Dartmouth College, NH

The Dandelion Project at Dartmouth College is a college-recognized organization that aims to bridge the education gap in China through education. More specifically, we work with the Dandelion Middle School to help improve their access to English teaching resources. We work with children of migrant workers through the Dandelion school who would most likely otherwise not attain an education. We are currently focused on a number of initiatives which include but are not limited to:

1. Mentoring Program between Dartmouth students and Dandelion teachers

2. Penpal Program between Dartmouth students and Dandelion students

3. Alternative Winter break trip for Dartmouth students to visit the school and work with students and teachers for 2-3 weeks

 

A number of various sub-committees within our organization help run the different programs. These groups include:

1. Impact Analysis: looks at the effectiveness of our programs to improve our programs and increase quality

2. Marketing & Grants: creates recruiting materials for new members, applies for grants to fund various projects and events for the group, and plans events for members

3. Curriculum Development: generates discussion guides for the teacher mentoring program sessions as well as the curriculum for the alternative winter break trip

4. Trip Coordination: plans the alternative winter break trip and coordinates with the Dandelion School to secure accommodations for Dartmouth students who are participating

Wheeler School, RI

Started in 2005, the Wheeler School HSF club has been holding quarterly dumpling sale fundraisers that raise over $2,000 annually--enough to sponsor 10 students at the Dandelion School. Club members have also written pen pal letters, donated hand-knit scarves, and held calculator and book drives. Club meetings provide time to share new project ideas and keep members current on recent activities. 

Under the leadership of Cory Levinson from 2008-2010, and Alex Hasslinger from 2010-2012, dumpling sales became increasingly popular and were able to raise even more money. Other fundraising initiatives included a Red Sox ticket raffle. 

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Acton-Boxborough Regional High School, MA

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This student group was founded in 2018 by Joe Maffa to further the ideal of students empowering other students worldwide to help them achieve their goals. As a musically-talented group, they are working in tandem with the Acton-Boxborough Musical Talent Association to host music competitions as a primary aspect of their fundraising efforts. They are also spreading awareness for the cycle of poverty through local bake sales at other schools and within the Acton Chinese community.

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For more information on the Acton-Boxborough Musical Talent Association, please visit their website at https://abmusicaltalent.wixsite.com/website.

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Andover High School, MA

After traveling to China with The Hope Scholarship Fund, Brendan Wang was motivated to help fight the cycle of poverty. In November of 2008, Brendan formed a club consisting of students interested in HSF's cause at his high school. As an idea for fundraising, Brendan mobilized a group of eight or so students to tutor on an hourly basis at his high school and local middle school. All money earned is donated to the fund, which will then go towards tuition for Dandelion students. It's a big cycle of learning! Over the past couple of years, the tutoring service has become very popular and continues to be extremely successful.

 

Some of their larger projects included organizing HSF's first Benefit Performance in March 2010. It both spread awareness of HSF’s mission to a large audience and raised over $3,000. 

 

Under the leadership of Annie Kuan, membership and interest in the club skyrocketed. Through her efforts, awareness has even spread to Lexington High School and catalyzed the formation of another school club! With this influx of volunteers, the tutoring program continues to expand and we are further able to combat the cycle of poverty with a cycle of learning.

Lexington High School, MA 

Founded in 2011 by Tom Jeon and Tom Wong, this chapter of HSF blends a passion for music with the joy of helping others.

 

"The Musical Outreach Collaboration is a volunteer project, founded on the idea that music is not confined to those who have had opportunities to study it in their life. Comprised of students from Lexington High School, these talented young musicians, many of whom serve in various musical organizations, want to not only pursue music for their own enjoyment, but also share their passion by giving others the chance to experience music." -- Eric Chew, Lexington High School '13

 

Through concert fundraisers, they will share their music, spread awareness for the cycle of poverty, and receive donations for the students of HSF. Other plans include a musical tutoring program to teach kids in the community a variety of instruments, as well as the formation of music groups in local middle and elementary schools to improve music accessibility for students at younger ages.

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Naperville Central High School, IL

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While volunteering in Beijing at The Dandelion School English Summer Camp, Gabe Carrier saw firsthand the impoverished conditions that the migrant students come from, as well as their courage and eagerness to learn and succeed. After coming back to America, Gabe knew that he wanted to continue helping the Dandelion students. Having met HSF volunteers while in China, he reached out to Brendan Wang, our vice president, to see how he could start a chapter in his own community. A portion of the email Gabe sent reads, "After the trip to China I lost my purpose, but after remembering the great times I had at Dandelion and meeting you and Ted, I instantly knew deep down this is what I have to do...It means so much to me and really defines my life right now." 

With incredible enthusiasm he got all of his friends involved and they started fundraising at local churches, tutoring for donations at a local school, and even created an online donation fund so that friends and family nationwide could contribute. Gabe's club was up and running quickly, and they have already been able to raise hundreds of dollars for Dandelion students.

Phillips Exeter Academy, MA

After teaching at The Dandelion School for two consecutive summers, Jennifer Liu has organized a student group at her high school. Initially unsure how to spread awareness and gain support, through the help of friends, she was able to hold their first successful bake sale fundraiser. Sacrificing study time to bake brownies has paid off, "This experience proved to me how even just two days worth of struggling and standing up for what I believed could still make a difference in the lives of Dandelion students. From the bake sale, word spread around my school about the Dandelion School," -- Jennifer Liu, Phillips Exeter '12

 

Under Jennifer's leadership, the club has become officially recognized by the school. Recent fundraising efforts, including the sale of notebooks hand painted by Dandelion students, have generated hundreds of dollars for student scholarships and a pen pal component has been added for members to hear from the students they support and provide them with encouragement.

University of Pennsylvania, PA

Through the efforts of the brothers of ZBT Fraternity, The University of Pennsylvania held its first charity car smash in 2010, with all donations going to sponsor HSF students. The brothers have made this an annual event due to its popularity and fundraising success! Additionally, the varsity wrestling team raised money through ticket sales for their matches to donate to The Hope Scholarship Fund.

Winchester High School, MA

In 2007, Robin Donovan organized a scarf project in her school and in other parts of her community, including her youth group. Together with the efforts of Wheeler School students, over 225 hand-knit scarves were made for students in Beijing, China and were distributed by The Hope Scholarship Fund. Additionally, in lieu of gifts for her 18th birthday, Robin requested that donations to The Hope Scholarship Fund be made on her behalf.