You might have seen Michael at last year's Dipont Huayao Collegiate School Kunshan Grade 12 Commencement Ceremony. As gentle music filled the theatre, graduates walked off the stage wearing sashes and holding diplomas. Michael, serving as the English-speaking MC, captivated the audience with his fluent English and calm confidence. Indeed, he was no stranger to such stages, frequently hosting various school ceremonies.
Michael's educational background is both diverse and unique, having traversed between China and the U.S. and experiencing four different educational systems. This experience not only elevated his English proficiency to a near-native level but also cultivated a multicultural and open-minded outlook.
During his studies at HC, Michael consistently excelled. He secured second place in the WSDA regional competition, advancing to the national finals; received Honorable Mention in the 2022 High School Mathematical Contest in Modeling (HiMCM); achieved a perfect score of 36 on the ACT and a high score of 116 on the TOEFL. He enrolled in 10 AP courses and earned perfect scores in five of the six he completed.
Beyond academics, Michael was a key player on the school's American football team, contributing significantly to the team's victories through exceptional physical stamina and teamwork.
Teachers and classmates describe Michael as diligent and resilient. With a wide range of interests, he is an avid reader, enjoying novels, philosophy, and psychology books.
Today, prestigious universities such as University College London (UCL), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), University of California Santa Barbara, Ohio State University, and Michigan State University have extended offers to Michael, covering fields like psychology, linguistics, and education.
For Michael, these admission letters mark milestones of his unforgettable experiences at HC: striving alongside friends, engaging in intellectual debates in class, competing passionately on sports fields, and volunteering to support others.
#01
Returning to China Instead of Attending a Top U.S. High School, I Gained More than Expected
In 2016, Michael's family moved from Shanghai to the U.S. due to his father's overseas assignment. He initially attended local elementary school before enrolling at Cranbrook School in Michigan for grades 7 and 8.
In 2021, thanks to his personal efforts and talent, he secured a place at a top 30 U.S. boarding high school. Surprisingly, Michael’s family decided to return to China instead.
Giving up such an opportunity might seem regrettable to outsiders, but Michael and his family had their own considerations. High school is crucial for personality shaping and emotional development, and they realized that heading to a place lacking emotional bonds and cultural roots could mean missing invaluable experiences.
Warm moments spent with family, opportunities to explore local culture deeply, and strong relationships built in familiar surroundings—all these aspects were essential to them.
Upon returning to China and joining HC, Michael discovered that despite being a new school, it provided abundant educational resources and advantages of small-class teaching. Classroom atmospheres resembled those in American schools, using highly interactive, project-based learning methods. Additionally, the school offered various extracurricular activities like debate and board games, allowing him to quickly adapt and thrive.
Initially, Chinese language learning was challenging for Michael. However, with the patient support from teachers,his Chinese improved rapidly, earning an A+ in Chinese humanities and deepening his love for Chinese culture.
To further enhance his language skills, Michael enrolled in the challenging AP English Language and Composition course. Even though he was the only student, the school arranged personalized online instruction for him. Additionally, he actively studied Spanish, exploring diverse cultures and communication opportunities.
‘I’m grateful I chose Dipont Huayao Collegiate School Kunshan. Here, there are teachers from around the world and local Chinese teachers and students. There's also food I love and a culture that makes me feel at home. These have all been solid foundations for my growth,” Michael reflected.
#02
Cross-cultural Experiences Taught Me Resilience and the Courage to Try
Initially, language barriers and unfamiliar surroundings in America made Michael feel lonely. Instead of retreating, he proactively integrated into the new environment, demonstrating resilience that carried through his time at HC.
On the last night of the 2022 HiMCM contest, Michael’s team raced against time to complete their paper. Unlike AMC or BMO, HiMCM demands multidisciplinary skills, including data analysis and academic writing, to address real-world problems.
The team included Michael (Grade 10), Rae (Grade 9), Catherine (Grade 10), and Mark (Grade 11). Michael and Rae excelled in English writing, while Catherine managed key data collection and research.
Teammate Mark recalled, “I remember clearly, in the cold winter nights after dorm lights-out, Michael and I would discuss and write our papers on the first floor until past 11 PM. Despite the hardships, this was unforgettable. We got a taste of the late-night project work common in college. Also, the two to three hours daily preparation brought us closer as friends.”
Through clear role assignments and focused strengths, their teamwork earned them an Honorable Mention.
In 2024, participating in the John Locke Essay Competition, Michael chose a psychology topic: distinguishing between personality disorders and ordinary personality defects.
Writing this essay helped him discover his interest in psychology.
Michael explained that his prior interest in positive and humanistic psychology arose from AP Psychology classes and personal reading, both fields emphasizing individual attention. However, it was the John Locke essay writing experience that fundamentally shifted his perspective on psychology. Diving deep into literature about personality disorders, he realized psychology encompassed philosophical inquiries, such as accurately identifying personality issues and boundaries between normal and abnormal personalities.
During research, Michael examined psychology’s applications within the judicial system. For instance, frequent changes in evaluation standards for mentally ill offenders in the U.S. criminal justice system demonstrated a lack of sufficient care and policy consistency.
Additionally, he explored complex cases of antisocial personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, and substance abuse, including the challenging definition of when alcohol consumption becomes a psychological disorder. These explorations deepened his understanding of psychology's breadth and depth.
#03
From Academic Research to Social Impact: Bringing International Public Welfare Camps to China
The deeper Michael delved into theoretical research, the clearer he saw the necessity of practical action. This insight led him beyond the classroom to consider combining academic research with real-world problems. Consequently, he initiated and organized an educational volunteer project in Ningxia, introducing international-style public welfare summer camps to China.
During preparation, Michael demonstrated outstanding management capabilities. Considering his limited initial experience, he prudently selected Ningxia—a region familiar to him with limited educational resources—matching the strengths of his team.
As founder of the Giveducation Ningxia chapter, Michael’s central challenge was maximizing children’s benefits within limited timeframes. He thoroughly researched pedagogical methodologies and child learning theories, creatively applying these insights in practice.
In teaching practice, Michael innovatively designed an AI course. He sparked students’ curiosity with an AI-generated presentation, gradually explained technical concepts, and concluded by interactive demonstrations with ChatGPT. Students, previously unfamiliar with AI, became curious and highly engaged.
After the camp, Michael and the volunteers conducted a survey to collect feedback, aiming to assess what worked and what could be improved. This reflection was also meant to help them better secure international resources and improve future initiatives.
Organizing the summer camp opened a new chapter for these motivated young people. When asked whether he would be willing to continue offering educational programs or contributing academic expertise to underserved areas, Michael responded with a firm yes. He and his team are now planning a long-term project to support children in Yanchi, Ningxia, including English lessons, tech education, and Chinese reading programs.
This experience not only helped the local children but also strengthened the team’s passion for public service. They are now working to transform the educational resources and cutting-edge knowledge they’ve gained into a force for social change, thus completing the cycle from academic theory to practical action.
Epilogue
Michael’s story reflects the journey of a young scholar continually discovering and reshaping himself across cultures, languages, and values. He demonstrates through action that growth outweighs grades, and that true development stems from discovering one’s passion through challenges and pursuing it with unwavering curiosity.
As he embarks on the next chapter of his life, Michael’s journey continues. In the future, he may become a psychology researcher, a cross-cultural communicator, or a changemaker in the field of public service. Wherever he goes, we believe this confident young man who once shone on the Dipont Huayao Collegiate School Kunshan stage will continue to shine on even bigger stages ahead.
