By George Maldonado
The Chinese American Education Association acknowledged high school students for their academic achievement and awarded students with scholarship awards on April 18.
The Chinese American Education Association hosted the Second Chinese Speech Contest and 11th Annual Scholarship Ceremony at Diamond Bar High School.
East Los Angeles College Professor Robert Liu is the President of the Chinese American Education Association. He has previously served as secretary, vice-president and has been involved with the association since 2001.
For the second speech contest there was three different levels of competition for high school students to be placed. Also three high school students were awarded scholarships.
Eight ELAC students played two huge roles in the event. Liu chose two of his students, Marvin Alcantara and Jennifer Thang, to be the masters of ceremony for the event because of their understanding of both Chinese and English languages.
The other jobs that ELAC students Bowen Wang, Tianren Gao, Haoyu Li, Xiaoyu Hu, Yimei Lu and Yajie Jiao contributed to at this event were setting up, cleaning up after the event and also welcoming guests.
According to the MC’s Alcantara and Thang, this event allowed them to get involved in community service and practice their Chinese language, along with their public speaking.
Student volunteer Li also discussed the importance of spreading Chinese culture and language around the community because of the noticeable decrease in the Chinese speaking language.
Li who walked around speaking to individual students who won scholarship awards. Li said Chinese culture is impacted most by more individuals speaking the language.
Wang, another volunteer, believes that Professor Liu helps play a big part in helping the funds of the Chinese events.
Wang also went into discussion of why the involvement of students in their community is important, “their role in society, belong to community, if not where do they belong” said Wang.
According to Wang,“People (who) like to do more volunteer work and work for their community have priority to go to a UC,” Wang said.
Professor Liu continues to be part of events that connect Chinese students and those who want to learn the Chinese language themselves. He wants people to stay knowledgeable of their community.
Liu wishes to continue to promote the Chinese culture.