Reported by Cassie Tammy Wang
Greater Princeton AYLUS (GPA), NJ Branch, has many talented members. Since December 11th, 2018, we started to feature some of them on our web page, so all GPA members get to know each other. Hopefully, it would also help with more constructive and collaborative teamwork among GPA members in our volunteer activities! So here comes one of our team leaders Han Li:
Self-Introduction Provided by Han Li:
My name is Han Li. I am in eighth grade at John Witherspoon Middle School in Princeton. I am thirteen years old. I play the saxophone in school’s band, piano at home, while singing in choirs. I also play basketball on the school team, and practice Kongfu at the Huaxia Chinese School.
I joined GPA because I wanted to have more opportunities to help others, especially those not as fortunate as I am. I participate in my school’s “Do Something” Club, and work hard with my teammates in the “Students Change Hunger Challenge”. For two years in a row, we have collected thousands pounds of food, plus hundreds of dollars in monetary donations, for local food banks to benefit people in need around the community. As such, we were awarded the NJ Governor’s Cup twice for our efforts. Outside school, I have also volunteered at other Soup Kitchens that provide food to homeless people in the area. That experience has profound impact on me and leads me to think more about what it means to serve.
I believe that people had better help each other because some people are better off in life than others, and those who have a plentiful life should help those who are less fortunate so they are able to have the same opportunities and reach the same goals. Although some people may be lower than others in social status, we can all do our part in making everyone equal in certain way.
I am a junior report with a newspaper, writing articles to promote the Chinese Culture. In addition, I recently teamed up with a few friends to teach a class of “left-behind” elementary school students in mainland China, on spoken English, for 45 minutes per lesson, on a weekly basis. Such ongoing activities are GPA approved volunteering work.
As a team leader with GPA, through its sponsored projects, I would like to help others while at the same time help myself become a better person. I want to promote what I have been doing, for example volunteering with the local foodbanks, to benefit all the members of GPA and the community we live in. Not everyone is prosperous, but everyone can do something to give positive supports to someone else, and make our community a better place.
