CELEBRATING ASIAN AMERICAN YOUTH
CELEBRATING ASIAN AMERICAN YOUTH
BY Gerrye Wong May 22, 2024
May is a joyous time when the school year is coming to its end, and for some lucky souls, it is the end of their high school years and time to look forward to new beginnings in different schools all over the nation. Students and parents alike have financial concerns about the high cost of colleges, and in particular, what school will they be accepted at to fit their educational needs. To counter student anxiety and parent worries, there are two Silicon Valley nonprofit group whom I admire for their projects to honor students with financial grants. I was pleased to see the growth in grants and students so honored this year by the Chi Am Circle, South Bay Chinese Service Club and the Chinese Historical and Cultural Project.
CHI AM CIRCLE STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS
You’ll have to excuse me if I show a wee bit of bias to the Chi Am Circle women’s group’s scholarship program, because I was among the group of women members who started this program over 40 years ago, and was the sole founder at this year’s 2024 ceremony to witness how large the program has grown. Back in the 1980s, our number of student honorees were small and grants modest financially. But many of today’s leaders sentimentally recall receiving the stipends with fond memories. LiveFreely CEO Dr. Arthur Jue and former ABC TV producer & Sony International Executive Andrea Wong once expressed to me personally the honor they felt being selected by the Chi Am Circle committees, even though receiving only small amounts in 1980s money value of $250. They among the hundreds so honored through the years became pillars of the Asian American communities their careers carried them to, so fellow Chi Am Circle sisters have good reason to be proud of the scholarship program tradition they are continuing to encourage youth of today to achieve academic goals in any and all fields by awarding stipends for their college expenses. It was my pleasure to welcome back many of the former recipients who now through their own families, many of whose mothers were once members, give back for the continuing grants for today’s young graduates. Kudos to following your parents tradition of giving by maintaining memorial funds, children of Grace Wong, Frances Quon, May Chu, Aurora Louie, Ernie & Mary Ann Wong.
CAPTION: CEREMONY CROWD OF OVER 200 PARENTS AND FRIENDS CHI AM MEMBERS: Maelene Wong, Gerrye Wong, Sharon Lai, Mary K Lim
This year Chi Am Circle scholarship grants went to 39 Santa Clara County high school graduates receiving over $100,00 in grants for academic excellence and community service. Whereas most of the large institutions get the majority of their money from businesses and corporations, the Chi Am Circle grant giving program is unique in that their sponsors’ monies are mostly from individual members , family foundations, and memorial funds from past members’ families. Donations, large and small, came from over 100 generous and caring members and friends listed in the program this year.
CAPTION: Presidents Sharon Lai & Juliette Sham Gordon and Anita Chan Family Scholarship presentation
A wonderful afternoon at the Cupertino Quinlan Center was attended by over 200 students, members, family and friends witnessing the receiving of Chi Am Circle grants on stage. Keynote speaker via recorded greetings was Hollywood film director, writer and producer Jessica Yu, who spoke to the students of her own experience of not knowing what she wanted to do with her life when she entered Yale, but happily followed her dreams as she advised the young people to do.
CAPTION: Happy faces of recipients of Gene Lim Family Scholarship Grants
Bouquets to the Celebration Reception Committee Chairs Beverly Harada and Lari Yamaguchi who presented a lovely buffet display for the guests’ pleasure. Scholarship Selection Committee Marichu Scanlon and Verna Wong should be commended for a well orchestrated program awarding all 39 students and enabling each to meet their grant sponsors, speak of their future college destinations, career choices, and family history in 2 hours.
CAPTION: Sponsor Antonia Tu & Marissa Tang Sponsor Barbara Why
Congratulations and best wishes to the 2024 Chi Am Circle Scholarship recipients: (alphabetically) Alex Chan, Alex Le, Anthony Kieu, Audrey Fan, Brandon Ngo, Chloe Wong, Dietra Hoang, Faith Macaraeg, Hoang Minh Hung Nguyen, Jaclyn Nguyen, Jessica Tieu, Jonny Luo, Kayla Le, Kyleen Liao, Lynn Dai, Madison Phan, Maddie Lam, Mandy Lam, Marissa Tang, Misa Truong, Misaki Nguyen, Ngoc Lam Pham, Nhu Nguyen, Priya Kumar, Rebecca Gee, Ryan Tran, Sam Bai, Sean Dao, Sophia Tian, Sophia Tran, Steve Zhang, Thao Le, Vanesa Lam, Victor Li, Victoria Hu and Zijie Kuang
For more info on joining the Chi Am Circle women’s club, check www.chiam.org
CAPTION: CHI AM CIRCLE COMMITTEE MEMBERS OF THE SCHOLARSHIP AWARD CEREMONY
SOUTH BAY CHINESE SERVICE CLUB SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS
I was impressed at the opening of the South Bay Chinese Service Club (SBCSC) scholarship awards banquet dinner held at the Pearl Bay Restaurant in Fremont, when it was announced this was the 54th anniversary of its scholarship program and over the years, they have awarded close to half a million dollars to Tri-City area high school students, along with children and grandchildren of active SBCC club members. The SBCSC, along with the Chinese Immersion Parents’ Council of Fremont (CIPCF) and the Fremont Unified Mandarin Immersion Program ( MIP) this year awarded $58,500 in scholarships to 34 exceptional high school seniors with interest and passion for Chinese heritage, language, history and culture.
CAPTION: Happy recipients of Scholarship grants from South Bay Chinese Service Club
Highlight of the evening’s program was a 12 minute video shown during the banquet meal was a “year in Review” of club activities for the 2023-224 year which was a touching visual reminder of the group’s involvement with the community, and the promise of continuing service in the future. The video, prepared by Past president and scholarship Committee member Joe Woo, also showed a memoriam segment of the 2016 SBCSC scholarship recipient Jared Lee, as well as one segment of founding charter member Amy Jang.
As Selection committees always have a hard time with criteria and selections, Joe Woo explained, this year nine students received need-based stipends totaling $18,000 with remainder chosen on merit. The scholarship program was started in 1970 by South Bay Chinese Club. South Bay Chinese Service Club was formed in 1984 subsequently to become a 501c3 organization to officially sponsor the scholarship program. The criteria for their scholarships is a student must reside in the Tri-city area, with a personal background in or appreciation of the Chinese or Chinese American history, culture, heritage or language with an unweighted GPA of at least 3.0. Need based applicants are asked to submit first page of parents 1040 federal tax form with need based criteria based on 2023-2024 Cal Grant family income ceilings. Applicants this year submitted a 500-700 word essay on “How the Chinese culture, heritage or language affects my goals and interactions with society” .
CAPTION: Dick F. Szeto Memorial Scholarship winner Jared Lee Community Impact Recipient Madison Ding presented by Robert Lee Family
I saw many happy proud faces among the scholarship student recipients, and especially expressions of family pride among the parents during the program. Education is traditionally known to be an important part of life philosophy in the Asian cultures, and these fine students were representative of following that tradition of working towards academic excellence in whatever studies they pursue. Scholarship recipients for 2024 were Christopher Apy, Brandon Bao, Avril Brown, Sophie Chan, Paige Chen, Emily Clubs, Amanda Deng, Madison Ding, Michelle Huang, Toby Huang, Vincent James, Kristen Jang, Kevin Jou, Zachary Koller, Allison Lau, Anqi lin, Sydney Massoth, Kayli Nichols, Erik Pedersen, Mandy Sun, Katie Tang, Audrey Wang, Kelly Wang, Ania Wong, Chloe Wong, Nicole Wu, Patrick Xiao, Yunjiao Xiao, Annie Xu, Kerry Xu, Kevin Xu, Grace Yan, Evan Yang, Heng Yang
CAPTION: Kerry Xu & sponsors Calvin & Gerrye Wong Committee Chairman Joe Woo and Scholarship recipient Paige Chen
Scholarship Committee Chairperson Jane Lin was proud to point out that the 34 2024 scholarship winners were an impressive group of scholars from 5 high schools in Fremont, and one each from high schools in Newark, Union City, Turlock and San Ramon. The average unweighted GPA was 3.9 with an amazing 12,467 community service hours amassed. Four were National Merit semi-finalists and finalist, 7 AP scholars with Distinction and Honors, 5 with perfect unweighted 4.0 GPA, 3 Eagle Scout members, 17 Presidential Service Awardees, as well as some receiving awards in Robotics, Scholar Athlete, national creative arts winner and a division 1 softball player for Brown University.
Additional information about the Scholarship program is available on the Club’s website (www.southbaychinese club.org).
CAPTION: Chloe Wong & sponsor Manny Hernandez Sponsor Aaron Wong & Scholarship recipient
CHINESE HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL PROJECT – LILLIAN GONG-GUY MEMORIAL AWARD
Ten future leaders in our Asian American community were chosen to receive the 2024 Lillian Gong-Guy Memorial Scholarship at History San Jose Empire Firehouse Building this past weekend. The scholarship ceremony was held In conjunction with the AAPI Festival hosted by History San Jose park with partners Chinese Historical and Cultural Project, the Japanese American Museum of San Jose, Mosaic America, San Jose-Okayama Sister Cities and the Viet Museum,
CAPTION: Lillian Gong-Guy 2024 Award recipients
The happy deserving recipients honored that morning sharing $17,000 grants, explained Chair Debbie Gong-Guy, were Saratoga High Schools Sam Bai, Lynn Dai and Jonny Luo, and Mountain View HS graduate Alan Chian, Castilleja School student Thea Louise Dai, Los Altos HS graduate Audrey Fan, Piedmont Hills HS graduate Youjia He, Milpitas HS alum Vanessa Lam, Piedmont Hills HS Micheline Ma and Evergreen Valley HS student Sophia Zhang.
CAPTION: Chinese American Historical Museum is blessed by Chinese Dragon and Lion dancers at Asian American Pacific Islanders Festival on Student Recognition Day
In 2014 the Chinese Historical and Cultural Project (CHCP) created the Lillian Gong-Guy Memorial Scholarship in tribute to their late co-founder. As daughter Debbie explained, Lillian’s passion for sharing her Chinese heritage led her to co-found the CHCP and help establish the Chinese American Historical Museum just off the History San Jose plaza in History Park. Her daughter Debbie Gong-Guy and CHCP Board member Al Low have overseen this program for its 10 years of existence which has encouraged student leadership, community service and academic achievement in its selection process.
CAPTION: Chairman Debbie Gong Guy congratulates Scholarship Award winners SDCAP chairs Brenda Wong & Teddy Sue congratulate students
At the same Student Recognition Day event, attention was called to the CHCP Student Docent Cultural Ambassdors (SDCAP) ceremony. As Leader Brenda Hee Wong said to the packed house, this year’s SDCAP graduates are truly exceptional. Not only are the five graduates heading to the nation’s top colleges, Harvard, UC Berkeley, Georgetown and San Jose State University, all 33 Ambassadors gave 871.75 hours for the community’s historical and cultural enrichment program by donating their community service time and energies to CHCP projects. Of the 33 SDCAP members, they meet regularly to create programs in support of the Chinese Historical and Cultural Project which was acknowledging and honoring their fine work today. The graduating SDCAP members honored with the President’s Volunteer Service Award were Vanessa Lam, Metrica Shi, Kendra Pang, Madeline Hung and Nguyen Huynh.
Throughout the year these Student Docent Cultural Ambassadors (SDCAP) support many Chinese historical events. During the CHCP membership in dinner in January, they educated the audience on the traditions of the Chinese New Year of the Dragon. Leader Brenda Wong is tremendously proud of the work the SDCAP members have accomplished during their time in the group. She acknowledged the dedication of many of the members, citing how long they had been active members. They were the following: 5 years: Vanessa Lam; 4 years: Ryan Dowlat, Kasey Walker; 3 years: Allison Cheng, Charity He, Lauren Lin and Metrica Shi; 1 year: Darlene Dinh, Sada Bill, Claire Hsia, Michael Hua, Luwan Huang, Madeline Hung, Beatrice Lee, Brian Li, Matthew Lin, Sophia Lin, Albert Luo, Kiera Ng, Dylan Ngo, Kendra Pang, Angela Siu, Han Tang, Megan Tian, Selina Wang and Serena Wang.
CAPTION: Student Docent Cultural Ambassadors with Leader Brenda Hee Wong celebrate their 2024 year of service commitment to community
