Student Essay – By Qiyun Zhou
Every time when I apply for the President’s Volunteer Service Award, it holds more significance than just an accolade. It represents my ongoing commitment to serving the community and making a lasting impact.
One of my key involvements is with Girls Giving Grant (g3), which is part of Impact Austin’s youth initiative. This year, our group comprised 52 young members from grades 8 to 12. I have been a part of G3 for the past two years, starting in grade 9. In my role as the ARC (Application Review Committee) leader, I collaborated with other leaders to guide and train new members, ensuring they were well-versed in the review process. This involved educating them about community needs, promoting equity and social justice, and teaching them best practices for application review. Working closely with my team, we conducted thorough reviews and presented our findings to select the final grant awardee, which turned out to be Wonders & Worries. I felt so honored to stand with Girls Giving Grant team at Impact Austin Summit on June 5th to present our achievement and our new logo. Recognizing my dedication and leadership skills, I was elected as the membership chair for the 2023-2024 term. This role presents an opportunity for personal growth as I take on more responsibility within G3 and explore ways to expand our outreach and impact among youth. My aim is to engage more young women in grades 8 to 12 and educate them about the importance of thoughtful giving.
Another volunteer activity that I actively participate in is Learning Ally Audiobook Solution, which provides proven accommodations for children of all grades who have reading-based learning differences, such as dyslexia. This solution helps children develop into happy, confident, and independent readers, enabling them to excel in school and beyond. Given my passion for reading, I am determined to assist more teenagers in reading more and gaining knowledge from books. As a Literature Quality Assurance volunteer, I have contributed to over 20 audiobook quality control projects in the 2022-2023 period, aiming to enhance the users’ experiences. For each book I checked, I paid close attention to the synchronization of audio and text and report issues regarding the text and audio of the book I noticed. The CEO and President of Learning Ally, Andrew Friedman, expressed his gratitude to all volunteers by acknowledging that our support has had a tremendous impact on the lives of more than 2 million students across 21,000 schools nationwide in the past year. I felt so meaningful about my volunteer work at Learning Ally.
Through my involvement with these organizations and initiatives, I have not only gained valuable experiences and skills but also witnessed the positive influence they have on individuals and communities. Receiving the President’s Volunteer Service Award would not only validate my efforts but also motivate me to continue serving and making a difference in the lives of others.
