Leah Li
For the 400-plus audience members at the Meydenbauer Center, it was a day for a young woman to showcase her high school senior graduation project — a variety show, which cost more than $10,000 to produce.
Leah Li, 17, of Mercer Island High School (MIHS), produced the program, “Dreams from my Childhood,” with the support of her father, Hengda Li, founder of American Asian Performing Arts Theatre.
The show included more than 20 artists. Leah performed five Chinese ethnic dances, sang a solo, and played the piano and flute with her classmates. She exhibited not only her multifaceted talents but also her ability to integrate Chinese and American cultures.
Although Leah planned the project the summer before her senior year, she has been preparing for this moment her whole life. Starting at age four, she enrolled in different classes, such as Chinese painting, ballet, dancing, piano, chess, Chinese language, ice-skating, singing, flute, modeling, and acting classes.
These classes have helped to perfect her artistic abilities. She attributes her work ethic to Chinese culture.
When she was six months old, she was selected as a Nordstrom baby model. She has won awards in painting and dancing. An outstanding student according to her MIHS counselor, M. J. Hillstrom, Leah has been accepted by the University of Washington, New York University, and the University of Southern California.
Wouldn’t any parent wish to have a daughter like Leah?
Bravo to Leah and her parents! Her Mom especially deserves credit, too. ♦