Baeksong Lily Yoo

Baeksong (Lily) immigrated to the U.S. when she was in 8th grade. Although this was a difficult transition for her, she took the opportunity to positively impact young Korean Americans by working as a teacher’s assistant at the Korean School of New Jersey. Through her passion and pride for her culture, Baeksong helped many Korean American children learn the Korean language and cultivate a love for their heritage. She valued the experience as one that empowered her as a teacher, planting a deep appreciation for Korea’s unique culture and traditions. Baeksong then utilized her personal experiences to organize a non-profit called “You Can Count On Us,” which supports international students as they adapt to their new environments. Besides her inspiring community service for which she was awarded a Gold Junior Leadership Award, Baeksong demonstrated excellence as a recipient of the Bronze Award for the 2022 New Jersey Chemistry Olympics.

Baeksong will attend the University of Michigan in the fall, majoring in chemistry/pre-pharmacy. Looking ahead, she plans to continue cultivating Korean culture in college by being part of the Michigan Korean Community Club with an active engagement.