UUP's Service Spotlight page highlights the positive impacts that different clubs and organizations make in our community through service. Read about these clubs and organizations below!
Spotlight #3 - UCVTS Multicultural Club
The UCVTS Multicultural Club offers appreciation and knowledge of a variety of different cultures all around the world. There are two core values that are integral to the Multicultural Club: diversity and acceptance. The club's mission is to embrace diversity throughout the district by promoting and celebrating different cultures through various discussions, events, and activities.
Fostering a warm and welcoming environment for all members of our community, the club organized a Winter Holiday Carnival that celebrated many cultures across the world. Students made clay dreidels, gingerbread houses, played a Kwanzaa-themed bingo game, and made marshmallow poppers while learning about various New Year’s Eve customs. At each station, students earned tickets that could be traded in for a prize at the end. Creating a welcoming environment where everyone feels included is an important goal of the Multicultural Club. Many students have families that immigrated to the United States from other countries, and it can be difficult for them to connect with their peers at school because they do not have the same experiences or values as others. The Multicultural Club strives to create a space where these students feel safe and welcome so that they can gain a different perspective on life and have new experiences with people from other cultures.
Club President Huda Memon believes certain club events stand out as having the most impact on the UCVTS and global communities alike. To celebrate International Women’s Day, a globally recognized holiday that brings awareness to women’s rights, the Multicultural Club organized a Tulip Sale Fundraiser. Following European traditions of gifting tulips to celebrate the strong women in one’s life, tulips were sold or delivered to many UCVTS students. The profit was donated to the Malala Fund, supporting access to education for girls and women around the world.
Other important events have helped the club cultivate a sense of community among its members, particularly through discussion. The first event of the 2022-2023 school year placed a spotlight on cultural heritage; members chatted as they drew and colored flags, and officers introduced themselves and met new members. Last year, the club also collaborated with the UCVTS Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) to discuss intersectional identities. “All of our activities are meant to be open, inclusive, and interactive,” Huda shared.
The UCVTS Multicultural Club has quite a few goals and aspirations for their near future. In the UCVTS United Project’s interview with the club, Huda described a few. Some general goals they hope to achieve are regular monthly events and frequent collaborations with other clubs on the UCVTS campus. The club values its connection with the student body and hopes these events will create engagement between the groups. The club highly regards input from the student body, and encourages students to confidently suggest ideas to the Multicultural Club about possible events they would like to see.
Huda also shared the impact Multicultural Club has had on her life. “Multicultural Club has changed the way I look at and interact with the world around me on a daily basis by helping me realize the impact I can make with small actions,” she said. The UCVTS Multicultural Club collaborates with students and brings attention to different, unique cultures all around the world. Its collaborative nature and cultural celebrations bring students together, making it a fundamental and beloved part of the UCVTS community.
Spotlight #2 - Westfield Area Chinese American Association (WACAA)
Vibrant Chinese New Year celebrations and energetic summer picnics are among annual activities organized by the Westfield Area Chinese American Association, or WACAA. However, the WACAA’s mission goes beyond giving members the opportunity to celebrate Chinese holidays together. According to Lu Qiu, the former president of the WACAA, the association works to “strengthen the Westfield area Chinese community through leadership, collaborative efforts, and multi-cultural promotion and services.” For example, the WACAA actively encourages their members to volunteer in Township events such as the Westfield Annual 5K Pizza Run Extravaganza to give back to their community. WACAA also works with other cultural organizations, which helps them and the other organizations to strengthen each other’s communities and achieve their goals. Through their many efforts, the WACAA supports others and spreads positive awareness for the Chinese community.
One of the WACAA’s most impactful efforts was organizing a Stop-Asian-Hate Peaceful Protest last year in March. The protest had a profound impact not only in Westfield but also in other surrounding towns. WACAA invited leaders such as Congressman Tom Malinowski, State Senate Leader Tom Kean, the Westfield Town Councilman, the Westfield Chief Police Officer, the rabbi from Westfield Temple Emanu-El, and a priest from the Presbyterian Church of Westfield to show their support for the Asian community and their resolve to help fight against hate crimes. Through the efforts of these leaders as well as the association's members and other protestors, the WACAA was able to display the strength and determination of their community to stand against hate towards their own Westfield Chinese community and other Asian communities throughout the world.
While accomplishing such feats, the WACAA faced several challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic affected many organizations, including the WACAA. The organization had to cancel and change some of their upcoming events and plans, some even at the last minute such as their 2020 Chinese New Year gala. Despite the hardships, the WACAA worked to overcome the restrictions caused by the pandemic. They learned to become more adaptive and connect the community through online events such as their Board of Education candidate night. They also continued to help others through efforts such as donating PPE and money to frontline workers. Even with the lasting impacts of the pandemic, the WACAA worked and continues to work to strengthen and support their community.
The WACAA is currently working on more ways to connect with their community and others. For instance, they are working with Westfield’s multi-culture festivity organization to plan celebrations of several cultures. They hope that through these events, people can understand and appreciate the diversity of different cultures. They are also establishing sisterhood organizations with other cultural organizations, such as the Westfield Italian Association.
The Westfield Area Chinese American Association has and continues to strengthen and educate others about the Westfield area’s Chinese community. They present their Chinese heritage for being kind, hard-working, and supportive through organizing events and supporting others around them. Their efforts are clearly impacting their community; Lu Qiu explains that the association “has become more and more like a family to many of [its] Chinese members.” Community interaction extends beyond events, from exchanging restaurant recommendations to sharing fun vacation experiences. All of this builds and nurtures a community that emphasizes the depth of care present in it. As the years go on, WACAA hopes to continue supporting their community and sharing their values with others.
Spotlight #1 - UCVTS Red Cross Club
The UCVTS Red Cross club organizes school-wide events that bring awareness to humanitarian conflicts. Focusing on overseas conflicts and the impacts of war, the International Humanitarian Law campaign shines light on current events through activities. The “Vaccinate a Village” service allows students to advocate and fundraise for vaccinations for measles and rubella. “The ARC’s dedication to preparedness and disaster relief, and its broader goals of humanitarianism all serve to enrich and support all Americans during times of need, and it empowers regular citizens to make meaningful change,” says club co-president Elizabeth Ni.
In 2020, the club hosted an on-campus blood drive in which 40 pints of blood were raised. Each pint is enough to save the lives of up to three individuals, including cancer, trauma, and burn victims. The drive also inspired UCVTS students to volunteer or donate blood regularly outside of school. The UCVTS Red Cross club is eager to organize more community events. In fact, another in-school blood drive will be held May 17, 2022. Anyone who is 16 and older is eligible to donate and encouraged to do so to help individuals in need of blood transfusions!
Other upcoming events include “Diversity Toolkit” and “Share My Story”, where the diversity of the Red Cross organization will be highlighted. On top of that, members can expect a Pride Month workshop that will address blood deferral procedures established by the Food and Drug Administration. They also are planning to implement “Prepare with Pedro”, which would work to provide disaster preparedness to kids in kindergarten to second grade, and the “Pillowcase Project”, which would do the same for students in grades third through fifth. Outside of their interesting variety of events, the Red Cross Club also plans on reaching more throughout Union County in order to increase their membership, open up doors to even more new opportunities, and strengthen the local community as a whole.
Of course, the Red Cross Club’s success has not come without any struggles. When the pandemic hit and the club had to switch to virtual, Oliva Muchnik, who is currently a Red Cross Club co-president and was the Volunteer Connection Coordinator of that time, as well as the officer team had to adjust to the club’s new format and figure out how to continue spreading their message and get students interested in humanitarianism. However, they were able to overcome this struggle through the Red Cross Cafe, in which they hosted various activities through Zoom, from cooking, to dancing, to even a virtual escape room! The people who took part in this had so much fun, and the club is planning to host something similar again this year. Aside from that event, the club members were also able to continue volunteering and supporting the community despite the different circumstances, which is commendable.
At the end of the day, the members of the Red Cross Club work vigorously to motivate others and raise awareness about various aspects of humanity. From the activities they hold to the campaigns they host, they truly show how dedicated and passionate they are about what they are doing. They also show how unified they are in their efforts to make the world a better place based on what they have accomplished and the positive feedback they have received from their endeavors. As the years go on, Elizabeth hopes the Red Cross Club continues to “support marginalized groups and strengthen [the] local community.”
