Reported by Cassie Tammy Wang
We created the Greater Princeton Branch of AYLUS (GPA) on November 30, 2018, with 49 members from the Greater Princeton area. After a year’s growth, GPA has amazingly quintupled in size, with its 260 members covering New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, and Massachusetts, etc. These members are now actively supporting their communities through volunteering events and even creating a new local AYLUS branch!
On November 29, 2019, from 1 pm to 5 pm, GPA hosted its first Annual Conference in the West Windsor Public Library. President Cassie Tammy Wang introduced AYLUS, a non-profit youth volunteer organization to the attendees, and summarized what GPA has done during the past year. She also played a promotional video that the GPA Promotional Editing Team led by Xinyi Christine Zhang and Annabelle Huang produced in October 2019. Cassie encouraged all members to create more projects to better serve the community.
The Vice President of West Windsor Township Council, Dr. Zhang, Yingchao, gave a brief speech at the opening ceremony, congratulating all students on their wonderful service to the community. GPA advisors, parents, and leaders were also invited to speak focusing on their feelings of volunteer activities and how the organization could expand and improve in the following year.
GPA Advisor Dr. Wang held an information session at the library about the Presidential Volunteer Service Award (PVSA). Dr. Wang started by sharing the application process to become a volunteer with GPA, then explained the PVSA and how to earn it through AYLUS. They then distributed promotional material to the audience of interest.
Finally, the GPA “Save A Life” Foundation and Committee held its prep meeting to make sure their upcoming benefit music performance in Princeton was successful. A training session by a famous hostess Ms Jia, Jianhui, was offered to all members interested in hosting positions for future music performances, and a confidence walk, a poetry recitation, and instrumental ensembles. The event is to support a “Life Saving” non-profit organization selected by GPA – Princeton First Aid & Rescue Squad with its Cadet Program to train more youth First Responders at 16-17. We scheduled the concert for December 14, 2019.
Participants (4 hours for all): Cassie Tammy Wang, Zihui Xiao, Amy Lin, Angelina Yingying Liu, Karen Yang, Kathy Yang, Gina Shen, Xinyi Christine Zhang, Xin Chen, Fengqi Wen, Gloria Yunxin Liu, Lan Cheng, Angela Bao, Olivia Ruofei Mao, Sarah Liu, Shannon Liu, Jingxin Zhong, Steven Chi, Andy Chi, Katherine Guo, and Pengyue Gao.
