The after school program which has made the biggest impact in my life would be the Asian American Center of Frederick (AACF) , where I volunteered during the last two years of my high school career. The AACF’s mission is to enhance community services, empower local communities, and enrich Frederick’s culture through diversity. AACF provides services that span from health care, citizenship assistance, and English classes. The AACF has helped over 2,000 people during 2017. The AACF has taught me valuable lessons in leadership and community through my position as ambassador, the official name for an AACF volunteer. Leadership is defined as “the action of leading a group of people or an organization”, and while volunteering at AACF I have spent much time following this definition. I’ve helped bring in new volunteers to the organization, informed the public about the AACF services offered to our community, as well as participated in providing AACF services to the public. The AACF has helped me become a more active member in my community, allowing me to bridge connections between myself and my community.
The last project I worked on was helping the AACF survey the Frederick community and the people who used the AACF in order to get accurate readings for a grant. Although I haven't worked on a project in a few months, I am excited to for my future endeavors and projects that I will pursue. I do not have a concrete plan for my future, but I know that I am interested in international studies and cultural exchange and that I would like to work in a field where these topics are present. For more short term plans, this summer I plan to take the Japanese intensive foreign language class offered by UW as well as working during the summer.