Status: HONOR

New Jersey State Governor’s Volunteerism Awards 2023-2024 Group: Youth Volunteer Group Category
Resolution of the Township of Bernards 2024

Branch of the Year Award: 2025-2026
Branch of the Month Award: 2023 (May),2024 (January, February),2025 (January,February,March,May,June, September, October),2026 (January, February,March,April, May)

About AYLUS Basking Ridge

In today’s digital world, more and more teenagers are becoming isolated by social media and online gaming at home. Our mission is to inspire young people to reconnect with their communities by using volunteer service as a bridge to meaningful relationships, personal growth, and stronger, more connected communities.

What began as a small group of friends has grown into a team of over 100 active members—and we’re still growing. Together, our members have contributed thousands of volunteer hours through initiatives that support underrepresented groups, seniors, and local families in need. By creating opportunities to serve, lead, and collaborate, we empower teenagers to develop empathy, leadership, and a lifelong commitment to making a positive impact in the real world.

We focus on what matters most to us—health and community connection. We care deeply about both mental and physical health, whether that means supporting people who don’t always get the attention they deserve—students in special education programs, older adults in senior center who might need more connection with the community, things like that. Over the years, we’ve learned that every single small act can finally come together and give big influence on our community.

We’re also really passionate about technology and innovation. We recognize that technology is a double-edged sword. While we encourage teenagers to reduce excessive dependence on social media and online gaming, we also believe technology can be a powerful force for good when used responsibly. Our volunteers hosted one-on-one tutoring sessions and tech workshops to help seniors learn everything from using iphone, ipad to exploring new apps, and stay connected with their families, friends, and the world around them. By bridging generations through technology, we transform digital tools into meaningful connections that strengthen our entire community.

From local volunteer projects to national collaborations, our efforts have been recognized, our efforts earned us recognition as AYLUS Branch of the Year (2025–2026) among AYLUS’s 180+ branches for creativity, leadership, and community spirit.

But honestly, the numbers aren’t what define us. What really matters is the energy, compassion, and teamwork we bring to every project—whether we’re mentoring younger students, organizing wellness events, or helping bridge the digital divide. Everything we do starts with one belief: young people can lead real, lasting change.

We’re here to lead, serve, and inspire—and we’re just getting started.

Orientation for New Team Members:

Welcome to the Alliance of Youth Leaders in the United States (AYLUS)

Volunteer Liability Release Forms:

(New Members & Parents Must Sign the Forms Prior to Participating)

Volunteer_Liability_Release_AYLUS

PRESIDENT’S VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARD (PVSA) (POSTPONE)

Proud to be an official certifying organization for PVSA, we reward all substantial contributions of active members who have accumulated qualified amount of community service hours during our award year (May 1 to next April 30).

Due to the postponement of the PVSA, we give the AYLUS Service Award (AVSA) to those who qualified, based on the same standards as the PVSA.

- Apply by May 1st. Send both documents to: yangxiaojia@hotmail.com

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OUR PVSA/AVSA AWARD WINNERS

AYLUS Basking Ridge Branch 2025-2026 AVSA Winners:

Claire Z.(Gold)Jeremy L.(Gold)Madeline Z.(Gold)Richard Q.(Silver)Christine S.(Silver)Angelina G.(Bronze)Yihao Z. (Bronze)Yige Z.(Bronze)Charlie X.(Bronze)Ben Z.(Bronze)

AYLUS Basking Ridge Branch 2024-2025 AVSA Winners:

Angelina G(Gold)Lucas N(Gold)Claire Z(Gold)Jeremy L(Gold)Yige Z(Gold)Madeline Z(Gold)Amelia L(Gold)Catherine S(Gold)Christine S(Silver)Richard Q(Silver)Charlotte L(Bronze)Yihao Z(Bronze)Alice G (Bronze)Yixuan Y(Bronze)Ruolin Y(Bronze)Kenneth F(Bronze)Ben Z(Bronze)

AYLUS Basking Ridge Branch 2023-2024 PVSA Winners:

Angelina G(Gold)Ethan Z(Gold)Olivia C(Silver)Isabelle Q (silver) Emily J(Gold) Charlotte L(Gold) Richard Q (Bronze) Claire Z(Gold) Ben Z(Bronze)

AYLUS Basking Ridge Branch 2022-2023 PVSA Winners:

Ethan Z.(Gold)Olivia C.(Silver)Emily J.(Bronze)Isabelle Q.(Bronze)Claire Z.(Bronze)

Branch Leadership

Position	Name	Email
President	Angelina Gao	angelinagao087@gmail.com
Vice President	Catherine Shen	Shencatherine42@gmail.com
Vice President	Claire Zhang	Claireruihanzhang@gmail.com
Director of Multicultural events	Yihao Zeng	zyh20080128@gmail.com
Director of Tech Support	Lucas Ni	lucas.chengming.ni@gmail.com
Director of Concert	Madeline Zhu	Maddiezhu2020@gmail.com
Director of Inclusion & Accessibility	Jeremy Liu	Jeremyjliu01@gmail.com
Director of Publicity and communications	Richard Qi	richarddragonstrider666@gmail.com
Advisor	Michelle Yang	yangxiaojia@hotmail.com
Advisor	Na Liu	naliucu@gmail.com
Advisor	Linchun Gao	linchun.gao@gmail.com

Branch Members ( 110 Members)

Activities:

2026 May-2027 April

AYLUS Basking Ridge volunteered at Bernards PEC program on 5/2/26

AYLUS Basking Ridge Volunteered at YMCA SIM Program on 5/2/26

AYLUS Basking Ridge weekly iPAD club to Fellowship village on 5/2/26

AYLUS Basking Ridge held Tech Support program at Ridge Oak Senior Center on 5/4/26

AYLUS Basking Ridge volunteered at Bernards PEC program on 5/9/26

AYLUS Basking Ridge held Tech Support program at Ridge Oak Senior Center on 5/11/26

AYLUS Basking Ridge weekly iPAD club to Fellowship village on 5/16/26

AYLUS Basking Ridge volunteered at Bernards PEC program on 5/16/26

AYLUS Basking Ridge Concert at The Residence in Basking Ridge on 5/30/26

AYLUS Basking Ridge weekly iPAD club to Fellowship village on 5/30/26

AYLUS Basking Ridge volunteered at Bernards PEC program on 5/30/26

Basking Ridge Branch partner with Semper Fi to support Good Grief’s 5K on 5/31/26

AYLUS Basking Ridge weekly iPAD club to Fellowship village on 6/6/26

AYLUS Basking Ridge weekly iPAD club to Fellowship village on 6/13/26

AYLUS Basking Ridge held Tech Support program at Ridge Oak Senior Center on 6/15/26

AYLUS Basking Ridge weekly iPAD club to Fellowship village on 6/20/26

AYLUS Basking Ridge support Kings Academy of Dance Art annual performance on 6/21/26

AYLUS Basking Ridge held Tech Support program at Ridge Oak Senior Center on 6/22/26

AYLUS Basking Ridge weekly iPAD club to Fellowship village on 6/27/26

AYLUS Basking Ridge weekly iPAD club to Fellowship village on 7/11/26

AYLUS Basking Ridge weekly Tech Support at Ridge Oak on 7/13/26

AYLUS Basking Ridge weekly iPAD club to Fellowship village on 7/18/26

AYLUS Basking Ridge weekly Tech Support at Ridge Oak on 7/20/26

AYLUS Basking Ridge weekly iPAD club to Fellowship village on 7/25/26

AYLUS Basking Ridge weekly Tech Support at Ridge Oak on 7/27/26

AYLUS Basking Ridge weekly iPAD club to Fellowship village on 8/1/26

Ours Past Events

From June of 2021, AYLUS Basking Ridge members organized and participated in a wide range of activities to benefit the community. These included large-scale events such as:

Weekly iPAD /Tech Support club and monthly concert in fellowship Village senior living center and other local senior centers
Supporting local Special Education programs such as YMCA SIM program/Bernards PEC monthly
2022 5K Run in partnership with FAHVI. Raised $5,000 to fund Johnnie Thomas’s hearing aids
Good Grief 5k fundraising in partnership with Semper Fi annually from 2023.
Organizing multiple Disaster Relief Drive/Winter Cloth Drive/Eclipse Glasses and raised over $10,000 worth of donations to support Non-Profit Organization/Charity Project globally
Hosts cultural diversity events twice a year in partnership with the Bernards Chinese American Association annually
Regularly supporting local Food Bank/Art Center/Bernards Charter Day through the year

We hope that in holding events in a larger variety of ways, the impact of the Basking Ridge branch of AYLUS will be felt among different members in terms of both crucial aid and ordinary enjoyment as well)