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Apollonian Blog

About Apollo Zhu

Swift Platform Experience at Apple.

Awards

Date Name Kind
6/1/2021 WWDC 2021 Swift Student Challenge
9/13/2020 Building for Digital Health Best CardinalKit App, COVID-19 hackathon fund
10/13/2019 DubHacks 2019 Classic Track Top 3 Finalists
4/20/2018 WWDC 2018 Scholarship
3/25/2018 Hack.UVA 2018 Winner - Best Use of SafeTrek API
5/18/2017 2017 ACSL Intermediate-3 Division All-Star Contest qualified
4/21/2017 WWDC 2017 Scholarship
4/8/2017 2017 FBLA State Mobile App Dev Virginia 2nd
3/2/2017 2017 FBLA Regional Mobile App Dev Northern Virginia 1st
3/2/2017 2017 AMC 10 AIME 10
12/10/2016 2016 Virginia Tech High School Programming Contest 22/101 teams, 6/? schools

Recommendations

Right after graduating from Oakton High School, I went back to pick up my Cyber Security Club (which now merged with Computer Science Club to form CSCS Club) t-shirt. The club mentor (Mr. Larson) gave me a half sheet of paper and told me how teachers nominated me for the Faculty Awards by writing these testimonials:

Apollo is one of the most respectful students I have ever encountered. He is eager to learn and to better himself. He is most deserving of this award.

Apollo has been an reliable asset to the tech team. He is eager to take on challenges, and works through those challenges with exceptional critical thinking skills. His positive and courteous attitude is a model for his peers.

We can’t sing Apollo’s praises enough. He couldn’t be a part of the Center this year officially due to a scheduling conflict, but that doesn’t stop him devoting his lunch time to running scheduling for the tutors. He’s not doing it for a grade (there is none), he’s not doing it for college app or recommendation (he’s already been accepted), he’s doing it because the quality of his character. Just last night, he stayed at the Tutor-a-thon helping students for three hours straight. None of the actual students in the Center class can claim that they did. Apollo’s kindness and patience know no bounds, and what is more—he’s incredible humble and respectful. We don’t know what we’ll do without him next year!

Apollo is very intelligent and humble guy. He works extremely hard and his efforts are apparent in all that he does. Teachers are excited when a student like Apollo is assigned to your class. You know you as a teacher have to step up your game! He is kind, polite and always ready to help you carry heavy items down the hallway, even 2 years on from been in your class. He has such a bright future, and I wish him nothing but the best.

I taught Apollo his freshman year in programming. It was very evident even then that he was an incredibly intelligent and special student. A memory that has stuck with me from that year, is he took a huge text book of Microsoft Visual Basic home to learn on this own without prompting! He is a student that strives to continue his learning as well as be a wonderful individual outside of his academic talents. Big things are in his future! I am honored to have been part of his journey.

Apollo is an incredibility talented person whose academic achievement is remarkable. In the three years I have known him, he has never failed to impress me with his drive and knowledge. Apollo is also one of the kindest and most respectful students I have ever had in my classroom and will go out of his way to mentor other students.

Fun Fact

1
2
3
fun fact(x : int) =
if x < 2 then 1 else x * fact(x - 1)
(* TODO: tail recursion *)

Well, not that kind of fun fact. I tried to copy all CS related terms from the New Oxford American Dictionary to a notebook in 7th grade. During the process, I discovered the word “Apollonian.” It helped me rethink the meaning of the my name “Apollo,” and reminds me of the person I shall become. (You might see me using the variant ending in nyan 🐾, too).

  1. Relating to the god Apollo.
  2. Relating to the rational, ordered, and self-disciplined aspects of human nature
New Oxford American Dictionary