ACAN Announced Consolidation of Youth Awards into the ACAN Presidential-Level Volunteer Service Award (AVSA)

Background

Prior to 2025, ACAN administered two major youth awards:

1. President’s Volunteer Service Award (PVSA)

  • Recognized youth solely based on verified volunteer service hours.

  • Award items included medals, medallions, coins, and a certificate signed by the President.

  • PVSA carried strong national recognition and was widely valued by families and students.

  • The national organization responsible for PVSA administration has ceased operations, leaving no equivalent hours‑based national award.

2. ACAN Star Leadership Award (ASLA)

  • A signature ACAN award recognizing youth through a holistic evaluation of:

    • Service hours

    • Initiative and leadership

    • Community impact

    • Project sustainability

  • Included both individual and team awards.

  • Individual and Team awards offered monetary prizes up to $1000, along with plaques and certificates.

  • ASLA has played a key role in advancing ACAN’s mission of “Serving Our Community and Fostering Our Heritage” by encouraging youth leadership and community engagement.

Rationale for Consolidation

PVSA and ASLA share overlapping goals—recognizing youth service and fostering community engagement.
 With PVSA discontinued and ASLA continuing to expand, consolidating the two awards into a single, unified structure will:

  • Simplify the ACAN Youth Award system

  • Preserve the strengths of both awards

  • Maintain a clear, hours-based recognition pathway modeled after PVSA

  • Retain ASLA’s team award tradition

  • Strengthen ACAN’s identity as a youth leadership incubator in the Austin Chinese-American community

ACAN Presidential-Level Volunteer Service Award (AVSA)

Eligibility

  • Open to all participants, ages 5–25.

  • No citizenship requirements. 

  • Reside in the Greater Austin area.

  • Applicants or their parents and guardians must be registered ACAN members on or before the date of application submission.

  • Service hours must be completed between August 1 (previous year) and July 31 (current year).

  • Have all service hours documented and verified on GivePulse.

  • Submit volunteer hours and all required documents through the application form by August 31.

What Counts Toward AVSA

Service hours may include participation in ACAN programs such as:

  • Clean Austin

  • Rise Together

  • Project Melody

  • Heart Impact

  • Taste of Hope

  • CTTOG Dinner Delivery

  • Project Sing Along

  • ACAN Debate Camp

  • Other ACAN-approved community service initiatives

  • Other local, national, or international service programs

What Does Not Count Toward AVSA

  • Paid service of any kind

  • Donating funds

  • Political lobbying (non-partisan voter registration is eligible)

  • Religious instruction

  • Conducting worship services

  • Proselytizing

  • Court-ordered community service

  • Serving only family members

Award Categories

1. AVSA Individual Awards (Hours-Based, PVSA Model)

Awards are based solely on total verified service hours within the award year.

Individual Award Items

  • Medal

  • Certificate

  • Recognition at the ACAN Annual Award Ceremony

2. AVSA Senior Scholarship (Hours-Based)

Seniors who qualify for Individual Awards will automatically enter the Senior Scholarship Competition. The Youth Committee will select the top three recipients based on the total number of service hours accumulated over the last three years, including the current award year.

Distinguished: The senior with the highest number of service hours in the last three years; $1,000 scholarship.

Merit: The senior with the second-highest number of service hours in the last three years; $600 scholarship.

Honor: The senior with the third-highest number of service hours in the last three years; $400 scholarship.

3. AVSA Team Awards (Leadership & Impact-Based, ASLA Model)

Team awards recognize collaborative youth-led initiatives that demonstrate leadership, creativity, and measurable community impact.

Evaluation Criteria

  • Project initiative and originality

  • Impact on the community

  • Sustainability and continuity

  • Team collaboration and leadership

  • Alignment with ACAN’s mission of service and cultural enrichment

Team Award Items

  • Medal

  • Certificate

  • Recognition at the ACAN Annual Award Ceremony

  • Monetary Award:

    • Team Gold: $1000

    • Team Silver: $600

    • Team Bronze: $400

Administration

The ACAN Youth Committee will oversee the entire award process, including:

  • Application review

  • Verification of service hours

  • Team project evaluation

  • Interviews or presentations

  • Ceremony planning

Application & Review Process

August 1–31

  • Application window opens

  • Applicants submit:

    • Individual service hour logs

    • Team project summaries (for team awards)

    • Supporting documentation (photos, videos, impact data, etc.)

September 1–30

  • Youth Committee reviews all applications

  • Team award applicants are invited to present their projects and impact

  • Committee may conduct interviews or Q&A sessions

October 15

  • Official announcement of award recipients

  • Results published on the ACAN website and newsletter

January

  • ACAN Annual Award Ceremony

    • Awards presented during a community-wide celebration

    • Youth projects showcased

    • Sponsors and partners recognized

    • Ceremony aligns with ACAN’s tradition of celebrating service and cultural heritage