Student Advisory Committee

Julie Li is an incoming sophomore at Williamsville East High School who is passionate about music, science, and community leadership. She is actively involved in Bridges From Borders (BFB) and AYLUS Greater Buffalo, where she serves as a secretary of AYLUS and a youth leader of the BFB Youth Orchestra.

As a youth leader of the BFB Youth Orchestra, Julie has helped expand the orchestra’s role from traditional indoor performances to more direct engagement with the local community. She has helped secure funding, recruit young musicians, organize rehearsals, and coordinate volunteers and performances. She has also helped bring the orchestra to community events and local parks in Amherst, creating opportunities for young musicians of different backgrounds and abilities to participate, perform, and connect with the community. Julie sees music not only as an art form, but also as a way to bring people together and create meaningful connections.

Music has been an important part of Julie’s life. She plays flute and piccolo and has participated in the Greater Buffalo Youth Orchestra, All-County Band, Area All-State Band, and New York State honor ensembles. At school, she has served as a band leader and first chair of the flute section. Julie also has a strong interest in science and engineering. She has been a qualifier for the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge and has received first-place awards at the regional science fair. She has also led the Biology Olympiad and Future City clubs at school, encouraging students to explore science, engineering, and creative problem-solving.

Through BFB, Julie hopes to continue bringing together her interests in music, science, and leadership to create opportunities for young people, strengthen connections within the community, and encourage students to share their interests in meaningful ways.