My Journey to the President’s Volunteer Service Gold Award
Hey everyone, my name is Henry Qiang, and I’m a junior at Lydian Academy in Menlo Park, CA. I recently received something really cool in the mail: a letter from President Biden along with the President’s Volunteer Service Gold Award! I was so surprised and honored to get this award for volunteering over 360 hours in my community.
The journey to earn the President’s Volunteer Service Gold Award, all started my freshman year when I was looking for some after-school activities. I’ve always loved performing arts, especially Chinese dance and music. My parents are both immigrants from China, and they made sure I learned about our cultural heritage growing up. So I decided to check out the Chinese Performing Arts of America organization, or CPAA for short. They’re a nonprofit group based in San Jose that promotes Chinese and other diverse arts and cultures through performances, classes, and community events.
I went to one of their open houses at the CPAA Arts Center and was blown away! They have the coolest performance spaces, art galleries, and classrooms. I immediately signed up for beginner lessons in traditional Chinese dance. Let me tell you, it is way harder than it looks!
After about a year of classes, I realized I wanted to get more involved with CPAA’s mission. I talked to the program director and asked how I could volunteer. She was excited and said they had lots of opportunities for students like me. I filled out an application and went through a quick interview, then started volunteering regularly at their events.
As a student ambassador my primary responsibility involved welcoming guests providing them with guided tours of our facilities and offering assistance to the staff whenever needed. One of the events we organized each year was the Spring Festival, in Silicon Valley which served as a vibrant celebration resembling Chinese New Year that brought the entire community together. In the weeks preceding this festival I dedicated an amount of my time to volunteering contributing towards promotional activities, logistical preparations and necessary groundwork.
During the actual event, I got to usher guests to their seats, manage the photo booth area, and facilitate the post-show meet and greet with performers. It was two full days of craziness, but it was so rewarding to see everyone enjoying the performances and cultural exhibits. This year’s theme was “To Where We Belong”, all about celebrating both our unique backgrounds and common humanity. The dances and songs really brought that to life beautifully.
It was so cool to see firsthand how CPAA brings together people of all ages and cultures to appreciate and create art. The community they’ve built is inspiring! I could tell the staff and regular students really appreciated my help too. That meant a lot and made me want to keep volunteering whenever I could.
All this volunteering activity qualified me for the President’s Volunteer Service Award program. After my counselor submitted my hour log, I got the letter in the mail a few weeks later. The Gold Award is for young people who complete over 250 hours of service in a 12-month period. I was proud to have volunteered over 360 hours.
The award package also included a gold medal, a personalized certificate from President Biden, and a congratulatory letter from AmeriCorps. Reading the president’s message about the impact of volunteers and seeing my name listed was so cool. I framed the certificate to display in my room.
Receiving this national honor validated all the effort I’ve put in at CPAA over the past couple years. It showed me that volunteering my time and skills for a cause I care about is meaningful service. I plan to keep up my involvement with CPAA’s cultural programs and events throughout high school. Who knows, maybe I’ll qualify for the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for volunteering over 4,000 hours when I’m older!
I'd like to express my gratitude, towards the staff at CPAA for their welcome and the opportunities they have provided me to contribute. Volunteering there has been a experience allowing me to delve deeper into my passions for dance, community service and cultural exchange. Moreover this involvement has played a role, in shaping me as a leader and a team player. To teenagers seeking ways to get involved I highly recommend finding and volunteering at a nonprofit organization that aligns with your interests. The time commitment can be flexible according to your schedule. What truly matters is consistently showing up and lending a helping hand. Being punctual maintaining an attitude and not hesitating to seek clarification when needed are aspects that will be appreciated by the staff while enriching your own learning experience.
Earning the President's Volunteer Service Award is a goal of mine. But I don't volunteer just for the recognition. I do it because contributing my energy to the CPAA community simply feels good. It's brought me closer to my cultural roots and given me a sense of purpose. Who knows what doors it may open down the road? But for now, I'm just proud to help promote the arts and bring people together.
Until Next Time,
Henry
