WHEREAS it is the intention of the Mayor and Council of Cherry Hill Township to focus attention on noteworthy individuals; and

WHEREAS tonight, we wish to honor Vivian Lu, a Cherry Hill East High School student, for being awarded the 2018 Hamilton Scholars Award for outstanding academic accomplishments and community service; and

WHEREAS each year, less than 40 high school juniors nationally are selected to join the program based on academic excellence, commitment to community service, and leadership potential. Through this leadership program, Scholars complete a rigorous five-year curriculum designed to provide them with practical tools for success in college and the post-college world; and

WHEREAS Vivian founded The Axon Project, an online platform that aims to create greater access to neuroscience opportunities for young women. In addition, she founded Equilibrium, a local nonprofit that provides rising fifth grade girls with a free summer course on advanced science and math concepts in order to dispel implicit gender biases regarding STEM education; and

WHEREAS Vivian has shown great enthusiasm by working in a clinical psychology laboratory at Drexel University and will soon work at neuroscience laboratory at the New York University Medical School to study synaptic plasticity and cortical dynamics; and

WHEREAS beyond her interest in science, Vivian is a published poet and writer. She is the Founder and Editor-In-Chief of Bitter Melon Magazine, an international literacy publication that seeks to amplify marginalized voices. In addition, her work has won awards on the national and international level, garnering recognition from various scholastic art and writing awards, including Hippocrates Initiative for Poetry and Medicine, American High School Poets, and many others. She also serves as the 2018 New Jersey Youth Poet Laureate; and

WHEREAS the Mayor and Council wish to recognize and commend Vivian Lu for all of her great successes to date, and also for her tremendous efforts to promote STEM fields to young women.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, CHUCK CAHN, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Mayor of the Township of Cherry Hill, County of Camden, State of New Jersey, do hereby proclaim Wednesday, September 12, 2018 to be

Vivian Lu Day

Vivian serves as an example to our community through her exceptional academic achievements and proven dedication to public service. We encourage all citizens to celebrate Vivian and wish her continued success.