Katherine Dong Explores Poetry, Microbiology on Way to Top of Class

Katherine Dong, of Warren Township, the highest-ranking student in Watchung Hills Regional High School’s graduating class, will deliver the Valedictory Address at the school’s 56 commencement, to be held on Friday in the school’s football field, Tozier Stadium. Watchung resident Jessica Xu is the class Salutatorian.

Dong achieved the highest academic standing in the graduating class of an anticipated 497 students, with Xu a very close second in rank.

The two top seniors mirror each other in many ways. Both have exceptional academic records. They are both National Merit Scholars and recipients of National Merit Scholarships; both have achieved top ranking of “Advanced Placement Scholar”; both were inducted into  the Hills’ chapter of the National Honor Society; both have been deeply involved in math and science studies, and subsequently involved in competition in those areas on local, regional and national levels.

Dong, daughter of Charles Dong and Huiming Zhan, has the honor of being chosen as one of the 10 Academic All Stars for 2013, and was saluted in a feature story  on the front page of the Courier News and Home News Tribune.

While many students will take Advanced Placement courses, Dong helped teach and design the AP Psychology course for a start-up company called Pensieve. She was one of two students from the Governor’s School of the Sciences selected to participate in various advanced courses on Molecular Orbital Theory, Cancer Research and Applications of Rulers and Compasses. On Saturday mornings  throughout  the school year, participation in the Columbia University Honors Science Program (in Neuroscience) brought her in contact with the newest research breakthroughs.

And a three-week Waksman DNA sequencing program at Rutgers allowed her to continue the sequencing of the Wolffia austrailiana genome at the Waksman Institute of Rutgers; six “sequences” await publication on NCBI’s database.

Her record of volunteer service includes 250+ hours at the NYU Cardiovascular Clinical Research Center, 150+ hours at  the Columbia University Medical Center, where she shadowed and assisted a hematologist-oncologist; and, locally, coaching the Math Team at Warren Middle School, readying students for math competitions.

Dong herself is a vigorous participant in such competitions as the Northern Jersey Regional Science Fair, the Lehigh Valley (tri-state) regional math team (ARML) and Hills’ own Math League, in which she was the third-highest female scorer in New Jersey on the AMC (American Math League) exam, and in the top 99.7 percent of the country.    

In addition to the capturing numerous mathematics and science awards, she has also captured prizes for “Scholastic Arts and Writing Awards”—such as six Regional Gold Keys, a National Silver Medal in Poetry, semi-finalist standing in the Rutgers Talent Search.

Dong will be well-prepared for the rigorous course of pre-med studies that lies ahead when she begins her eight-year course of studies at Rice-Baylor University. She was one of only 12 students (out of 40 applicants) selected for a guaranteed spot in the demanding program.

Watchung resident Jessica Xu, daughter of Dr. Rho Xu and Dr. Dina Zhang, will greet the Class of 2013. An outstanding scholar, Xu has won distinction for being accepted (for two consecutive years) as one of 20 finalists (out of 10,000 students nationwide) in the United States National Chemistry Olympiad, who were preparing to compete in the International Chemistry Olympiad (This year’s four national participants have not as yet been determined at this writing, but Jessica is among the top six with two days of testing and studying remaining).

Xu was also a NJ Governor’s Scholar in the Sciences, learning to “brainstorm and combine unique ideas.” She placed in the top four in the Merck State Science Competition  that encourages students to explore advanced topics beyond the scope of normal school classes. Moreover, she was one of this year’s (only) two New Jersey winners of the Siemens Award for Advanced Placement a $2,000 science scholarship given to only 100 students in the country. She’s also scored a “5”, the top score on nine Advanced Placement Exams.

In addition to her exceptional record as a scholar, Xu is also a talented pianist—a student and prize-winner since sixth grade—as well as an artist of note who has donated some of her work to school charities.

On a completely different note, she has participated in track and field as well as cross country for all four year,” feats which have contributed to the spirit of self –improvement…that causes us to strive endlessly to reach our goals.”

Xu is a member of the NJ Science League in Chemistry, the Math Team, the National English Honor Society, the National French Society, the National Art Society, the Academic Team. She was also presented with a Gold Key in the National Scholastic Writing Competition in the regional competition  and a Silver Key at the National Level.

Her volunteer service has included assistance to patients at Runnells Hospital Chelsea Home, McCutchen Friends Home, and Ash Senior Housing. And, since freshman year Xu has been the “initiator/organizer/teacher” at the Xiantao High School, Fuxi High School and Hanchuan High School in Hubei, China, where she has taught English, “gave presentations on American culture and high schools to thousands of Chinese high school seniors,” collected hundreds of books and magazines, and set up an English section in their school library.

Xu will attend Harvard University in the fall.