after high school, but then also learn Chinese intensively, which is a language I hope to take in college, so I'm really excited,” he said.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Spruce Creek grad off to Harvard, but not before studying in Taiwan