Felix Chen, grade 9, was named a semifinalist in the 2022 Profile in Courage Essay Contest for his profile of William Byron Rumford, the first Black American to be elected to public office in Northern California. Each year, the contest invites high school students to write a profile on an elected official who demonstrated courage in the face of opposition from society, interest groups and political parties, echoing John F. Kennedy’s work in his book, “Profiles in Courage.” Nearly 2,500 essays were submitted for this year’s contest, with 25 recognized as winners, finalists, semifinalists or honorable mentions.