- Talon Staff Interview: Jaden Barney Saturday, October 01, 2011 By Kailee Keiser Advertising How long have you been at PALCS? I have been at PALCS for about three and a half years -- I transferred here midway through eighth grade. I officially started University Scholars three years ago for my freshman year of high school. Why did you come to PALCS? I came to PALCS because I wanted both more structure to my classes and the flexibility of learning from home. I'm really involved in a lot of extracurricular activities, from robotics to playing and teaching the piano, so I like that I can complete my school on my own time, not just during the normal school hours. What do you want to be when you grow up? The same thing that I've always wanted to be since I can remember -- an astronaut. I really like thinking that we're just a pale blue speck in the entire universe and I'd love to get to know the world around me even better. I guess I've always had an adventurous side to me. What is your favorite class? My favorite class right now has to be AP Calculus just because I really like the teacher and I enjoy going to the classes. I also like math, which helps! What do you do besides school? I'm the project manager of a FIRST robotics team called the Girls of Steel, so that takes up a lot of my time. I'm also very involved with the National Honors Society, Student Government, and obviously, the PALCS Newspaper: The Talon. Do you play any sports? If not, why? I don't play many sports because I'm one of the most uncoordinated and generally clumsy people on the planet. However, I do still play rec league softball because I find softball really fun and entertaining. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? I think I would live in British Columbia, Canada because I remember it as one of the most beautiful places I've ever been to. I went there as a kid on vacation a couple of times and the environment around British Columbia was so undisturbed by things like pollution and cities that it was breathtaking. If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be? I would want people to care more. Humans are naturally selfish and it causes a lot of conflicts, from the suffering of people during war to just small spats between friends. I think if people cared more, than we might be just that much closer to peace. What would you do with 1 million dollars? I have no idea! Hmmm... I think the first thing I would do is pay to get my pilot training and license -- I've always wanted to fly. I'd save and invest enough so that it would be useful for the future and I'd give the rest to girls' education in third world countries. If you could have any animal as a pet, what would it be? I would have a butterfly!

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