Wherever he looks, Leo Li sees a problem that needs to be solved. He also sees endless opportunities and doesn’t hesitate to jump in with both feet if something catches his interest.
“I think it's very important for all students to have something outside of the main school, to have an extracurricular that they can depend on,” the Grade 12 Waterdown District High School student said during a recent interview.
Li sat down with FlamboroughToday between studying for mid-term exams, preparing for a chemistry competition and packing for week-long trip to Anaheim, California to compete as a member of the school’s DECA club. He also enjoys sports, including badminton, tennis and cross country.
“I'm not really that busy. It's just, I think if you really have an interest in something, it's very worthwhile to pursue it,” he said. “And I’m offered all these amazing resources with the purpose of helping me. Of course I’m going to take it, right?”
Last summer, Li took part in the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) program and this year is a senator on student parliament. As senator, one of his duties is to travel to the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) along with WDHS senator Sara Louise Kerr twice a month to discuss issues that impact students, such as the breakfast program. They also organize student activities such as the recent spring dance fundraiser.
Li says he plays a small part on student parliament, but enjoys being part of the process that gives students a voice.
“I like the ability to chime in and the ability to to share my opinion of things,” he said.
Li says his first years of high school were unremarkable - in Grade 9 and 10 he just drifted along. Then he discovered academic competitions, starting with the University of Waterloo’s Euclid Mathematics Contest.
“By doing that, I realized how much fun it is to challenge yourself,” he said, noting he is getting ready to tackle a chemistry contest. “And from then on, I guess I’ve been kind of annoying my teachers with questions asking about the contest so I make sure that don't miss anything. You only get four years of high school. You don't want to miss anything that you have a chance to do."
While Li has many interests, his passion is physics - and he sees most things through a scientific lens.
“Something is just so appealing about a theory that unifies everything...something that can describe absolutely what's going on in this world – in this crazy nonsense world,” he said.
Li is preparing for university next year, and hasn’t decided yet where he’ll attend. He also foresees doing a post-grad degree and possibly, eventually, a PhD.
The end goal, he expects, will be teaching. For inspiration, he looks at the educators who have helped shape who he is.
“I think I just have so much gratitude for all these teachers,” he said. “They do all these things, and most things aren't required of them at all, like running sports teams … or this chemistry competition, or the math competition that I did, or the physics competition that I'm probably going to do soon.
“I think it's amazing that teachers are willing to take on these extra responsibilities to help us grow. Teachers have a great power to mould the next generation.”
