Embarking on A Wonderful TRIP by Richard Li

​Hi everyone! My name is Richard Li, and my real name is Jiacheng Li. I am a sophomore at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy. I am an international student from China, and I would love to share with you a glimpse into my life!

​I am an extrovert and love to make friends. I also love to challenge myself with new things, so I thrive in new environments and enjoy meeting new people. I love listening to jazz and R&B, and right now my favorite artists are Laufey, Daniel Ceasar, and Frank Ocean. I also love to travel, especially to beautiful beaches! I’ve been to Maldives, the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia. My favorite subject at school, of course, is biology. I also love to learn new languages and am currently learning French and Japanese.

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Before coming to the US, I grew up in a small city called Changzhi in the Shanxi province of China. I was in the strict public school system where physical punishment still exists. My mom then brought me to Beijing to attend an international school for middle school, where I found interest in international education. I persuaded my mom to send me to a US high school because I wanted to immerse myself in a diverse culture and experience a freer education system. I chose Philly because of its rich history and vibrant and diverse community—and, of course, its amazing Chinatown!

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​At school, I am on the varsity rowing team. I also serve duties like student council, honor council, and student ambassadors. I am also part of the Model UN team. My school offers a program called the Center for Entrepreneurship and Leadership, where students can launch their own projects like a business, nonprofit, or product. Through that, I started my nonprofit called Shanxi LifeSpark Initiative, which raises awareness about Black Lung Disease Patients (mostly coal miners) in Shanxi. Growing up in Shanxi, a region heavily impacted by the coal industry, inspired me to start this project. We’re also fundraising by selling local art products to purchase oxygen concentrators for underprivileged families affected by the disease.

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​The first day was so much fun, and it was amazing to meet my colleagues who share the same interest in STEM as me! For my kickoff experiment, I will be testing the effect of Holy Basil and intestinal inflammation on anxiety. I cannot wait to dive into the research and learn alongside my interesting colleagues in the upcoming sessions!