2008
Taiwanese American Community Scholarship Award Recipients
(In alphabetic order)
Yvonne Chen
Yvonne
Chen, a senior at Westfield
High School, has been
contributing to the community all her life through her musical talents. She
has won numerous awards from national and international piano competitions,
allowing her to perform at venues such as the Warner Theatre
and the U.S. State Department. Chen has used her talents to accompany her
school's five choirs as well as the community HaiTien Chorus, perform for and
accompany a church service at Reston Manor Care, and teach beginner students
on piano and flute. Aside from her
musical achievements, Chen has been able to succeed academically, being on
the Summa Cum Laude honor roll all four years and serving as the Community
Editor for her school's nationally acclaimed yearbook, The Guardian. Having travelled to New York weekly for Julliard’s Pre-College
Division the past two years, Chen has decided to continue her studies at The
Juilliard School to get a Bachelors of Music in piano performance. There she
hopes she will be able to grow in her playing so that she can reach out to
more people.
Tiffany
Chu
Tiffany
Chu’s three passions in life are science, art, and music. In this past year, she participated in the
Howard Hughes Biomedical Program and studied, at NICHD (National Institutes
of Child Health and Development), the causes of uterine fibroid growth and
development. At the end of the
program, she published an abstract on whether this certain enzyme plays a
role in fibroid growth. She has also
participated in a variety of other science related activities such as the Fun
with DNA program in middle school, Science Montgomery, and multiple Science
Inquiry Conferences. In the area of
art, she is a sculptor, with her medium being clay. During her sophomore year, she founded the
Quince Orchard Art Club, and in her junior year, became the secretary of the
National Honors Art Society. Finally,
her love for music pushed her to continue playing piano for the past twelve
years. She likes to perform for
others, and so, every now and then, plays for the elderly at the Asbury
Nursing Home. Other organizations that
she is participant of include the drama club, Mu Alpha Theta, CAPSA (Chinese
American Parent and Student Association), Shady Grove Junior Volunteer
Program, and National Honors Society.
She hopes to continue pursuing her passions in the University of Virginia,
where she will be attending this fall.
Joanna
Cornell
Joanna
Cornell is a bubbly, optimistic girl who is passionate about life. She currently attends Thomas S.
Wootton High
School, where she is the Captain of the Mock
Trial Team and President of the Spanish Honor Society and the Foundation for
the Children of Atyrá, and also plays important roles in activities such as
Model UN, National Honor Society, National Science Honor Society, and Student
Homeroom Advisory Promotes Excellence.
Ever since she was little, Joanna has been actively playing the piano,
and loves it. On the weekends, she can
often be found volunteering for the local historical society, campaigning, or
working at her two jobs. She loves
politics and has spent her last two summers on Capitol Hill, serving as an
intern and page. This year, she also
had the opportunity to serve as a page in the Maryland Senate, a very
different experience from serving in the national legislature, but equally
exciting. Joanna is ecstatic about
attending Yale University this fall, and would like
to thank her wonderful family for always supporting her.
Dara
Downs
Dara
Downs is very honored to have been chosen to receive the Taiwanese American
Community Scholarship Award. Dara is a senior at Robinson
Secondary School in Fairfax, Virginia.
She is a member of the National Honor Society and has received multiple all A
and A/B Honor Roll recognitions. She was also a Captain of the field hockey
team and a member of the track and soccer teams. She is strongly involved at
her church where she is a member of the leadership team. Dara’s favorite
community projects were The Appalachian Service Project in West
Virginia/Kentucky and The Jeremiah Project in Southern
Virginia. Dara has attended these home repair focused projects
every summer since she was in seventh grade. While in high school, Dara
earned her Silver Award, through Girl Scouting, by organizing and leading
community service projects with the local middle school youth group at Fairfax United Methodist
Church. Dara will be
attending Wake Forest University
as she looks to further her education. She would like to thank God for his
continual blessings, her parents, her brother, her friends and the Taiwanese
American Community Award Committee for selecting her for this award.
Jessica
Jang
Jessica
Jang is currently a senior at Winston
Churchill High
School.
In school, she actively participates in the many clubs and programs
Churchill has to offer. Throughout
high school, Jessica has been a member of the Academy of Creative
and Performing Arts and the National Honors Society. She was Vice President of Code Pink, Future
Business Leaders of America, and is now Co-President of Club Friendship. Through these organizations, she has helped
raised money for the disaster relief of Katrina and gave dinner to the less
fortunate on Thanksgiving. Even as a
freshman at Churchill, as part of a member of SAJE, she presented information
on the Chinese Holocaust to juniors and seniors of her school. Outside of school, Jessica is a very
committed violin and piano player.
Ever since fifth grade, she has participated in state competitions for
both instruments. She was a finalist
in the Chinese International Competition for the piano, and a third place
winner in the Gottlieb Competition.
She has also been a member of the Maryland Classical Youth Orchestra
since 7th grade. In the fall, she will
be attending Emory College of Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. She hopes to study business and attend Goizueta Business School
in the future.
Manjot
Kaur Jassal
Manjot
Kaur Jassal was born in Fairfax Virginia in 1990 and is currently a senior at James W. Robinson
Secondary School. She
is compassionate, morally driven, intellectually hungry, and hugely talented
across a tremendously wide array of scholastic and personal interests.
She is one of the very most ‘textured’ and
high profile students within the entire student body, and her truly
outstanding list of scholastic, extracurricular, and community affiliated accomplishments are
based upon a character set of integrity and honor. Manjot is a member in good
standing of National, Math, and Spanish Honor Societies together with
inclusion in the National Society of High School Scholars; and she has won a
host of academic excellence awards ranging from nationally sanctioned
business competitions to prestigious State Science Fairs.
Within the school she has taken on, and
flourished, in the important work needed to lead various extracurricular
clubs and societies such as the Minority Students of Robinson where she
currently holds the title of President. She has organized walks for multiple
sclerosis, conducted food drives for local shelters, raised awareness for
Black History Month with media campaigns, and volunteered her valuable time
at a range of hospitals and religious organizations.
Manjot plans on pursuing her education at Howard University where she has been accepted
into a 6 year BS/MD program with scholarship. Her parents and younger sister,
Harleen, are extremely proud and look forward to see this compassionate young
woman evolve into a passionate medical professional.
Michael
Schwartz
Michael
Schwartz is a senior at Walter
Johnson High
School.
At WJ, Michael has been very involved in student government, serving
as Sophomore Class President, Junior Class President, and SGA President. He has loved serving the school and
community, whether it has been organizing school events or leading
fundraisers. Michael is a part of the
APEX Scholars Program, was a Maryland Distinguished Scholar Semi-Finalist, a
National Merit Commended Scholar, and an AP Scholar with Distinction. Michael has played on the Varsity golf team
since his sophomore year, and was a starter for the past two years. He has also enjoyed serving as the Peer
Mediation President, tutoring at Farmland
Elementary School, and
interning at Management Systems International, an international development
firm based in DC. Michael is also
proud to have won the “Stock Market Game,” and hopes to study economics and
government next year. Michael is
excited to attend Dartmouth
College in the fall.
Maninder
Sohi
Maninder Sohi is a senior at
Centreville High School in Clifton, Virginia. Maninder
participates in numerous extracurricular activities including being an active
member of the Science, Social Studies, Business and National Honor Societies.
Additionally, she is a committed volunteer at INOVA Fair Oaks
Hospital. She has been
a member of the varsity tennis team for the past three years and was co-captain
her senior year. Last summer, she attended Governor’s School for Agriculture,
a unique research experience she will never forget. Aside from academics, she
enjoys reading, traveling, playing tennis, and spending time with friends.
Maninder will be attending the University
of Virginia this coming
fall.
Jiyeon
Son
Jiyeon
Son is currently a senior at Thomas S. Wootton high school. As a motivated
and active student, Jiyeon loves to get involved in various activities in the
community. She is the president of the school’s debate team, as well as a
leader in Patriot Ambassadors, Science National Honors Society, and
Chemathon. Her community service includes volunteering at a local hospital, Teen Court, and
her church. She also loves to play the flute and participates in several
orchestras. Every summer, Jiyeon is given a priceless opportunity to go on a
church missions trip to Mexico,
where she performs community service in blighted villages. In addition to the
missions trips, Jiyeon works at the National Institutes of the Health as a
summer intern, which has proven to be one of the most valuable learning
experiences of her life.
Jiyeon is excited to head off to Brown University next fall. She truly
appreciates the support and encouragement from her family and friends because
she could not have come this far without them!
Arjun
Srinivas
Arjun
Srinivas is currently a senior in the International Baccalaureate Program at Richard Montgomery High School.
He has dedicated much of his time to helping and teaching others in the
school community, and has established a tutoring organization called the Peer
Mentoring Club which he has led for 3 years. In past summers, he has
volunteered as a counselor for local day camps and has interned in an
educational branch of the Smithsonian Mueseum. Additionally, Arjun has played
varsity lacrosse for two years and is an active member of the National
History Club. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, travelling, playing
sports, watching movies, playing poker, and sleeping.
Arjun is excited to attend Duke University
next year, and hopes to major in physics and economics. In the future, he
hopes to continue helping others through tutoring and mentoring programs
Lillian
Tsai
Lillian
Tsai is a senior at Winston
Churchill High
School who loves to travel, eat, and talk to
her friends. This year she started taking dance classes and absolutely loves
it. She plays cello in MCYO and formed a musical group that performs at local
senior homes. She also volunteers regularly at the Washington DC Taiwanese
Language School. Last summer she interned at MedImmune and her sophomore
summer she conducted a research experiment at the National Institutes of
Health. Her project won second place at the Intel International Science and
Engineering Fair, which was one of the best weeks of her life.
She is president of Biology Club and Science
Honor Society. She is also a member of the English, French, Math, and
National Honor Societies. Lillian's favorite class this year is AP Literature
and wants to say that her teacher, Mrs. Goodwin, is amazing. Lillian is
looking forward to going to Taiwan,
China, and Japan
this summer and spending the last few weeks with her friends and family. She
will be majoring in molecular biology with a certificate in creative writing
at Princeton University this fall.
Lina Yeh
Lina Yeh attends Oakton High School
in Vienna, VA, and has been active in her school as
well as in her community. At Oakton, Lina serves as the President of National
Honor Society and Secretary of History Honor Society. In addition to Math
Honor Society and French Honor Society, Lina participates in Science
Olympiad, and has competed at the State Competition for two years. In
addition to school clubs, Lina is a Captain of the Varsity Tennis Team, and
helped her team earn the Concorde District Champion title. She will be
competing at Regionals. Music is also another one of Lina’s passions. Having
played the piano for 13 years and the violin for 8 years, Lina is currently
in the Chamber Orchestra of Oakton High School. In her 13th year of Girl
Scouts, Lina has earned several service awards, including the Silver Award
and the Silver Trefoil. Through Girl Scouts, Lina has learned the value of
community service. Lina has served as a National Delegate to the National
Convention in Atlanta, Georgia, volunteered as a
Congressional Aide, and has served as an Association Delegate for three
years. Lina would like to thank her parents, brother, Mrs. Kendrick, and Mrs.
Reiners who have supported and helped her to earn the Taiwanese American
Community Scholarship Award.. Lina is excited to
attend College of William and Mary
next year.
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