September 30, 2022 / 7:28 PM / CBS Los Angeles

A Lincoln Heights high school student received one of the highest honors from the Junior ROTC — an award that only 1 in 4000 cadets receives.

Yingyin Tan is the first Los Angeles Unified Student to receive the Legion of Valor Bronze Cross for Achievement since 2009. In order to receive the high honor, cadets must excel academically in addition to their military training and their service to the community.

In addition to her 4.563 grade point average, Tan was part of the Thrive Scholars at Amherst University, the J Lab Nationals and the Freedom Fountain at the Valley Forge conference. 

Tan immigrated to the United States from China as a toddler with her little sister and parents. Her mom stays home while her dad works as a chef. 

When her mother Xiu Quing Yu was asked if she expected her children to succeed after immigrating she said in Chinese, "Yes, but I didn't expect them to be so smart."

Among many other prospects, the 17-year-old Tan hopes to attend MIT, Standford or Harvard to study biology or computer science. She will be the first in her family to go to college.

"Although I am here now, I too was once a student who didn't appear too special," Tan said during her acceptance speech. "Find the passions that you love and incorporate a way for your passions to change the world. Nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it."

Tan hopes to become an inventor and already has an idea for tennis shoes to create their own energy with their soles.

Kristine Lazar is an Emmy Award-winning investigative reporter for CBS2 and KCAL9 News. Kristine graduated Phi Beta Kappa from UC Berkeley, after growing up by the beach in San Diego.

First published on September 30, 2022 / 7:28 PM

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©2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.