Island Pacific Academy junior Jinghao Li has had an incredible year of achievement, marked by recognition on both the local and national stage for his passion-driven project: Counsel AI, an app designed to support college-bound students in low-income communities. The app evaluates a student and provides them with a list of recommended colleges to apply to, along with follow-up advice on how to strengthen their application.
In December, Jinghao was awarded Second Place in the 2024 Congressional App Challenge for Hawai‘i’s first district with his AI-powered college counseling tool. The challenge is a national initiative of the U.S. House of Representatives, in which congressional members host annual contests in their districts for middle and high school students. Counsel AI stood out among hundreds of entries submitted to the contest hosted by Congressman Ed Case, earning Jinghao a well-deserved spot among the top students in the state. The Congressional App Challenge encourages youth engagement in computer science and STEM, and Jinghao’s project reflected a deep understanding of how technology can be used to create greater quality education.
“Jinghao is an awesome student – intelligent and hardworking,” said his computer science teacher, Dr. Devon Widmer. “He has really taken his development skills to a new level this year with his Counsel AI project, and I look forward to amazing projects he will create next year and beyond.”
But Jinghao’s journey didn’t stop there…
This April, he was named a National STEM Festival Champion – an extraordinary honor that brought him all the way to Washington D.C. over spring break. He was one of only two students from Hawai‘i selected to participate in the prestigious event, which celebrates the most promising young minds in science, technology, engineering, and math across the country. At the National STEM Festival, Jinghao presented Counsel AI to fellow student leaders, industry professionals, and even government officials. It was an opportunity not only to showcase his hard work but also to exchange ideas, build meaningful connections, and explore how innovation can be a powerful tool for positive change.
“It feels surreal to be named a National STEM Festival Champion,” Jinghao shared. “I feel honored to be representing Hawai‘i in Washington D.C. I didn’t believe I would actually win, especially since there were people doing research on curing cancer in the competition. When I got the email notifying me I was a National STEM Champion, I was totally shocked.”
A highlight of the festival was connecting with other student innovators from across the country. “My favorite part was meeting the other winners from across the country. I’ve met some of the most amazing high schoolers, and I still keep in contact with some of them,” said Jinghao. “It was incredible to demonstrate my project alongside other student leaders.”
Jinghao credits his experiences at Island Pacific Academy for helping him develop the skills and confidence to pursue his project. “My experiences at IPA helped me build the programming skills I needed for Counsel AI,” he explained. “Dr. Dee [Widmer] supported me throughout the development of this project, and my work on PyQuCryptor also taught me the basics of app development.”
Secondary Principal Steve Ross added, “We are all so proud of Jinghao and his great achievements, as well as Dr. Widmer and the wonderful work she does with our students.”
Congratulations to Jinghao on these remarkable accomplishments. His commitment to making college guidance more accessible and inclusive is an inspiring reflection of the IPA spirit – one of leadership, innovation, and excellence. We can’t wait to see where his journey leads next!
