teen spotlight
photography by Shelby Berry
stats
17, Senior at LAMP
notable
Cornell Telluride Association Member
Young Independents Club President
National Forensics League Competitor
quotable
“Change is inevitable.”
her story
Liyu is out to make a real difference in this world, and has
already made a great start. As a member of the Cornell
Telluride Association, she was able to spend a summer study-
ing the humanities in relation to race, gender, and class, as well
as the intersections in politics and culture. She is the founder
and chief editor of Peace by Piece, LAMP’s schoolwide literary
magazine that focuses on celebrating literature and art. Liyu is
a member of Youth Judicial, the National Forensics Team, and
the varsity soccer team. She has been inducted into a number
of academic honor societies, including the National Honor
Society, the National History Honor Society, the National
English Honor Society, the National Science Honor Society,
and Mu Alpha Theta. In addition, she shares, “I am currently
serving as president of the Young Independents, seeking to
advocate for a non-partisan approach to politics.” Liyu is ex-
tremely proud of her Ethiopian heritage, and has learned how
to read, write, and speak Amharic fluently.
what’s next
“I want to serve as an immigration lawyer, who will help
children and immigrants of differing circumstances to find a
place in this country. Seeing my parents take the path to citi-
zenship made me want to help other families, many of whom
can’t afford proper legal aid, reach a safe place in this country.”
liyu woldemichael
Montgomery, AL
PG (parental guidance) rating
“My parents both left their home in Ethiopia for my siblings
and me, so their sacrifice is what inspires me to learn and to
positively affect the world in my future endeavors.”
parents’ perspective
“Liyu has always been an independent learner. I have assisted her by
helping her pursue her passions academically, athletically, and artisti-
cally. I have taught her that each discipline is as valid as the other, and
I have not discouraged her in any of her pursuits.”
parent-to-parent
Bethanu and Kelemua share this advice: “Start early by
instilling education in your children during their early
school years so that they will have the foundation to
build into more complex topics. It is really difficult to
fundamentally change your child's learning when they are a senior
in high school, but you can help them reach a great place in ele-
mentary and middle school.”
Teen Spotlights are eligible for a $500 Scholarship - Nomination forms at www.potentialmagazine.com/spotlights
26 |
Winter 2017
www.potentialmagazine.com