It is hard to imagine that making a perfect score of 36 on the ACT test is not your proudest high school accomplishment. However, this is the case with ASFA senior Adam He.

He, a multifaceted and multi-talented Math & Science major, is used to being recognized for his accomplishments, partly because he thrives on challenge. Academically, he will graduate from high school with 15 credit hours from UAB courses he has taken, and excelled at, during his high school days. He began this accelerated journey as a junior, taking Calculus lll, followed by several courses in Physics and Partial Differential Equations.

Adam knew he had to master the foundation of math and science to begin solving his unanswered questions about the universe ... something that began at a very young age.

“I think the first time I ever wanted to know more about something was when I looked up at the night sky when I was little. It represented a vast unknown that I couldn't help but wonder about. For me, outer space was a reminder that there's so much about the universe we don't know, and that made me want to learn more. I made a beeline for the astronomy section every time my mom took me to Barnes & Noble in order to find out more. I developed an interest in astrophysics that I continue to explore today,” he says.

This interest earned him national recognition in the Intel Talent Search, an achievement that he does consider his finest to date. “Being a semifinalist in the Intel Science Talent Search was amazing. Only 300 people out of all high school seniors receive the honor, and I was completely caught by surprise when I found out about the award. It was great to receive recognition for something I had worked so diligently on.” It is not surprising that his project reached for the stars. “I researched the orbits of planets around binary star systems, writing a program that tested whether or not certain orbits were suitable for life.”

Adam is again in the national spotlight. He has been named a Finalist in the National Merit Scholarship Program. He qualified from among more than 1.5 million entrants nationwide. The nationwide pool of Finalists represents less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors.

In addition, and equally impressive, Adam has been notified that he is a U.S.Presidential Scholar candidate. All high school seniors in the U.S. who took either the ACT or the SAT are considered for participation in the U.S. Presidential Scholar program. The U.S. Department of Education chooses the top 20 male examinees and top 20 female examinees from each state to be candidates. It one of the highest honors for our nation’s high school students.

He plans to continue his education in astrophysics after graduation this spring, with Harvard, Stanford, Yale, MIT, and Caltech on his list of preferred universities. When asked what he saw as his biggest challenge, Adam mentioned his uneasiness speaking in front of crowds. Not to be hindered in any way, he challenged himself by enrolling in a Theatre Arts class and achieving high marks. It was unusual for a
Math & Science major to test himself on the stage.

“I think excelling in theater necessitates a really strong emotional repertoire, something that can be built through experience, whereas excelling in math/science involves applying an analytical and computational side of yourself, a side that needs an incredibly strong foundation in logic and problem-solving. Both require a really committed work ethic though,” he explained.

“I had been developing an interest in theater throughout high school, specifically acting. I feel that acting allows me to explore my own emotions and my creativity, and it lets me express myself in a whole new way. Because I ran out of both math and science classes to take last semester, I asked for permission to join theater classes.” Adam has embraced the spotlight, has become an active member of ASFA’s Theatre Arts circle and entered The Walter Trumbauer Secondary Theater Festival last November. “ I performed a three-minute monologue called "The Fact-Checker." I also attended the Alabama Thespians Festival on January 15 at Samford, where I performed two monologues--one dramatic and one comedic.”

Being engaged in both arts and sciences will better prepare Adam for the real world. It will enable him to think globally, provide out-of-the-box solutions, and be better prepared for college and career.

Adam brings that same enthusiasm and light to his personal relationships. He places as much emphasis on communication and connections as he does his studies, making him a dynamic member of the ASFA community. For fun, Adam loves to play the piano and is an accomplished pianist. He enjoys movies and mingling with friends at the local bubble tea cafe. Formerly from Arizona, he has embraced Southern culture and particularly enjoys Southern hospitality. “Whether I'm getting help from a random person when I have a flat tire, or having my meal paid for by the person in front of me at a drive-thru, I'm always incredibly grateful to be surrounded by such generous people--and it taught me a lot about being selfless as well.” Among his best school memories are the annual school retreats. “They were the highlight of my experience at ASFA--the friendships and bonds that I made on every retreat continue to this day. I'd tell any incoming student not to be afraid to get out of their comfort zone and to make friends with students in other departments. Even though they may not have the same specialty as you, they are people that you can learn a lot from and have a lot of fun with.

”At ASFA, Adam He is a star student both on stage and off. He continues to challenge himself both personally and scholastically. He still remembers being that little boy looking up toward the sky, questioning the vastness of the universe, and wanting to know more. And, for Adam He, clearly, the sky’s the limit.