Aubrey Jackman

Aubrey Jackman was born and raised in Tooele, Utah. Growing up, she loved being the middle of seven children in her family. After High School, Aubrey served an 18-month volunteer mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Seattle, Washington area. Aubrey enjoys spending her free time playing sports, such as basketball and tennis. She is an avid sports fan and aspires to be an athletic coach in the future. She now attends Brigham Young University with her husband, Makay. Aubrey is a Junior, majoring in Family Studies but has always enjoyed exploring technology and finding new ways to create.

Aubrey describes her STEM Project:

To summarize my STEM project, I realized that a lot of people do not know simple facts about the United States Constitution. I created an online website, quiz, and study help to aid those interested in becoming more familiar with the Constitution. I wanted to design a website that would catch the attention of my peers in order to increase their excitement about this vital document. I wanted to promote the Constitution in a way that would inspire this website and survey’s visitors to gain more understanding of the importance of this lasting document. This is the link to the website: https://knowtheconstitutio.wixsite.com/learn.

Included on the website is a quiz I created. I chose some questions that most people do not generally know, in an effort to help them realize they need to know more! This quiz also contains simple facts that each of us should know and understand. It is important to understand how our rights are protected and how our government is run. We are blessed to have this organized document that fulfills that need. A direct link to the survey I created is here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FVTXY9Z.

To make learning convenient, on the website I created an option to click on a button labeled “study here” which directly sends the user to a “Quizlet” page. Here, I created digital flash cards with simple facts about the United States Constitution and its amendments. This gives the user several choices and styles of learning to best fit their personal learning needs. This is the direct link to that Quizlet study guide and flashcards: https://quizlet.com/1343560/27-amendments-best-definitions-flash-cards/.

Toward the bottom of the website, I created a timeline visual aid of the dates that each amendment was added to the Constitution. This helped me better understand how the Constitution is a living document and I hope this timeline will teach others the same truth. I also included another option to learn more by clicking a direct link to constitutingamerica.org where I myself have found new and interesting information about the United States Constitution.

Results of the survey from 65 participants can be found at this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/stories/SM-52BSLQDY/.

Our Interview With Aubrey

Was this the first time you entered the contest?
No, I actually entered last year as well but didn’t win and decided to try again this year.

How did you hear about the contest?
Jacob and Emily VanDerwerken

What inspired your work?
I wanted to design a way for people to recognize how much they actually knew about the U.S. Constitution, so I designed a survey with simple questions about its details. I didn’t want them to be left with a low score on the survey and no way to increase their knowledge, so I connected it on a website with more information about the Constitution and a link to a website full of flashcards with additional facts and information to study.

What did you learn while creating your entry?
When I was creating my entry, I wanted to keep it as simple as possible in order to attract more of an audience. I realized that there is so much to the Constitution and so many pieces I could focus on and go into a lot of depth with. There is always more I can learn about the Constitution, which was another thing I realized while creating my entry.

How do you plan to spread the word this year to your peers about the importance of the U.S Constitution?
I plan to spread the word to my peers about the importance of the U.S. Constitution by inviting them to tune into our weekly podcasts with guests discussing the Constitution. Constituting America has other great opportunities to learn more whether through their book club and their contest! I have been sharing details about the contest with family and peers because that is another great way to learn more.

How do your friends respond to history or talking about the Constitution?
I have a lot of friends who really enjoy their history classes and learning more about U.S. history specifically. However, when I had them fill out the survey I created, I realize that some of them don’t know simple details about the Constitution itself. They responded by letting me know they realized they need to learn more about this important document and that they didn’t know as much as they thought they did. I was excited that the simple survey gave them the nudge to realize they needed to do more to educate themselves.

What do you love about U.S. History and the forming of our government?
I love that our Founding Fathers weren’t afraid to do something different. They worked as a team to form a system that would support and promote freedom of individuals. I love learning about each person in history and their individual impact on our country and how it has formed to the country we have today.

Which U.S. historical site would you like to visit?
Pearl Harbor is on my bucket list of historical sites to visit. I think this was not only an impactful place for our country, but something that impacted the rest of the world. The country united at this point in time, like they had before. I think that it would be an inspiring place full of respect and reverence. I am also really excited to visit Washington D.C. and hopefully see the historical sites there, including the Capitol, White House, the Smithsonian, and other sites.

Which American historical figure is most influential/inspirational to you?
Benjamin Franklin inspires me to think outside the box. He wasn’t afraid to speak his mind, even when it wasn’t the most popular opinion. He was a very bright man who put his talent and understanding to a useful purpose in bettering his community and future of his country.

Who is your greatest role model?
My greatest role model is my mom. With my dad, she raised seven children and that was her full-time job! I can’t imagine it being very easy and she sacrificed a lot to do it. We didn’t always appreciate all she did for us while growing up, but she continued to love and give anyway. I look at her example of selflessness and generosity and it inspires me to be better to everyone around me. Even when credit wasn’t given where it was due, she didn’t give up. She continues to sacrifice, serve, and love when no one is watching and sometimes even recognizing her actions. I know that life is like this sometimes and that we just have to keep pushing forward and trust that we are doing the best we can. I watch as she does all she can to keep her family close and united. She is a leader, a fighter, a caring and compassionate woman that I aspire to be like one day.

What in your life are you most passionate about?
I would say I am most passionate about my family, school, and sports. I love to spend time with my family, whether we are singing, playing games, or just sitting around talking with each other. I have always loved school and improving myself by gaining more education. I’m passionate about always doing my best and giving my full effort to really learn and understand the material I am taught. Lastly, I love sports! I played basketball all growing up and still love to play any time I can! I’m passionate about showing the guys that girls can play well too!

How do you spend your free time?
In my free time, I love to be outside! I enjoy going camping and hiking up in the beautiful mountains. I really enjoy exercising in any form such as swimming, tennis, pickleball, basketball, running, and more! I love spending time with family and friends whether we are singing, playing games, eating, or just sitting around and talking. I also enjoy cooking and trying out new recipes that are healthy and tasty!

What are your plans for the future?
My husband and I currently attend Brigham Young University and will graduate in April 2022. After that, I can pursue more education in order to become a social worker. Before I do that, I am excited to become a mom and raise a family with my husband. We both grew up in Utah but would love to venture out and move to a different state to raise our kids.

If you could do one super impactful thing to help people, what would it be?
Something my parents have been saying lately is to “judge less and love more.” If I could do something impactful to help people, it would be to spread this concept! I think that our country and our world could use a whole lot less judgement and more love. Accepting differences of any kind and coming together in love of our country and our freedom would be breathtaking. It starts with one and then grows to more through example and encouragement. We can love by supporting others in their accomplishments, whether small or big. We can love by not jumping to conclusions. We can love by forgiving and allowing others to change for the better. These opportunities to influence and love others are endless.

Why is the Constitution relevant today?
The Constitution influences every part of each day. From the smallest decisions to the largest, the Constitution protects my freedom and agency. I can choose my own career path, I can choose where to live, I can choose what to believe, I can choose what to say. America wouldn’t be the country it is without the United States Constitution.

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