“GYP Volunteer Award” is a youth volunteer award registered and trademarked by GYP-Boston in Massachusetts, USA, in 2022. The award selection and management system is comparable with the US Presidential Volunteer Service Award. GYP-Boston became a PVSA-certifying organization in 2019. It has helped dozens of students apply for the Presidential Volunteer Service Award, and several winners have successfully entered their favorite Ivy League schools.
GYP-Boston plans to gradually launch specialized volunteer awards such as “GYP Volunteer Award- Excellent Writer,” and “GYP Volunteer Award- Student Researcher” in 2024. Information about each year’s winners will be included in the e-book “Mosaic-GYP Boston Yearbook.”
“GYP Volunteer Award” requires applicants to register and apply at least six months in advance, accept the guidance of GYP-Boston mentors, and provide a volunteer time summary and summary quarterly.
We plan to officially announce the first winners of the award after the summer vacation of 2023. The following is the information on the ten candidates who have entered the evaluation and performed outstandingly.
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Miranda Nanxiu Liu from Beijing No. 4 High School in Beijing, China
Miranda Nanxiu Liu is a Senior three student at the Beijing No. 4 High School International Campus. She is familiar with creating and promoting copywriting in the new media operation. She founded an online magazine, The Wave Maker, co-founded by eight international schools in Beijing. She is the head of a research interest group that fosters lab-grown diamond marketing and is a vital dance club member. She likes writing poetry and prose and dancing jazz. Teachers and classmates rate her as a deep thinker, a gifted leader, and an excellent writer.
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Emily Yicheng Li -at UWC CSC, Shanghai, China
Hi, my name is Emily Lee. I’m currently a new G10 student at UWC CSC. As an ESTJ, I’m described by my friends as “a warm-hearted
straightshooter” in my daily life. My passions are English debating and business competitions, and I recently took an interest in MUN
and Mock Trials. Moreover, I focus on some social issues, namely environmental protection, mental health, and gender equity. I
also do Kpop dancing to relieve stress. I have been playing the piano and singing since my childhood. As leader of several
student-led organizations and activities, I’m always happy to do all kinds of volunteer jobs to collaborate and discuss issues
with different people. Don’t hesitate to contact me if you want!
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Tiffany Li Webber Academy in Calgary, Canada
Tiffany is a Grade 11 student living in Calgary, Canada, who goes to Webber Academy. She enjoys debate, dance, art, and music. Tiffany has done debate since she was in Grade 8, and since then, she has participated in provincial, national, and international competitions, receiving team and personal awards. Since she started debating, Tiffany has achieved first place in the 2021 Alberta Regionals, first place in the 2021 Alberta Provincials, first place in the 2021 Impact Debate Tournament, top 10 in the 2022 BP Nationals, second place in the 2021 Jack Howe World School Tournament, and top 12 in the Harvard World Schools Tournament. Tiffany additionally enjoys volunteering and participating in numerous volunteer activities, including teaching others debate. In the past, she has hosted multiple debate camps, taught over 200 students, and taught debate for over 100 hours. Due to her plentiful experience, Tiffany can keep the class atmosphere engaging and educational. Tiffany enjoys working with students and helping them reach their maximum potential, and she is looking forward to contributing to these classes to the best of her ability.
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Michael Yiji Shi -Beijing No.2 High School, Beijing, China
Michael Yiji Shi is an eleventh grader at Beijing No.2 International Division. During his years in school, he set up a student newspaper club and provided his classmates with sophisticated student publications. He enjoys doing creative things in his free time, including composing music, writing stories or poems, playing the piano, etc. Despite all that, he often engages in class discussions and likes to help others when possible.
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Helen Hong – WLSA Shanghai Academy, Shanghai, China
Hi! My name is Helen Hong, and I am a ninth-grader at WLSA Shanghai Academy. I would like to define myself as authentic and outgoing, and all my friends described me as “the person who can easily get along with others.” I never feel afraid of a brand-new environment. Instead, I’m willing to accept and adapt to new things. I joined our school debate club(SFLS Debate Club) in sixth grade. Since then, debating has played an important role in my life. I learned to think and consider various ways during the debate and better understand critical thinking. Despite my characteristics, I’m a professional tennis player as well. I’ve played tennis since I was 6; in a way, the training process crafted a part of me through these nine years. It made me not be defeated easily and always stay calm to find solutions when facing emergencies. I enjoy music in my spare time; it is so relaxing. I played the flute, and it was my favorite instrument. I love the unexpected scenes, the sunset, and the dynamic life. These are all the factors that made me feel my life is meaningful and colorful. I hope to share my opinions with you guys, and I am looking forward to being a member of the GYP publication team.
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Ben Han – Ocean Grove Charter School in California, USA
Greetings, my name is Ben Han. I am currently a high school freshman residing in the state of California. I am a part of the GYP Debate Organization. I am excited to join this group where I can channel my passion for debating into helping others in the community improve and get into the debate world. I have been attending debate classes for around 2 years and have gained plenty of experience in case creation, speech delivery, and teamwork. I work mainly in public forum debates and Lincoln-Douglas debates, but I also have adequate experience in team policy debates. I have made it to finals in several national tournaments and recently won an award for top speaker in a Lincoln-Douglas tournament. I have also had past experience in teaching, as I have been with multiple non-profit organizations and taught kids English and math worldwide during the summer. My work in the GYP debate has mostly been helping create the organization’s foundation. I helped create ideas for lesson plans and debate tournaments, and I have also written lessons on Intro to Lincoln-Douglas debate for future classes. I am thrilled to be a member of the GYP Debate Organization, where I can enthusiastically share my passion for debate, help others grow, and continue to develop my own skills in a supportive community!
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David Zhaoxuan Zhou -Beijing No.2 High School, Beijing, China
David Zhou comes from Beijing’s No.2 middle school international division. He is a grade 11 student who is fascinated by history and Myths. He set up the school newspaper along with Michael, provided his classmates with sophisticated student publications, and offered them a chance to Evaluate some international affairs or express ideas they hoped to promote. He is also the founder of the “Amour Fati” play club, during which he trained his peers to analyze and perform famous plays, feeling the complexity and luxury of the words and emotions of the play. He is also the president of the school debate club and the coach of the debate club, and he holds mock debates for each individual to practice their public speaking ability. He would also help them in completing the debate cases. David also enjoys sports. He plays soccer, rugby, tennis, basketball, and baseball. He also trains in MMA. He loves nature, and he went hiking in nature, traveling in rainforests and deserts. He also loves music and frequently sings in front of people; he believes it shows passion for life.
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Jennifer Wang She-Beanstalk International Bilingual School， Beijing, China
My name is Jennifer Wang. She, I am in eighth grade, and I go to school in Beanstalk International Bilingual School. I like playing the violin, stitching, doing Chinese calligraphy and Equestrian, and studying American history. I love to do charity work because I simply like to help others; I feel happy and can smile from my help. For that reason, I have done many charity works over the years; I first started to go to the school for disabled children when I was only in kindergarten; my parents and I helped clean the classrooms and the principal was very grateful. Then, I played in the orchestra for the school’s art auction( the money will go to kids who want to study art but can’t afford it), donated necessities for poor kids, earned money from Chinese Day, and donated several hundred RMB. Now I am teaching two-second grade kids English as a volunteer. Through all of these, I have found many things in myself, and I wish to continue in the future days.
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David Qiao from Christ The King in Alberta, Canada
My name is David Qiao, and I am a ninth-grader residing in Alberta, Canada. First, I think it’s proper to introduce myself; I like many things: art, video games, movies, music, taekwondo, debate, and volunteering. I love creating and making a change, especially in my community. One of my longest and ongoing passion/volunteering projects is with an online mentoring program hosted by Global Youth Philanthropy to share the joy of debate and speech with the youth of our international community. I developed meaningful relationships with the mentees and my fellow mentors. I jump at every opportunity to help introduce and show everyone can debate. Another passion project that gave me valuable experience was when I gathered some like-minded peers from interviewing and proving that we youths also have a voice by interviewing many notable figures in my province’s politics, such as the city councilor, mayor, and members of parliament. Somethings closer to my home community, however, I jump at every volunteering opportunity ranging from stepping up to be my school student president, tutoring other peers, participating in my local Air Cadet fundraisers, to being the local Easter Bunny. I am grateful for the opportunity to apply for this award and hope that my experiences and passion for volunteerism have conveyed the impact and importance of giving back. Volunteering is a way to make a difference and an opportunity for personal growth and fulfillment.
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May Yang – Shen Wai International School, Shenzhen, China
May Yang is a Grade 11 student at Shen Wai International School. She leads the high school yearbook committee and journalism department, helping the school capture and immortalize precious moments. Additionally, May is a member of the school drama club, where she acts in plays and promotes them by editing and filming captivating trailers, writing promotional articles, and designing eye-catching posters. She is also committed to the school’s volunteer teaching club, where she organizes activities like talent shows and music festivals to raise funds and support primary schools in Guangxi, Beihai. May teaches sociology and visual arts in this role, empowering students to explore and nurture their talents. She also leads foreign Chinese language lessons for teachers at her school, covering various subjects, including Chinese culture, daily life, transportation, and curriculum-specific topics, fostering cross-cultural understanding and sharing the richness of her heritage. Outside of teaching, May dedicates her time to assisting others. She provides English lessons to a young girl who experienced a burns accident, helping her regain confidence and language skills. Additionally, she teaches Chinese history and culture to Japanese-born Chinese students, deepening their connection to their roots. May indulges in hobbies such as watching movies, traveling, singing with a guitar, golfing, and playing badminton during her leisure time.
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Josie Qiao – Taisei Senior School, Tokyo, Japan
Hi, my name is Josie Qiao. I’m a figure skater, golfer, and horse rider. And I enjoy playing the piano, painting, and dancing. I moved to Japan from China when I was 12, I initially faced challenges, but thanks to the help of my friends, I can now use Japanese as if it were my native language. Unless I mention it, people wouldn’t even know I am Chinese. I started figure skating, inspired by Yuzuru Hanyu, and overcame numerous challenges to become the person l am today. Skating and horseback riding have given me tremendous courage and value. I’ve realized that not giving up and pursuing a goal is essential. I am currently aspiring to enter the international Liberal studies program at University. I want to utilize my language abilities to help others. It is truly saddening to witness people in Japan treating foreigners they encounter on the streets as dangerous individuals. I want to eliminate people’s prejudices and create a world where mutual respect prevails. That’s why I wish to Introduce Japanese culture, education, and many unknown aspects as seen from my perspective. I look forward to sharing my opinion with everyone and presenting as a member of the GYP team.
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Michelle Zhou from Beijing National Day School, Beijing, China
Michelle Zhou is a senior at Beijing National Day School. She has a wide range of interests in humanity and social sciences, acquisitive in the metaphorical symbology in literature, comparisons of world religions, all the way down to the ways of reducing cognitive biases in psychology. In her leisure time, intriguing entertainment such as composing poetry, appreciating classical music, and playing TRPG brings invaluable joy to build her curious character and widens her scope of academic investigation. Hoping to strengthen interdisciplinary connections between various subjects to delve deeper into fundamental human questions and provide solutions, mentally and potentially physically, she became the president of the school’s philosophy club, holding seminars to engage students in thought-provoking discussions by sharing opinions rooted in their focused areas.
