Undergraduate / Cross-country / Nano Research Facility - one of your activities Help [NEW]

In the space provided below, please elaborate on one of your activities (extracurricular, personal activities, or work experience)(150 words or fewer).

Ive drawn of these two rough drafts. I will need to consolidate, and polish up both essays. But I was hoping to get some input from some people.

#1 As a member of the cross-country, and track and field teams for my entire high school career, I feel that I have benefit greatly from them. They've shown me in what I used to think was an entirely non team sport, to knowing that they are both extremely team oriented. Both sports have instilled many team values in me. At all the meets my fellow team mates will cheer me on during the races and visa versa. There are also many activities that bring our team together including pasta parties at a runner's house the day before a meet, and pizza parties after the meets. Here we can socialize with all our teammates, and all have a good time. Both sports require much training, and there were sometimes when I felt like I couldn't train anymore, but my teammates were able to get me through it. It is a great feeling when you improve on your best time and set a new personal record. In x-country there has to be ambition from the runners to improve, because the coaches can't make you run. We learn to use our ambitions to push us harder and run independently. Both are truly tests of perseverance, dedication, and endurance, they are not like most other sports where the players receive some sort of break throughout the game. Even though there are some hard times when training, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience.

#2 over the summer between 10 and 11th I had the amazing opportunity to work in the UCI Integrated Nano Research Facility under Professor Mark Bachman. Over the next 7 weeks I was able to work with cast molding of silicone rubber (PDMS) for making microfluidic devices, disassemble and help repair a broken microscope, use a computer controlled laser cutter to make precision cuts in plastic, assembled and soldered several circuit boards, helped design and build a miniature heat gun for precision soldering applications, and designed, built, and tested a miniature flatbed scanner using an off the shelf CMOS sensor. I worked on various projects with the college students that gave me a lot of exposure to tools, techniques, and the dynamics of college research labs. The college students there were extremely friendly, and I was able to make friends during my time in the lab. I was the youngest of the selected to intern, while most were undergraduate students. I had a strong willingness to learn, as seen by me asking many questions to the college students there, staying longer than was asked of me, and helping propose ideas. Although I'm used to being very knowledgeable in the topics we study in high school, it was a refreshing change to jump into a situation where I was easily the least informed. However, I was here to learn, and my positive outlook helped me get the most from this amazing learning experience.

I appreciate any input, Thank you

Undergraduate / Intern in Washington D.C under Congressman Duncan Hunter - Common App Essay [2]

Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you

This last summer I had the unique and amazing opportunity to intern in Washington D.C under Congressman Duncan Hunter of the 52nd Congressional District of California. Here I was able to broaden my view, and open my eyes to the political world.

There were various tasks for me to do including giving tours of the capitol, taking phone calls, and organizing constituent mail. There was also free time for me to explore, listen to speeches from prominent people, and sit in on various house and senate committee meetings. I was able to hear speeches from Charlie Cook, Jim Demint, Adam Putnam, Mitch McConnell, and Colin Powell. I was also able to sit on committee hearings involving: the situation in Iran, Medicaide funding, Aviation security - cargo screening, Future of media - co-ownership, and issues with the Secret Ballot. Powell's speech was easily my favorite speech, he told a very inspiring story of his rise from City College to Secretary of State. Telling us how at ten he had absolutely no idea what was going to happen to him. All the other interns I met were college students. I was able to make friends with the other interns in my office, and I was able to learn a lot from them. They shared with me some of their experiences, and advice about colleges. There were many people who felt like they were sincerely trying to make things better, but it also felt like some of the people on the hill were very fake. Many people called into the office to get help from the office. They called about issues they were concerned about, and wanted to know how Hunter could help or his positions on different issues. Along with phone calls, we received an enormous amount of letters asking for support on different issues. A great percentage of mail were chain letters, and this shows how a group of people can rally together for a common cause and try to make a difference in our government. I found this to be an amazing representation of our democracy in action. I was able to easily see the influence that the people in the San Diego district were able to have on their representative. Throughout my stay I saw the house in session many times, and it is a very formal process.

During my internship I was able to see the dynamics of the house in session and of the committee hearings. This event has certainly increased my knowledge in politics and government, and how both of them work in dynamic situations I will with no doubt remember this opportunity forever. I had a very enjoyable and intellectually provocative experience this summer.

I feel this is very rough draft at the moment. Do you feel that this is a good and unique topic to elaborate on? and should i focus more on how it impacts me?

I appreciate any input, Thank you