Joseph Hsia of West Windsor Plainsboro High School South
“Superbly brilliant” would be the phrase I would use to sum up Joseph Hsia! Joey is truly one-of-a-kind as a scholar and accomplished musician. However, you would never know the depth of his incredible achievements in academia, and as a violinist, because Joey is humble to the core. Above it all, what is most admirable about Joseph is that aside from his modesty, he is a young man who exemplifies what it means to “give back” to others. For example, he has used his musical talent to establish the Refugee Resettlement Initiative: One Chord, Many Voices, in which Joseph organized two musical benefit concerts (July 2017 & June 2018) that raised awareness and financial assistance to organizations involved in refugee resettlement in Mercer County. Of his many accomplishments, Joseph refers to these two experiences as his most significant contribution because it provided a tangible way for him to use his talent as an opportunity to bring people together for a meaningful cause. This speaks to his commitment to service and his fine leadership skills as not only the founder, but also the coordinator and main performer of the benefits. Currently, Joseph is working on organizing his third annual benefit for the spring of 2019.
Joseph is a remarkable student. In a district known for its intense competition and high academic expectations, Joseph started high school with a rigorous course load that has increased with each year of enrollment to include a predominately Honors and Advanced Placement curriculum across content areas. He has not only taken every course we offer in Computer Science, but he has also challenged himself in mathematics, science, the humanities and World Language as Joseph places much value in knowing about the world around him. However, what stands out about him beyond his impressive academic record is his ability to balance his hectic extra-curricular schedule that includes attending Julliard School of Music where is taking five academic courses at their Pre-College in the field of music.
It goes without saying that Joseph has a bright future ahead of him in college and beyond. Congratulations to Mr. Joseph Hsia on his outstanding community achievements! He is excited to study Computer Science at Harvard University in the Fall of 2019.