Student Essay – By Ryan Gu

Over this past year, I’ve tried to involve myself in numerous ACAN efforts. These included Project Rise Together, Project Cleaner Austin, Project Melody, in addition to Westwood’s Student Council. This year, I also created and led my own project, Project Sing Along, where we taught kids with special needs music. Across all of these experiences, I’ve not only learned what it meant to give back to my community, I’ve also learned how to use my strengths to most effectively help others. For example, one of my strengths is singing, so I decided this year to do something with that and create Project Sing Along to help other kids experience the joy I feel when singing. This made me feel like I had something unique to offer to ACAN, which I feel expressing the diversity of the Chinese community while paying it forward is something ACAN is all about. I’ve also used this strength when performing at several Project Melody events. I have also participated in multiple cleanups and became project lead for Cleaner Austin – which I am also excited about, as environmental sustainability is something I am extremely passionate for. I have also participated at over 7 Project Rise Together fun nights, and went on the New Orleans trip over Thanksgiving Break, which gave me experience in many areas including natural disaster reconstruction, helping a church, and working at a food bank. I believe that I have served our community with music, environmental cleanup, helping underprivileged/special needs children, and helping out at various efforts in New Orleans. I have helped foster our heritage by teaching music as well as moral values to youth through Projects Sing Along and Rise Together. Overall, I believe I have succeeded in these goals over the past year, and I look forward to contributing to ACAN’s cause next year as well!