Syosset senior Grace Liu received exciting news on the first day of school this year: she is among the top 10 students selected for the $100,000 prize offered by Chegg.com, an educational technology company. The prize, celebrating student innovation, received almost 11,000 applications internationally.
“I was so incredibly overjoyed…I’m so incredibly grateful,” Liu said. Liu was shortlisted as a top 50 student in July and learned that she advanced to the top 10 on Tuesday, Sept. 2, her first day of 12th grade.
Liu said it was a “hectic day” at school when she received an email from the organization asking for a five-minute video call. Not knowing what to expect, Liu said she went to a quiet area outside the school, where she learned that she made it to the top 10.
“This is so meaningful to me,” she said.
Liu applied to the prize with her nonprofit, Research to Empower, which we started when she was 13 years old. Her goal was to teach others the foundations of research. Now she reaches 200,000 people in 141 countries through free podcasts, workshops, and workbooks.
Liu said she was inspired to start the nonprofit because she had trouble when she first wanted to start researching, as many of the programs offered had age limitations and expensive tuition. Because of her own interest in the field, Liu said, she has always been passionate about creating accessible education.
Research to Empower, also known as ReTE, offers resources to kindergarten through 12th graders. Liu authored a book, “Research to Empower: A Vibrant Guidebook for Young Students,” which comprises much of what she has learned since the organization’s founding in 2021.
Liu said she “didn’t want to get her hopes up” about the top 10 before it was announced and that learning she made the list felt “surreal.”
“Because education means so much to me…it feels like my life has been validated, and this is something that I hope I will carry with me for the rest of my life,” she said.
To celebrate, Liu said she and her mom got their favorite cake, tiramisu.
“Huge congratulations to Grace on being named a top 10 finalist. Your work is bold, thoughtful and deeply needed. You’re not just solving problems; you’re lifting up communities and showing the world what’s possible when passion meets purpose,” said Chegg CEO and President Nathan Schultz.
“Your story is an urgent reminder that education is a powerful catalyst to solve some of the greatest challenges in history – from inequality and climate change to devastating diseases. By investing in learning, technology, and human potential, we can build a future of opportunity, resilience, and compassion,” said Sunny Varkey, the founder of the Varkey Foundation, which Chegg partners with for the student prize.
Liu said that as her nonprofit continues to grow, she has had the opportunity to give back to her own community. She said she led a research workshop at the Syosset Public Library, a place that was like a “second home” to her as she grew up.
She said her experiences with ReTE combined with the feedback she has received from the Chegg Global Student Prize have given her “inspiration and courage that I can draw from in my commitment to advocacy, to education, and just like creating positive change in the world.”
Chegg said the winner is expected to be announced next month.
