HCVSD's Richard Li wins National Merit Scholarship

Glen Gardner, N.J. - Hunterdon County Vocational School District announces senior Richard Li is a National Merit Scholarship winner. Li is finishing up his fourth year of study in the district’s Computer Science and Applied Engineering Academy (CSAEA). As a finalist in the 67th annual National Merit Scholarship Program, he receives a $2,500 scholarship, a certificate from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation and placement among a very select group of high school scholars.

To win the scholarship, Li ranked among the highest-scoring program entrants in New Jersey, representing the top 0.5 percent of the state’s seniors.

“Winning this scholarship reaffirms my confidence in myself to realize my future aspirations, but I know I still have a long way to go,” says Li. “I am confident in my success beyond high school and hopefully beyond college.”

Li plans to work for a biomedical company over the summer. When fall arrives, he will study Computer Science at Rutgers University. He credits Hunterdon County Vocational School District’s CSAEA for giving him the tools to achieve this success.

“The Academy taught me much about how determination and hard work can help to focus one's excellence to move from simple ideas to reality,” Li says. “Most importantly, I've learned that working alone can get you nowhere and finding the right guide and an even brighter partner can expedite projects and lead to even better outcomes.”

This past year, Li worked on running 3D printers for students, maintaining and upgrading the printers, and putting together a user manual to help others maintain the printers when he graduates from the CSAEA.

“I want to work in computer engineering with an emphasis on networks and data science,” Li says. “The Computer Science and Applied Engineering Academy’s Cyber Security Unit really got me hooked on the idea of installing and managing networks.”

“Richard has made the most of his time in our Computer Science and Applied Engineering Academy, engaging in coursework that challenged him, but also finding opportunities to challenge himself through an ambitious capstone project and additional hands-on work in his field of interest,” said HCVSD Superintendent Dr. Todd Bonsall. “His curiosity and drive to learn not only put him among the top of his class at HCVSD, but among the very top of his class nation-wide with the National Merit Scholarship. We could not be more proud to have him represent our district in this way.”

Li is from Asbury, N.J.

Hunterdon County Vocational School District offers three full-time, science-based Academies: The Biomedical Sciences Academy (BSA), the Computer Science & Applied Engineering Academy (CSAEA) and the Environmental Sustainability & Engineering Academy (ESEA). The district’s largest school is Hunterdon County Polytech Career & Technical School, a shared-time high school that prepares students for a seamless transition to college and career paths. HCVSD also operates an Adult & Continuing Education school. Learn more at www.hcvsd.org.

All pupils will be given equal opportunity for enrollment in programs operated by the Hunterdon County Vocational School District regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender, religion, disability, or socioeconomic status (34 C.F.R. Part 100, Appendix B, Section IV-A). No qualified handicapped person shall, on the basis of handicap, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity which receives federal financial assistance, et seq (34 C.F.R. Part 104.4(a)(b).