SoRi Jang
In Korea, SoRi Jang learned to work together with others. In the US, she learned to be independent.
After relocating several times between the two countries, Jang now understands the benefits of each country’s system of education and developed skills she learned in both continents.
Jang first came to the US in the third grade, and she picked up English quickly. When she returned to America as a high school sophomore, she had a tougher time. Her English skills hadn’t progressed much beyond those of a fifth grader—the year she left the country.
“I can’t quite remember what prompted me to join speech and debate team at my (American) school, but through three years of rigorous speech coaching and tournaments, I started to appreciate English and, more importantly, to believe in myself,” she explained
She was excited to return to the US, although at first she felt invisible at her large high school. That disappeared as she made good friends and was able to balance her objectives inside and outside of the classroom.
“As I befriended varieties of people in my new high school, I started adjusting to the new environment, and, this time, I made sure my life’s balance was just right,” she wrote in her winning essay. “This time, I found myself motivated to learn; I found myself dreaming and believing in those dreams once more.”
