Sheng Tang is ranked first out of 1,044 in his class at New Trier High School. He leads the Science Olympiad team and plays first violin in the school’s symphony.
Tang, 18, says he’s living the American dream.
Eight years ago, he didn’t speak English. This fall, the National Merit finalist is headed to Stanford sity to study science.
When Tang was 10, his parents left their home outside of Shanghai for Chinatown in Chicago, then the northwest suburbs, where they enrolled Tang in 5th grade at Lakeview Elementary in Hoffman Estates. He spoke no English, and decided he needed an American nickname. He had classmates submit ideas and vote for Shaun or Jimmy.
“It’s not that I’m not proud of my Chinese name,” said Tang, who is still known as Jimmy. “But I wanted a name people wouldn’t have to feel embarrassed about mispronouncing.”
By 12, Tang’s academic gifts were clear, and his parents wanted him to attend New Trier High School in Winnetka. They couldn’t afford to buy a house there, so they rented a Winnetka townhouse. By his sophomore year, Tang was taking AP Chemistry and Advanced Biology. His GPA is 3.99 unweighted, and 5.42 weighted.
“It’s highly unusual for a sophomore to take one of those classes, to say nothing of both,” said New Trier biology teacher Dan Daly. “He’s brilliant.”
“New Trier taught me to live in balance,” he said, crediting track and cross-country practices with teaching him discipline. “I realized if I could run 10 or 11 miles in the cold, I could do anything.”
———–
eachenbaum@tribune.com
