Leo is currently a student at Cornell University. At Cornell, he plans to major in Government and Asia-Pacific Studies. Leo is excited to study individuals, groups, institutions, nation-states, and forms of politics that range from voting and lobbying to mobilization, dissent, and war. Leo will also explore off-campus study in Washington, D.C., and abroad in Beijing, China. Leo aspires to become a changemaker. After college, he plans to attend law school and pursue a career in law.
Leo graduated from LaGuardia, a specialized high school located in the Upper West Side. At LaGuardia. Leo was an instrumental major. Leo has played the clarinet for seven (7) years. He has performed throughout NYC. Already maintaining a high GPA, Leo has shown phenomenal improvement in school since he started. Leo received a GPA of 93.00% for his freshman year, 95.97% for his sophomore year, and 99.11% for his junior year.
Leo challenged himself throughout high school. He took six (6) Advanced Placement (A.P.) classes. He received a 5/5 in A.P. World History, A.P. Human Geography, and A.P. English Language and Composition.
Leo was heavily involved with his high school community. He was elected as Laguardia’s Senior Class President, the first student School Leadership Team co-chair in LaGuardia High school’s history. Leo is also a writer for his school’s independent newspaper, The Fiorello Times.
Leo enjoys extracurricular activities as well. He attended the NBC News Young Leaders in Journalism Program. During this internship, he learned how to best advocate for his school community through the media.
He also served as an Intern for Cy Vance Jr. at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. This competitive internship provided Leo with an insider’s view of the criminal justice system. He had the opportunity to engage in workshops and discussions surrounding criminal justice, police brutality, civic engagement, and leadership. to build a foundational understanding of how policies are developed & implemented.
Leo is multilingual. He speaks Russian, Chinese, and English. Leo took Mandarin for four years throughout high school, including taking Advanced Placement Chinese Language and Culture as a senior. During this time, Leo won second place in the New York City High School Chinese speech contest. Leo also participated in the Hunter College Startalk Summer Chinese Language program throughout high school.
Leo has a strong, close bond with Kweller Prep. He was a student here since the seventh grade. Leo prepared for the SHSAT at Kweller Prep and then continued in this program throughout high school. He participated in Regents, Advanced Placement, SAT, and various pre-college courses and workshops. Leo was also an outstanding source of support for students looking to prepare for the SHSAT. One of his encouraging articles was even published in a local paper. Last summer, he served as a tutor at Kweller Prep and co-hosted several webinars supporting merit-based admissions testing, including speaking at Kweller’s Town Hall with nearly 300 attendees.
Leo is the epitome of success. With modest beginnings, Leo is self-driven and motivated to succeed. He sets very high goals and encourages others to aim high. Leo is the first member of his immediate family to attend an Ivy League. We are extremely lucky to have him as a longtime Kweller Prep student who now serves as a tutor and college webinar host.