On August 17, 2024, the Aylus Pearland Branch successfully hosted a book drive to benefit the local library. Aimed at gathering new and gently used books, the event attracted enthusiastic community participation and resulted in the collection of over 500 books across diverse genres and age groups. Volunteers were instrumental in organizing, sorting, and delivering […]

On August 15, 2024, AYLUS Pearland ran a successful food drive aimed at assisting local residents. During the collecting period, volunteers gathered unopened and unexpired dry and canned goods, which were dropped off at various designated collection points across Pearland. On Friday, August 23, members of the organization delivered the collected items to the Pearland […]

In August 2024, youth volunteers participated in a survey and essay call regarding several programs in the youth-serving special needs community, sponsored by the Light and Salt Association. The survey included 20 questions seeking volunteers’ feedback and evaluations on various aspects of these programs. The essays primarily focused on the volunteers’ experiences serving the special […]

Youth volunteers with experience in serving the special needs community were called upon to design inclusive, youth-led activities for future special needs programs. To gather evidence-based practice information for a state grant application, the Special Needs Caring Center of Light and Salt Association engaged several youth organizations in collecting feedback and designing future inclusive activities. […]

 On August 24, 2024, from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm, volunteers brought face painting, balloon twisting, and cotton candy to the back-to-school party at GiGi’s Playhouse Sugarland, a Down Syndrome Achievement Center. The event saw a great turnout, including many participants from the summer Bucket Drumming for All program. Volunteers and guests enjoyed chatting and […]

On the evening of August 17th, from 7 to 9 PM, Pearland Chinese Association organized a community lecture on organic gardening at the local library. The event was a great success, with over 40 Pearland residents attending and actively participating in the discussions. The lecture covered various aspects of organic gardening, including best practices, benefits, […]

In preparation for the upcoming Garage Sale Fundraiser, Pearland Branch volunteers have been diligently addressing several key tasks. Three weeks before the event, they began promoting it by posting flyers on social media to boost awareness. Throughout this period, they organized collection drives and established designated drop-off points across the community to gather donated items. […]

On Saturday, August 17th, 2024, AYLUS Pearland hosted a garage sale at Silverlake Scofield community, Pearland. There are 2 shifts from 6:45-9:45am and 9:45am-12:45pm. Starting at 6:30 am, parents and members set up advertisement signs in the community and arranged sale items. People started lining up at the driveway at 7:00 AM, while AYLUS volunteers […]

On August 17, 2024, 9:00 am – 12:30 pm, volunteers brought face painting, balloon twisting, and cotton candy to the back-to-school party at GiGi’s Playhouse Houston, a Down Syndrome Achievement Center. The event saw a great turnout, including many participants from the summer Bucket Drumming for All program. Volunteers and guests enjoyed chatting and making […]

On August 16, 2024, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm, Aylus Pearland volunteers played a key role in Challenger Elementary School’s Back-to-School Party by offering engaging activities such as face painting and balloon twisting. The face painting station allowed children to choose from a variety of colorful designs, while the balloon twisting provided them with fun, […]

On August 12, 2024, 1:00-5:00 pm, volunteers focused on preparing activities for future inclusive play and learn events. They selected activities from Highlights magazine, donated by a parent, and laminated them for durability. The chosen activities, such as “Find the Silly Things” and “Spot the Differences,” were specifically selected to help train cognitive skills. In […]

On August 8th, AYLUS volunteers hosted their last dance lesson of the summer. With it being the last class, the teachers let the kids choose a dance out of three different choices and the students all agreed that they wanted to do ETA. To make the last dance different and more fun, the teachers personally […]

On Thursday, August 1st, AYLUS volunteers resumed their summer dance lessons at the house of Anna, one of the teachers. The lesson started with a simple stretch routine. After stretching they moved on to the highly anticipated dance, called Supernova. The song was harder for the kids to learn due to its fast moves, but the kids persevered, and […]

On August 8, 2024, the teachers of the Aylus robotics class gathered to create a comprehensive summary video. This video encapsulates the key knowledge shared during the summer robotics classes and showcases the students’ accomplishments. By compiling photos and videos from throughout the program, the video serves both as a recap of the learning experience […]

On August 3, 2024, the Pearland Chinese Association hosted a successful Community Connect Happy Hour at the Brazoria Library West Pearland Branch, from 6:30 PM to 10:30 PM. The event was attended by approximately 30 Pearland residents, who came together to enjoy an evening of camaraderie, cultural exchange, and networking. The event’s success was made […]

August 9, 2024, marked the last youth-assisted SMILE Camp of the summer. In the morning, volunteers assisted with a painting class and a crafts class. In the afternoon, they led the campers in a variety of games. To celebrate the end of the youth-assisted summer camp, the volunteers and campers enjoyed cakes together.  Volunteers (6 […]

On August 9, 2024, volunteers from Aylus Pearland played a vital role in preparing for the Pearland Westside Library’s Adopt-A-Book event by setting up tables, arranging furniture, and decorating the photo booth. Their thorough preparation helped create an inviting and well-organized space for the event. On August 10th, five dedicated volunteers continued their invaluable support […]

The 5th health fair at Ed White ES nfeatured partnerships with Hummingbird Community Outreach, Light and Salt Association (LSA), Agape Dental, DTHY Matters, and the AYLUS Houston branch. LSA provided a range of free services, including height/weight measurements, blood pressure and blood sugar checks, and mammogram registration. Agape Dental offered dental consultations, and DeBakey High […]

 On the morning of August 7, 2024, volunteers assisted with a life skills class and a computer class at the LSA SNCC SMILE Camp. In the afternoon, they helped with a crafts class where participants used pony beads to make keychains and small decorative items. The day concluded with the volunteers assisting in a Chinese […]

On the morning of August 6, 2024, volunteers assisted with a painting class at SMILE Camp. In the afternoon, they led a lesson on plants. The session began with an AI teaching demo developed by Andy Shi, which attracted significant interest from the campers and professionals. Following the demo, the volunteers led a discussion on […]

 On the morning of August 5, 2024, volunteers arrived at Memorial Presbyterian Church to teach a bucket drumming class for the Adult Day Program organized by Easter Seals Greater Houston. This was their second class, and a total of 13 individuals with special needs attended, several of whom were in wheelchairs. The participants preferred sitting […]

It was dusk of the final robotics lesson. Withholding tearful goodbyes, we provided one last challenge for them to accomplish. One last rock to turn over. The robot’s build had already been completed, and the only task left was to code the code. The goal for this intrepid exercise is to rig the robot to […]

On the evening of August 3, AYLUS volunteers held the final tennis class of their summer fundraising program. The session began with a warm-up, followed by drills to refine forehand and backhand techniques. The young players also started learning the volley and serve. To celebrate their progress, the event concluded with a mini party. The […]

On Saturday August 3, 2024, Joshua Meng, Marc Lu, Brendon Jiang, and Roger Cui hosted the Pearland Branch volunteer chess lesson. As this was the last session, a tournament and a party commenced. The students were introduced to the process of playing in a real-life tournament and learned proper chess etiquette. The competitive environment of […]

On August 3rd, four dedicated members of AYLUS Pearland wrapped up their successful summer art lessons, aiming to nurture young artistic talent within the Pearland community. This final class of the summer allowed students to be creative and freely draw whatever they desired. To celebrate their hard work throughout the year, students received small prizes […]

On the evening of August 3rd, 2024, Pearland volunteers organized the Pearland My PlayClub Mini Olympics at Ed Thompson Inclusive Park. Amidst the excitement of the Paris Olympics, volunteers designed a series of games including adaptive ring tossing, fishing, axe throwing, and cornhole. Participants were delighted to receive inflatable torches and medal stickers as rewards. […]

On the afternoon of August 3, 2024, volunteers went to GiGi’s Playhouse Houston to train a youth who may be leading future bucket drumming lessons. Volunteers demonstrated how to conduct a lesson, and they took turns leading simulated sessions. This marked the last bucket drumming session at the Houston location. Pearland volunteers successfully trained two […]

On the afternoon of August 3, 2024, volunteers conducted a bucket drumming session for kids with special needs at GiGi’s Playhouse Sugarland. Four children participated, with the youngest being 19 months old. One of the participants was a 3-year-old first-timer who quickly picked up the skills and eagerly played on stage. This session marked the […]

 On August 2nd, 2024, Pearland volunteers assisted the LSA Special Needs Caring Center’s SMILE Camp. In the morning, they helped the center instructors with an exercise class and a crafts class, guiding the campers in creating lizards with pony beads. In the afternoon, the volunteers organized a mini Olympics with various games such as table […]

 On the afternoon of August 1, 2024, volunteers conducted a bucket drumming session for teens with special needs at GiGi’s Playhouse Sugarland. Nine teens participated in the lesson. This was the final bucket drumming session for the teen class at the Sugarland location this summer. Since there were several first-time participants, the volunteers began with […]

On the afternoon of July 29, 2024, the AYLUS robotics class was hosted at Huz Xua with 10 students and 4 AYLUS teachers attending it. The students were split into 2 groups were given a Spike Prime set to use.There was 5 prebuilt color blocks and 2 prebuilt robots with distance and color sensors. The students […]

On the evening of July 18, AYLUS volunteers coached tennis as part of their continued summer tennis lessons for fundraising. The coaches split students into beginners and intermediate groups based on their skill level. After warmup, the beginners worked on forehand and backhand technique and even started learning the volley. The intermediate group focused on […]

On the afternoon of July 31, 2024, Pearland volunteers picked up cases of notebooks donated by a local warehouse. These donations will be used for future fundraisers to support the city’s second inclusive park. Volunteers (1 hr):Aila Jiang, Tina Dong, Erica Gao Parent on duty (1 hr): Carol Li

On the afternoon of July 31, 2024, volunteers conducted a bucket drumming session for adults with special needs at GiGi’s Playhouse Houston. Ten adults participated in the lesson. This was the final bucket drumming session for the adults’ class at the Houston location this summer. The volunteers began with a quick review of the basic […]

On July 31, 2024, Pearland volunteers assisted with the LSA Special Needs Caring Center’s day habilitation program (SMILE summer camp). In the morning, the volunteers helped with a computer skills class and a life skills class. In the afternoon, they led a music class, guiding the campers in playing the ukulele and bucket drums. Volunteers: […]

On the afternoon of July 31, 2024, volunteers conducted a bucket drumming session for adults with special needs at GiGi’s Playhouse Houston. Ten adults participated in the lesson. This was the final bucket drumming session for the adults’ class at the Houston location this summer. The volunteers began with a quick review of the basic […]

   On July 31, 2024, Pearland volunteers assisted with the LSA Special Needs Caring Center’s day habilitation program (SMILE summer camp). In the morning, the volunteers helped with a computer skills class and a life skills class. In the afternoon, they led a music class, guiding the campers in playing the ukulele and bucket drums. […]

AYLUS Pearland has been a partner of Project Rise and Shine (PRS) since 2020 and has received an annual grant from the Hogg Foundation to promote the mental health of minority youth. As part of the grant requirements, AYLUS Pearland submits expense reports, maintains a list of programs with statistical data, and reports to PRS […]

On July 20, 2024, AYLUS Pearland held a fun and educational chess learning event for kids at the West Pearland Library. The event, led by enthusiastic volunteers Brendon Jiang, Daniel Zhang etc, introduced young participants to the basics of chess and helped them develop new skills. The instructor Brendon guided the kids through the rules […]

As one partner of AYLUS Pearland, Project Rise and Shine (PRS) stated their need to build a responsive and dynamic website for the end user to understand PRS organization, PRS mission, PRS program, and RPS events. AYLUS members Andy Shi, Katherine Wu, Aila Jiang, Jonathan Niu, and Matthew Niu joined this project as volunteers starting […]

In the afternoon of July 27, 2024, Pearland volunteers conducted a bucket drumming session for kids with special needs at GiGi’s Playhouse Sugarland. Nine children, aged 4-7, participated in the lesson along with their parents. This was the second bucket drumming lesson for kids at the Houston location. Volunteers began with a quick review of […]

In the morning of July 27, 2024, Pearland volunteers conducted a bucket drumming session for kids with special needs at GiGi’s Playhouse Sugarland. The session included participants of various ages and abilities, including first-timers and those with previous experience. Local youth volunteers, parents, and siblings interested in learning also joined the class. Our volunteers adapted […]

In July 2024, LSA invited AYLUS volunteers to create illustrations depicting youth-led inclusive activities for a curriculum in progress. The volunteers collaboratively drew illustrations for bucket drumming, My PlayClub, and Inclusive Play&Learn. Volunteers: 7/12 (2hrs):  Suya Yang , Karen Li (Frisco&Plano), Sulan Yang 7/19 (2hrs):  Karen Li (Frisco&Plano), Sulan Yang 7/26 (2hrs):  Karen Li (Frisco&Plano), Sulan Yang

On July 30, 2024, Pearland volunteers assisted with the LSA Special Needs Caring Center’s day habilitation program (SMILE summer camp). In the morning, the volunteers helped with an art class. In the afternoon, they led a session on healthy living, covering topics such as nutrition, MyPlate, the rainbow diet, and mental health. It was a […]

Since May 2023, AYLUS Pearland has been supporting LSA to build a database to track their events participations and monitor their class progression. The database was successfully built by the end of summer in 2003 and implemented into their daily management. In June 2024, In the month of July, AYLUS volunteers Jonathan Niu, Matthew Niu, […]

On July 17th, AYLUS volunteers held a makeup class for the following week at Anna, one of the teachers, house. With the class only being an hour long, the class only had one student. With the student being from the intermediate class, the teachers decided to continue with the previous dance, Klaxon. The student was able to […]

On July 16th, AYLUS volunteers resumed their summer dance lessons but this time at Anna, one of the other teachers, house.  This week both the beginner and intermediate class got to work on a new song of their choice. The 5-6 class worked on Forever, a sharp yet elegant dance, while the 6-7 class worked on […]

On July 12th, AYLUS volunteers resumed their summer dance lessons at Abigail, one of the teachers, house. The class started with the usual stretch and warm up routine. The beginner class continued to work on and clean ABCD. The teachers taught a new part of the dance step by step for a better understanding of the […]

On Tuesday, July 2nd, AYLUS volunteers resumed their summer dance lessons at the community library.  The lesson started with a simple stretch routine. They then moved on to cleaning ABCD, the dance from the week before. After a quick snack and water break, the intermediate class started. The students worked on a new song, called Armageddon. […]

On Saturday, July 27, 2024, Joshua Meng, Brendon Jiang, and Roger Cui hosted the Pearland Branch volunteer chess lesson. We taught a variety of students ranging from beginners to advanced players through puzzles and practicing against other students. The students were introduced to many tactical aspects of the game such as the fork, pin, skewer, […]

On July 27, 2024, Aylus Pearland successfully hosted an inspiring art class at Pearland Westside Library, aimed at engaging community children in creative activities. The event was thoughtfully organized and led by two dedicated volunteers from Aylus Pearland, who brought enthusiasm and expertise to the session. The primary goal of the class was to teach […]

On July 25, 2024, Pearland volunteers assisted the LSA Special Needs Caring Center’s day habilitation program. In the morning, the volunteers helped with a cooking class, and in the afternoon, they assisted participants in creating memory boards. Volunteers: Selena Zhang (6.5 hrs) Sarah Zhang (6.5 hrs) Daniel Zhang (6.5 hrs) Zoey Dou (6.5 hrs)

On July 24, 2024, Pearland volunteers conducted a bucket drumming session for adults with special needs at GiGi’s Playhouse Houston. Seven participants enjoyed the lesson, which began with a review of previous material. They then drummed along to a song and played the “Red, Yellow, Green” game. Later, participants took turns leading a pattern while […]

On July 24, 2024, volunteers assisted the LSA Special Needs Caring Center’s day habilitation program. In the morning, they supported the center’s instructors with a Chinese class and a computer skill class. In the afternoon, they led a discussion on dinosaurs, teaching the participants about different types of dinosaurs and their habitats. Following this, the […]

On July 23, 2024, Pearland volunteers assisted the LSA Special Needs Caring Center’s day habilitation program. In the morning, they supported the center’s instructors with an exercise class and a life skills class. In the afternoon, they led a discussion on the Chinese Zodiac, helping the participants identify their own zodiac signs. Following this, the […]

On July 20th, at the West Pearland Library, four members of the AYLUS Pearland branch continued their mission of inspiring and guiding young talents (ages 3-13) in the Pearland community. The focus of the class was on creating defined shapes with simple lines and vibrant colors, with the chosen subjects being koi fish and a […]

On July 13th, AYLUS Pearland provided an art lesson for the community’s kids at the West Pearland Library. After the students voted to draw an image of a cat and a dog standing next to each other, Iris Yang led the students in building proper techniques and studying the image so that they could draw […]

In the evening of July 20, 2024, the AYLUS robotics class was hosted in the Old Pearland Library with 7 students and 6 AYLUS teachers attending it. The students were split into 2 groups of 3 and 4 and were given a Spike Prime set to use. 6 blocks were made and the students’ assignment was to detect the color and push […]

In the early morning of July 20, 2024, AYLUS Pearland volunteers gathered at the Pearland Recreation Center to organize a fundraiser for the city’s second inclusive park. They set up a booth to sell twist balloons, offer face painting, and distribute stickers, backpacks, and protein shake containers donated by a warehouse. In exchange for a […]

n the afternoon of July 18, 2024,  the AYLUS robotics class was hosted in the Hua Xia Chinese School with 6 students and 3 AYLUS teachers attending it. The students were split into 2 groups of 3 and were given a Spike Prime set to use. One of the teachers had created a maze of green, red, and blue stripes. The students were […]

On July 20, 2024, the Pearland Branch showcased their commitment to inclusivity by actively participating in the SMILE Katy Inclusive Play & Learn event (#10) in Katy. Volunteers from AYLUS Pearland facilitated the attendance of special needs individuals from Pearland, ensuring they could join the festivities. During the event, the volunteers engaged participants in a […]

 On July 19, 2024, Pearland volunteers assisted the LSA Special Needs Caring Center’s day habilitation program. In the morning, volunteers helped the center instructors with an exercise class and a Chinese pinyin class. In the afternoon, they organized a mini market for participants to practice real-world living skills, such as counting money, bargaining, budgeting before […]

On July 18, 2024, Pearland volunteers taught a bucket drumming session to teens with special needs at GiGi’s Playhouse Sugarland. Seven participants enjoyed the lesson, which began with a review of previous material. They then drummed along to a song and played the “Red, Yellow, Green” game. Toward the end, each participant took turns leading […]

In the afternoon of July 20, 2024, volunteers organized a fundraising event at Jeremiah’s Italian Ice block party. Volunteers set up an interactive stand offering face painting, balloon art, and sticker sales for visitors’ enjoyment. Skilled young artists adorned children’s faces with vibrant flowers, rainbows, and various animals, bringing joy to both youngsters and their […]

On the evening of July 16th, 2024, the 7th AYLUS robotics class was hosted in the West Pearland public library with 6 students and 5 AYLUS teachers attending it. The students were split into 2 groups of 3 each and were given a Spike Prime set to use. The teachers used their coding knowledge to teach the kids how to […]

On July 17, 2024, Pearland volunteers assisted the LSA Special Needs Caring Center’s day habilitation program. The volunteers helped the center instructors with a life skills class, a computer class, and two art classes, culminating in the completion of an acrylic painting.  Volunteers: Erica Gao (7 hrs), Zoey Dou (7 hrs)

On July 16, 2024, Pearland volunteers assisted the LSA Special Needs Caring Center’s day habilitation program. The volunteers taught participants about recycling and then led an activity where they used recycled bottles to create an art piece. They also instructed participants on making balloon twists. Volunteers: Erica Gao (6 hrs), Zoey Dou (6 hrs), Alice […]

On July 17 AYLUS Pearland members volunteered at the first Chinese Culture Events at a local daycare school. Two volunteers played the traditional chinese music instrument- PiPa, and opened the event. It was so impressive.  Other volunteers hosted booths of photos wearing traditional chinese costume, culture presentation, chinese food presentation, paper cutting, calligraphy. Kiddos liked […]

On Monday, July 15th, AYLUS volunteers came back to Hua Xia Chinese School Pearland Branch after Hurricane Beryl, to give the Robotic class. Students built a beautiful “Dancer”. With different program settings, she can dance at different speeds, with various arms and legs combinations, with the music, and she can laugh. Students laughed a lot, they […]

On the evening of July 14, 2024, , the 3rd AYLUS robotics class was hosted in the Pearland public library with 5 students and 4 AYLUS teachers attending it. The students were split into 2 groups of 2 and 3 and were given a Spike Prime set to use. The teachers used a PowerPoint they made that taught about the 3 color sensors in the kit and 2 challenges. During the presentation, the students were shown […]

On July 15, 2024, Pearland volunteers taught a bucket drumming session to adults with special needs at a summer camp organized by Easter Seals. Many participants had cerebral palsy and used wheelchairs, so volunteers adjusted the setup and modified the curriculum to suit their needs. This was the first time the volunteers taught an age […]

On Saturday, July 13, 2024, Marc Lu and Joshua Meng hosted the Pearland Branch volunteer chess lesson. AYLUS Pearland continued its highly engaging and educational chess classes, tailored to enhance the players’ chess skills. This session was made even more exciting with the addition of a few new students too. Chess class is full. Several […]

On July 13, 2024, Pearland volunteers taught a bucket drumming session at GiGi’s Playhouse Houston.  Despite a hurricane and massive power outage, which limited attendance to two children, the session was engaging and productive. This was the first bucket drumming session for these two young kids. The volunteers began by introducing the different sounds produced […]

On 7/11/2924, Pearland volunteers conducted a bucket drumming lesson for teens with special needs at GiGi’s Playhouse Sugarland center.   Despite a hurricane and massive power outage, which limited attendance to four youths, the session was engaging and productive. It began with a review of the previous lesson, followed by practice on tempos and beats. […]

On July 4th, 2023, AYLUS Pearland played a crucial role in the City of Pearland’s annual Celebration of Freedom at Independence Park, attended by over 15,000 community members. 60+ dedicated volunteers from AYLUS Pearland wore custom uniforms to stand out as they managed the attractions, ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone. These volunteers […]

On July 5th, 2024, the AYLUS Pearland Branch, in collaboration with the Pearland Chinese Association, successfully organized the 8th Annual College Forum. The event aimed to support the Pearland community in navigating the college application process by providing expert advice and tips. Organizers and Partnership: The forum was hosted by Alexander Sun and William Sun, […]

On Saturday, July 6, 2024, Marc Lu and Joshua Meng hosted the Pearland Branch volunteer chess lesson. AYLUS Pearland continued its highly engaging and educational chess classes, tailored to enhance the players’ chess skills. This session was made even more exciting with the addition of a few new beginner students. Marc Lu taught seven beginner […]

In the morning of July 6th, 2024, the AYLUS Pearland Branch hosted its 14th monthly inclusive play event at Ed Thompson Inclusive Park. The event featured Roly the clown, face painting, bucket drumming, and a variety of newly designed adaptive games. Over 60 children and parents attended, thoroughly enjoying the activities and fostering a sense […]

On Saturday July 6th; Jordana, Yurong, and Yushan taught participating swimmers; Barry, Andy, and Darren at their last lesson. To start off the lesson they swam freestyle and freestyle kick for warmup. Then, Jordana worked with Andy on his freestyle breathing while Yurong and Yushan helped Andy and Darren work on their fly. For their […]

On July 5th, 2024, the AYLUS volunteer assembled the pieces for the 3 different games for the special needs, made them ready for tomorrow’s My play club date,  which are apple hunts, fishing, pyramid ring toss. The volunteer made the stands for the play set, added hooks, and other necessary parts. Volunteer ( 4 hours): […]