Min Shin is pretty close to the paragon of what North Penn students should aspire to be.

Min first came from South Korea to America in 2015, as an 8th grade teenager, and now, on the precipice of graduating, he has become a highly involved leader of the class of 2019.

“It was very difficult for me when I first came to America. I barely knew any English, even though I took English speaking classes in Korea,” Shin recalled.  

It was difficult for him to adapt and learn English, but nevertheless he quickly became enamored he was with American culture.

”Yes, I’m very interested in American culture. I like how a lot of extracurricular activities are very inclusive,” Shin explained.

In South Korea, once someone joins a club, it becomes very difficult to join another. Throughout middle school, he played after-school sports like soccer and baseball. He was interested in challenging himself by signing up to as many after-school activities as possible.

When he came to North Penn High School, he applied for several Honors and A.P. classes including English and Calculus. He is also currently enrolled in Public Speaking. Min also become a part of Class Cabinet and did volunteer work.

“For a long time, I designed T-shirts and helped plan events,” Shin explained.

Min Shin shows determination, open-mindness, and directness. He is the model for all students of what they could achieve despite any obstacles. Having completed a pretty tough journey in moving to a new country with a new language and culture as a middle schooler, Min is certainly a credible source for advice to current students.

“Always challenge yourself” Shin stated. “ I started from the bottom barely knowing any English, and I’m happy with how far I’ve gotten. I don’t think many people expect that much from an ESL student.”