2024
Maryland Young Women Leaders Honoree

Lily challenges herself through rigorous coursework, maintaining a 4.91 weighted GPA and 4.0 unweighted GPA.

Lily applies her academic strengths, skills, and research as a debater of almost 8 years. She was the Debate World Champion of the 2023 International Public Policy Forum, 1 out of 140,000 eligible applicants selected as a Finalist for the USA Debate Team and was top ranked nationally in Public Forum debate.

She has taken/is currently taking a total of 16 Advanced Placement (AP) Courses throughout high school, scoring nine 5’s and one 4 on her previous ten AP tests. Currently, she takes six AP classes in her Senior Year, with her only non-AP class being GT Orchestra, which she has been an active player in since freshman year. For her academic success and rigor, she was awarded the national AP Scholar with Distinction Award. She also achieved a perfect composite score of 36/36 on her recent ACT test and scored a 1550 on her SAT after just one attempt.

Lily Peng is an ambitious leader dedicated to fostering racial and educational equity. She’s a strong Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) rights advocate, serving her second term as the elected Corresponding Secretary and first and sole Student Commissioner on the Howard County AAPI Commission appointed by County Executive Calvin Ball where she represents AAPI youth across the county. As the Co-Founder of Project Lotus, an AAPI advocacy organization, and an AAPI Youth Ambassador, she strives to increase AAPI representation, encouraging other youth to make an impact too. With Project Lotus, she led student testimony in front of the Maryland General Assembly, County Council, and Board of Education. She also was an Intern Team Lead at Maryland State Delegate Chao Wu’s Office, leading the creation of several research reports. Planning events for thousands of people such as Howard County’s AAPI Festival and River Hill’s first in-school hours Culture Day, Lily leads her community in celebrating diversity. 

Striving to help other youth find their voice, Lily currently serves as the President of the Maryland Youth Speakers Toastmasters Gavel Club. As a Judicial Intern for Judge Stephanie Porter at the Howard County Circuit Court for the past two years, Lily is a leader for other youth interested in law as a Student Ambassador for the Law Days of Summer Program.

Lily is also a leader for greater educational equity. She Co-founded the Gen Z Career Path Seminars, reaching thousands of youths nationally with free online seminars that promote financial literacy and career planning.

For her community service, Lily has received national recognition as the Distinguished Young Woman of Maryland, a 4-time national Ben Carson Scholar, and a 4-time recipient of the President’s Volunteer Service Award (2-time Gold, 1-time Silver, 1-time Bronze).

“As I reflect on my high school experiences, service through leadership resonates with me as some of my most worthwhile activities. Knowing I was able to make an impact lasting beyond my four years in high school, whether it was through my organization Project Lotus or helping younger students find their voice through debate lessons, is truly rewarding and motivates me to continue leading for change within any community.”