Awards

Awards & Honors

Recognition in math, music, and school life in Korea and the United States.

Math School Honors Music Writing Taekwondo

Math

Competition results and certificates in mathematics.

Jan. 11, 2025PVPUSD

Elementary Math Field Day Winner

Elementary Math Field Day 2025

Won a trophy at the 2025 Elementary Math Field Day competition.

$Jian holding his Elementary Math Field Day trophy$ 2 photos

Jan.–Apr. 2025County

Los Angeles County Math Field Day

Outstanding Scores · San Gabriel High School, CA

From January to April 2025, I went through three rounds of selection to join the four-member team representing the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District.

Round 1: one of 6 students chosen to represent my school
Round 2: one of 8 students selected from across the school district
Round 3: one of the final 4 on the district team

During Rounds 2 and 3, I studied after school with middle school math teachers, going to a middle school classroom eight times over four months. Through these sessions, I practiced mathematical thinking and mathematical writing, but most of all, I learned to discuss math as part of a team, and I really enjoyed it.

I could not compete in fifth grade because my family moved to Korea, but the experience still helps me. My math class at Seoul International School is discussion-based, so explaining my reasoning and working through problems with classmates is part of how I learn every day.

$Jian with the team trophy and his Outstanding Scores award$ $The PVPUSD Math Field Day team with their trophies$

$Email from the coach about the Los Angeles County Math Field Day$

Jul. 2025International

CTY Grand Honors & SET

Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth · 2024–25 Talent Search

Recognized for exceptional achievement in the 2024–25 CTY Talent Search.

I was especially excited about this result because it means I can choose advanced CTY courses that are up to four years ahead of my grade, and that I get to take physics much sooner than I expected!

The CTY Talent Search gives advanced students in grades 2–8 a test designed for older students, to show what they are truly ready to learn. Grand Honors is the higher of its two award levels, and SET (the Stanley Study of Exceptional Talent) recognizes the top-scoring participants.

Aug. 2025Program

Middle School Competitive Mathematics I

Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth · Academic Year 2025–26

Completed CTY’s competitive mathematics course for middle school students.

$Johns Hopkins CTY course certificate$

Mar. 2025District

Qualified for the Double-Accelerated Math Pathway

PVPUSD Math Placement Assessment · Vista Grande Elementary School

In fourth grade, I took the district math placement test and qualified to start Accelerated Math 6 in fifth grade. This double-accelerated pathway is the district’s highest math track, two years ahead of the standard sequence.

$PVPUSD math placement letter$

School

School Honors

Awards and certificates from my schools.

Jun. 2026School

ES Tiger of the Month

Seoul International School · Seoul, South Korea

Recognized for exemplifying all of the school’s core values.

“He has been a positive role model to everyone in the class all year.”

2022–2025School

SAIL Ticket Winner · 8 Times

Vista Grande Elementary School

Recognized eight times for showing the school’s Voyager values: show respect, act responsibly, include others, and listen and think.

2022–2024Classroom

Certificates of Achievement

Vista Grande Elementary School

Jun. 2024 · Super Student Award, for excellent effort and achievement in the classroom
Mar. 2024 · For being a model student and a great helper
Nov. 2022 · For attentiveness: looking at others when they speak and asking thoughtful questions
2022–23 · Math Magic Award, for being a problem solver

Mar. 11, 2024 · Model student and great helper

$2022–23 · Math Magic Award$

Jun. 2024School

Spelling Bee · Silver Medal

Vista Grande Elementary School

Won the silver medal in the school Spelling Bee.

2 photos

2022–2024School & District

PTA Reflections Arts Program

Vista Grande Elementary School · Palos Verdes Peninsula Council of PTAs

I entered the National PTA Reflections arts program in musical composition, visual arts, writing, and dance, and received awards at the school and district levels.

Oct. 2023 · Award of Excellence and Honorable Mention, 2023–24

9 photos

Music

Selected results in piano and voice.

Jul. 2026International

Beethoven International Music Competition UK

2026 Season 3 · Piano

First Prize, Youth (Age 11–13).

Beethoven International Music Competition winner announcement

2 photos

2022–2026International

The Royal Conservatory of Music · Piano & Theory

RCM Certificate Program

Completed the RCM Certificate Program exams in piano and theory.

2026 · Piano Level 7 — First Class Honors
2026 · Piano Level 5 & Theory Level 5 — First Class Honors with Distinction
2025 · Piano Level 4 — First Class Honors with Distinction
2024 · Piano Level 3 — First Class Honors
2023 · Piano Level 2 — First Class Honors with Distinction
2022 · Piano Level 1 — First Class Honors with Distinction
2022 · Preparatory B Piano — First Class Honors

7 certificates

2022–2026State

MTAC Certificate of Merit · Piano & Voice

Music Teachers’ Association of California

Completed the annual Certificate of Merit exams, evaluated in performance, technique, sight reading, theory, and ear training.

2026 · Voice Level 5 — State Honors
2025 · Voice Level 4 — Certified
2024 · Voice Level 3 — State Honors
2023 · Piano Level 2 & Voice Level 1 — State Honors · Invited to perform at the MTAC State Convention
2022 · Piano Level 1 — State Honors · Selected to perform at the MTAC State Convention

6 certificates

May 2025Regional

Southern California Junior Bach Festival

MTAC · California State University, Long Beach

Honor Award, advancing from the South Bay Branch festival in March to the regional festival.

Jian holding his South Bay Branch festival certificate

Jian at CSULB for the regional Junior Bach Festival

Oct. 2025International

World Artistry Music Award

2025 Season 3 · Piano

Platinum Prize in Junior (Age 8–10), Gold Prize in Baroque A, and the Outstanding Technique Special Prize.

World Artistry Music Award Platinum Prize certificate

3 certificates

▸ View more awards (3)

Jul. 2025Piano

Southwestern Youth Music Festival · Trophy

Jul. 2025 · Southwestern Youth Music Festival

Nov. 2023International

UK International Music Competition · First Prize, Junior (Age 8–10) · Expressive Performance Special Prize

Nov. 2023 · Expressive Performance Special Prize

Nov. 2023International

Royal Maas International Music Competition · 2nd Prize, Vocal B

Writing

Recognition for essays and writing.

Oct. 2026International

Kim Koo International Essay and Arts Competition

Sponsored by UNESCO · Kim Koo Heritage Foundation

Gold Award (1st Place), Lower Division, for my essay Violation is Justification.

Read the essay ↗

Award notice

Taekwondo

Sport poomsae results and rank.

2022–2026International

Competition Record · 44 Gold, 9 Silver, 8 Bronze

More than 50 competitions in the United States, Korea, and Croatia

International · Croatia Open (G1) — Gold in Individual and Mixed Pair as a member of the AAU USA National Team (2026)
United States · AAU National Championships Gold (2022, 2026) and U.S. National Championships Silver (2026)
Korea · Gold at the National Children’s Taekwondo Championship and the Adidas International Taekwondo Champions (2024)

See all results ↗

Jian with his taekwondo medals and belts

4 photos

Aug. 2025Kukkiwon

Kukkiwon 2nd Dan Black Belt

World Taekwondo Headquarters, Seoul

I started taekwondo in April 2021 and have trained for more than five years without a break. I earned 1st Dan in June 2024 and 2nd Dan in August 2025, and I am scheduled to test for 3rd Dan in August 2027.