On December 14th, the Northern California Chinese School Association held the “ANCCS Student Volunteer Service Award” ceremony at the South Bay Overseas Chinese Education Center. A total of 64 students from 10 schools received awards, including 31 gold awards, 11 silver awards, and 22 bronze awards.
Due to the temporary suspension of the “Presidential Volunteer Service Award” this year, the association (ANCCS) launched the “ANCCS Student Volunteer Service Award” (SVSA) with the support of California State Assemblyman Alex Lee’s office. This award program aims to recognize student volunteers and unpaid teaching assistants who have demonstrated a high level of civic engagement and service enthusiasm for twelve consecutive months.
The volunteer service hours must be accumulated between September 1, 2024, and August 31, 2025. The awards are divided into three levels based on the age of the applicant and the number of service hours. For teens (11-15 years old): bronze award 50-74 hours, silver award 75-99 hours, gold award 100 hours or more. For young adults (16 years and older): bronze award 100-174 hours, silver award 175-249 hours, gold award 250 hours or more.
President Fu Qijun expressed that volunteer service is a meaningful action that can give back to society. Therefore, the association has long encouraged students to join the ranks of volunteers and continuously promote volunteer service awards.
This year, with the support of California State Assemblyman Alex Lee from the 24th District, the association awarded students with volunteer service certificates, aiming to continuously inspire students to participate in service and care for society.
Zhuang Yashu, the director of the South Bay Overseas Chinese Education Center, thanked the association for being an important platform in Northern California, bringing together the strength of various overseas schools to assist overseas students in learning Chinese and understanding their cultural roots. She also encouraged the award-winning students to continue improving their Chinese language skills and engaging in community service, making this volunteer experience an important nourishment for achieving future dreams.
Chen Tianhao, who won the gold award in the Young Adult category and whose father is French, stated that receiving the “ANCCS Student Volunteer Service Award” gold award was very meaningful to him. He mentioned that he has a strong interest in Taiwanese culture and that learning at the Chinese school not only deepened his cultural understanding but also allowed him to make many friends with similar backgrounds, practicing Chinese together and creating unforgettable memories.
Tianhao’s mother expressed that the main reason for teaching her children Chinese is to facilitate smooth communication with their grandparents. She admitted that accompanying her children in learning Chinese is not easy for parents. She shared a moment when her youngest son struggled with the complex strokes of Chinese characters and shed tears, but her eldest son encouraged her to persevere, citing the benefits of learning Chinese as he grew up. She believes that while children may find it challenging when they are young, they will appreciate their parents’ persistence in the future.
Guests attending the awards ceremony that day included Overseas Chinese Affairs Commissioner Wei Dezhen, Overseas Chinese Affairs Advisory Commissioner Li Hanwen, School District Commissioner Kou Huifeng, and representatives of California State Assemblyman Alex Lee.