If school spirit is an essential aspect of the high school experience, then 12th-grader Yidi Zheng may very well be a paragon among his fellow students.
The St. John Neumann and Maria Goretti High School senior divides his time among an astounding number of clubs including art, technology, Spanish and chess clubs as well as Mathletes, yearbook and Community Service Corps, among others. Somehow, Yidi also manages to squeeze in part-time work in the school’s Alumni Development Office.
“Yidi is a talented and mature young man who we are proud to call one of our own,” said Veronica Oster, director of admissions at Neumann-Goretti. “...He has a great balance in his schoolwork and activities.”
The 19-year-old from the 1500 block of South 15th Street is particularly proficient in the subject of English, which may come as a surprise for those familiar with his history: English is not Yidi’s primary language.
“I have worked very hard to excel in Honors English and writing,” Yidi said.
Learning new languages is not the only area in which Yidi demonstrates a natural talent. Although he never played an instrument before entering high school, he now plays the trombone and is the band president.
“Through instruction and much practice, I am now proficient at playing the trombone in the school concert band,” he said.
Yidi’s remarkable achievements do not go unrecognized. The student is the recipient of quite a few awards and honors. He is a four-year honor student, a three-year Millay Scholar and has been designated the official translator of Mandarin and Cantonese for the Neumann-Goretti administration and the school’s nurse.
The multi-talented young man plans to major in international business and finance at La Salle University.
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