Lua McGimsey

One thing I wish everybody could do is go out of their comfort zone and travel. Being biracial, I often travel to China and every time I go, I see something different. I love the stories everyone has to tell from their different backgrounds. The world amazes me and someday I want to see all of it.

I have found that playing violin is truly my passion. I've been apart of the CMS Honors Orchestra and Charlotte Youth Symphony just to name a few. I'm currently in my high school's Chamber Orchestra and hope to pursue music in college also. I started by playing piano and erhu, a Chinese instrument.

From riding the fast Mongolian horses to roasting lamb kabobs under the clear Milky Way-filled sky, my experience in Inner Mongolia was incomparable to anything I have ever done. Living in yurts and experiencing the Inner Mongolian way of life further opened my eyes to the diversity in the world.

I have been traveling to China almost every summer since I was 2 years old to visit my family and I'm very lucky to have a wealth of culture exposed to me in both China and America. Because of my background, I am able to explore two different worlds and, one day, merge them together through medicine

I learned about many cultures of Asia. We competed in many events such as Cultural Presentation, Congeniality, and Cultural Performance. It was an amazing experience because I learned so much about each culture and made great friends. I was awarded the Cultural Presentation Award.

I've been modeling since signing with Carolina Talent at 14. I've modeled in charity runway shows for Guess along with some designers like 1104 Apparel. I also enjoy print modeling and someday hope to be printed in a magazine.This is important to me because I want to be a role model for young girls.

I love making fun short films with my friends. I think it's so fun to make up a story, film it with a bunch of fun props, and edit it just how I envision. It combines art, music, photography, and design. Making short films let me express my creativity, while still catering to others' entertainment.

I am currently in the process of shadowing medical doctors for my Graduation Project. I am comparing Eastern and Western Medicine. So far, I have shadowed Dr. Atkinson, a clinical physician, and I have already learned greatly about his medical practices, as well as his views on types of medicine.