As junior class vice president, Scholars Bowl participant, AP student, and first alternate to nationals in a forensics competition, Yang Yang Li has it all together.

Yet despite his successes, he remains modest and unpretentious, even denying how difficult it must be to juggle all of his activities.

“The fact that in California there are people taking six AP classes each of their sophomore, junior, and senior years is what motivates me.”  Li said.  “[It’s] the fact that there’s very smart people out there… so I think I could do as well as them.”

His student council involvement was almost accidental. The current Junior class president was running with a different boy at first, but due to an inappropriate comment in an election speech, the vice presidential candidate was unable to continue the race.  Li was next pick.

This year Li is running for student body president. He says his favorite part of StuCo is “just being involved in the school… and being able to do stuff that you want to see happen.”

His advice to other students attempting to take on as much as him is simple. “If you believe in yourself, it’s much easier than it seems,” Li said.