Glenbard North scholar bound for China

You'd be hard-pressed to find a better representative of our country's best and brightest than Benjamin Crosby.

The Yale-bound Glenbard North High School graduate scored a perfect 36 on the ACT - and a perfect 2400 on the SAT. He's one of just 141 students nationwide to be selected as a Presidential Scholar, and out of that elite group, one of 12 to win a coveted spot on the Student Leaders Exchange to China.

The Carol Stream teen left Monday for the two-week study tour with the National Committee on U.S. China-Relations.

The students will visit three cities - Beijing, the ancient capital of Xi'an and the industrial city of Zhengzhou - and go to cultural events, meet Chinese leaders, attend lectures at a university and even get the opportunity to do some teaching of their own.

"China is fascinating to me because it has such a long history and I'm a big history buff," said Crosby, 17. At the same time, China is also "undergoing rapid political and economic change," he said.

Typically, American high school students - even the high achievers taking Advanced Placement courses in history - spend limited time studying China.

"We feel they get a very different picture by going there," said Jonathan Lowet, director of leadership initiatives for the National Committee. The program is in its fifth year. Some previous participants have called the experience "life-changing."

"The United States-China relationship has been called the most important of the 21st century. We want to ensure that these students, as potential future leaders of this country, will be well-informed when making the decisions that shape the future."

Lowet said it is difficult to pick 12 students from such a stellar field as the Presidential Scholars. He looks for such qualities as open-mindedness, flexibility, a sense of humor and a willingness to engage with the Chinese people.

Crosby, 17, is interested in international aid and development. One of his goals is to modify the capitalist system to meet the needs of "the marginalized and disadvantaged," he said when he was chosen this spring for the Daily Herald's DuPage County Academic Team.

Crosby joined the other Presidential Scholars in Washington, D.C., in June. They met Vice President Joseph Biden and Education Secretary Arne Duncan, saw their fellow students perform at the Kennedy Center, visited the State Department and did a service project for Dress for Success, which provides job-interview clothes for economically disadvantaged women.

Crosby's gifts for his Chinese hosts include a book on Chicago architecture, jazz and blues CDs, White Sox caps and, for his Chinese peers, CDs of his favorite songs.

"I am really, really thankful to have this opportunity," he said.