Student of the week: Yifang Cao

Southview High School

5/2/2012

FAVORITES

School subject: AP calculus

Extracurricular activities: Math Club, Toledo Youth Orchestra

Musical artist: Muse

Movie: Pan's Labyrinth

FAST FACTS

Cafeteria food must-have: Fruit

Last book read that wasn't required: Godel, Escher, Bach by Douglas Hofstadter.

Pet peeve: Groupthink

Person most admired: Richard Feynman

Person I'd like to meet: Douglas Adams

Items always in my locker: A towel

First job: Freelance violinist

Top accomplishment: Getting accepted by one of my top-choice schools, U.C. Berkeley.

FUTURE

After-graduation plans: Researching physics and cognitive science in college.

Career goal: To understand human cognition better and hopefully find a way to help humans understand each other in order to reduce conflict and to increase universal tolerance and acceptance.

Quote from teacher: "Yifang is that special type of student who relishes a challenge," said Kasey Vens, math teacher. "The more thought-provoking or complicated a task is, the more interested Yifang gets in cracking it. I feel fortunate to have had her in my class because her insights have definitely shaped how I approach teaching some topics."

-- Information is compiled for The Blade by the Educational Service Center of Lake Erie West.