Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy

Outstanding Youth Leader Lauded by Arcadia Mayor

Southern California--Arcadia High School Science Olympiad team was recognized by Mayor April Verlato of the City of Arcadia on May 7, 2019 during a city council meeting for winning the first place in Division C in the 2019 Annual Los Angeles County Regional Science Olympiad held at Rio Hondo College. The last time the school won such an honor was a few years ago. William Shue, co-captain of the team, was lauded by the mayor for his excellent leadership skill.

Fifty teams from high schools all over the county competed in this competition. William Shue, a senior, personally won five medals--first place in circuit lab, second place in thermodynamics, second place in astronomy, third place in experimental design, and fourth in mouse trap vehicle--leading the team to capture the first place trophy.

William is a member of five academic teams of his school. In addition to being a co-captain of his Science Olympiad team, he has been a co-captain of his school’s math team for two years, leading the team to triumph in many competitions. Additionally, he has taken a total of 12 AP courses during high school. Participation in so many extracurricular activities takes a lot of time, and a captain’s job entails the planning and coordination of various events and activities. AP courses are rigorous and demanding. How can he find time to manage all these? William said, "I’ve been practicing Tai Ji Men Qigong. Qigong practice and meditation help me stay calm, focused, energetic, and efficient."

With such a busy schedule, sometimes, it’s inevitable for William to stay up late. In January 2019, on the night before the Mesa-Wilson Division B/C Invitational, William, as a co-captain of his Science Olympiad team, had to stay up until 2:00 or 3:00 am, handling a lot of last-minute paperwork, and had to get up before 6 o’clock the same morning to get ready for the competition. When asked if he felt irritable and nervous under such circumstances, he replied, "Years of qigong practice have helped me look at things in a positive way. At the time, I thought: ’I will stay calm and relaxed and finish it because as a captain I need to set a good example.’" His team performed splendidly at that competition.

William started practicing qigong and learning the philosophy of yin and yang as well as the wisdom of balance at the Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy since the age of ten. During his spring break and summer vacation in 2018, he followed Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, the grandmaster of Tai Ji Men, and other volunteers of Tai Ji Men to attend meetings on global sustainability at and around the United Nations in New York, where he had the opportunity to discuss how to promote the culture of peace with love and conscience with UN ambassadors. His mother, Lily Chen, said that these valuable experiences had a profound impact on him. In one of William’s college admission essays, he wrote, "I realize that every person in the room is making history. The smiles that panelists, performers, and background workers leave with prove that even without my spade and trowel I have helped sow seeds of hope for our world’s future. . . . The yin-yang philosophy I learn at the Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy equips me to better console friends and family at their low points and encourage them to simultaneously look on the bright side of things and learn from inevitable setbacks. As one who never underestimates the butterfly effect, I believe the universe acknowledges every positive action, no matter its scale--actions that invariably germinate and flower more beautifully than anyone can imagine."

William has recently been admitted to UC Berkeley, with a major in electrical engineering and computer science (EECS) and offered the Regents’ and Chancellor’s Scholarship, the most prestigious scholarship granted by UC Berkeley to entering undergraduate students. Over 87,000 people applied to UC Berkeley this year, and each year it welcomes approximately 200 new Regents’ and Chancellor’s Scholars, who are awarded $2500 scholarship each year as well as the privileges of priority class registration and guaranteed campus housing for four years.

UC Berkeley’s EECS has been ranked one of the top four electrical engineering and computer science programs in the United States; therefore, graduates from this program are highly sought-after job applicants by high-tech companies. William is happy to be admitted to UC Berkeley with a major in EECS and looks forward to working together with other outstanding students from around the world.

When asked her thoughts about her son’s remarkable achievements, William’s mom Lily said, "I am very glad that UC Berkeley recognizes his talents and accomplishments. I am also glad that he has had the opportunity to learn both American and Eastern cultures. Through practicing qigong at Tai Ji Men, he has learned not only ways to strengthen his physical health, but also the wisdom of balance. He has learned to think positively and, most importantly, to have a caring heart. I am proud of him and have confidence in him."