Uncategorized

• AALEADers Volunteer at Comcast Cares Day

  By: Shobana Modur, DC Middle and High School Program Coordinator Photos Courtesy of AALEAD staff

  This past Saturday, 19 AALEADers, including youth, volunteers, mentors, and staff participated in Comcast Cares Day at Houston Elementary School in NE DC.  Comcast Cares Day is their annual celebration of service commitment, which has grown into the nation’s single largest corporate volunteer event.  AALEAD was happy to join for the fourth year in a row!

  Participant

• Reflecting through Art – AALEADers participate in CACA Art Contest

  Some of our AALEAD students have been hard at work these past few months creating original works of art for submission to the Chinese American Citizens Alliance (CACA) 2015 National Art Competition.

  

  MD High School Youth Council: Doing Meetings Right

  By Ari Pak, MD High School Program Coordinator Photo Courtesy of Ari Pak What did you do this past weekend? When asked this question, the first thing that comes to my mind is the inspiring and energizing AALEAD MD High School Youth Council meeting that I attended. I know what you’re thinking; how could a meeting be inspiring and energizing? Aren’t meetings usually filled with monotonous lists and reports, pencil tapping, and clock-watching? Let me tell you, I left this meeting filled with e

• MD Youth Volunteer at Annual Park Clean-up

  By Keo Xiong, MD Middle School Program Coordinator Photos courtesy of Keo Xiong, MD Middle School Program Coordinator “The true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit.” - Nelson Henderson How much trash do you see flying around at the local park you frequent for walks and picnics? When was the last time you threw something away on the ground? Have you ever thrown away som

• DC AALEADers Donate to Martha’s Table

  By Shobana Modur, DC Middle and High School Program Coordinator Photos courtesy of AALEAD staff and Martha's Table Since working at AALEAD, I’ve gone to several community service events where youth have had the opportunity to give back to their community.  Last week at programs, the Chinatown youth discussed homelessness and poverty in the DC area.  We covered true/false statistics and how much it typically costs to feed one family per week.  When I mentioned donating goods to Martha’s T

• Youth Spotlight: Airah’s ECAASU 2015 Reflections

  By Airah, Current AALEAD Youth Photos Courtesy of AALEAD Staff

  Last month from February 20th to February 22nd, I went with AALEAD to the East Coast Asian American Student Union (ECAASU) Conference held at Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts. There were 9 students selected from AALEAD students and I felt really honored to be selected as one of the attendees to represent my school and AALEAD. I was really excited to go because I got to learn things that I am passionate about a

• MD AALEADers Visit Annapolis

  By Antwoine Johnson, MD Middle School Program Coordinator Photos Courtesy of AALEAD Staff Despite the cold weather on the morning of Friday, March 27th, fourteen MD high school and middle school AALEADers were well prepared to travel to the city of Annapolis​, MD​. Upon our arrival, we ​made our way to the Maryland ​State House, located in the heart of Annapolis​.​​ To get there, we walked ​through Main Street, a scenic path with many shops and local attractions. Inside the

• AALEADers Compete in a National Essay Scholarship Contest

  By Ari Pak, MD High School Program Coordinator Imagine this: You are a high school student and it’s been a long week of tests, classes, and extra-curriculars. As good as that extra hour of sleep sounds, you pull yourself out of bed at an unreasonably early hour, and come into the AALEAD office on a chilly Saturday morning. You sit down to a computer, a ticking clock, and the following prompt: “Between 1865 and 1869, more than 15,000 Chinese migrants worked towards the construction of Ameri

• Message from the ED: Thank you, AALEAD Family!

  March has been an exciting month for AALEAD.  Our programs are going strong and we are lucky to be supported by an amazing extended family! Thank you to all of you who supported our Aspire to LEAD Lunch!  We are grateful that despite the snow and the resulting need to reschedule, that we had 180 supporters join us on March 12th.  It was another w

• George Washington University College Prep Conference

  By Shaima Ahmad, VA High School Program Coordiantor Photos Courtesy of Ari Pak, AALEAD Staff When asked to reflect on their experience at the College Preparation Conference in one word, AALEAD high school students said: enlightening....informative...more comfortable...knowledge...excited...clear! These few sentiments reflect the insights provided at this conference for high school students hosted by the George Washington University Vietnamese Student Association. 16 AALEAD youth participated i