MONROE COUNTY, Ga. — As part of our 'Great Grads' series, we're highlighting some stellar students in the Central Georgia community.
Yuxuan Wu is a high school graduate who has already done more in his life than most people can say — like moving to another country, learning a new language, and still graduating in the top of his class.
"I grew up in Fugian, China. It's a real rural part of China on the southeast coast. When I was 8-years-old, I moved to America," Wu said.
The first three years Yuxuan Wu and his parents moved to the United States were the hardest for him, because Wu did not know how to speak English.
"I read a lot of books, and I studied a lot of vocabulary in order to start being proficient in the language. I remember it being very hard at first because it was a completely new language, which I had no foundation in. So I basically had to learn everything from scratch," Wu said.
They moved from Bibb County to Houston before settling in Monroe County his 10th grade year, and the language barrier wasn't the only challenge he faced.
"Until my freshman year, I didn't have a steady internet service, and I did not have steady transportation until my 8th grade year," Wu said.
He still managed to excel in five AP classes, finished in the top 10 percent of his class, and had the highest SAT score at Mary Persons High.
"The teaching staff is great, the student body is fantastic and has really helped me grow as a person both academically and personally to reach who I am today," Wu said.
As the oldest of four, he says setting the example for his younger siblings fuels his motivation.
"It's really pushed me to be the best I can, so I can be the best role model I can for them, so they can look up to me when they grow up and reach the step of where I am today," he said.
He will attend Georgia Tech to pursue a degree in biomedical engineering with a focus on cancer research.
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