During his junior and senior years at Middlesex School, Matthew (Matt) Kafker earned several academic awards and was a National AP Scholar and a National Merit Commended student. Matt Kafker also participated in several international service learning opportunities in France and Costa Rica. This sparked his love of travel, which has taken him to Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands, and Belize. Belize is a country south of Mexico and west of the Caribbean Sea. Tourism to Belize has grown tremendously over the past 15 years. However, due to the high cost of imports, Belize is considerably more expensive than its Central American neighbors. Some of the country’s main attractions include its natural beauty, long coastline, and quaint villages. Because of a rise in American visitors and the popularity of Belize City as a cruise stop, many American air carriers now offer direct flights to Belize. English is widely spoken in the country, and travelers have many choices in accommodations, including secluded resorts with views of the rain forest or the beach.
Physics major Matthew (Matt) Kafker possesses diverse academic interests, including astrophysics, mythology, and ancient Greek history. Matt Kafker often listens to informative and educational podcasts and lectures, including the popular TED Talks. TED Conferences began more than 30 years ago to introduce innovations in technology, entertainment, and design (“TED”) to a wider audience. Today, TED Talks cover diverse topics, including health, business, education, science, and economics. TED Talks have been streamed over a billion times by listeners all over the world. Outside of official TED Conferences held annually, thousands of organizations, colleges, and research institutions organize their own speakers under the brand TEDx. These local conferences must adhere to a set of rules to maintain a TED license.For example, local organizers must ensure that speakers represent different industries and that the conference does not have any promotional undertones. Also, since TEDx is intended to provide a platform for new ideas and perspectives, professional motivational speakers and well-known life coaches are generally not permitted to participate.
