Acton Boxborough Musical Talent Association Music Festival -June 8, 2019

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The Hope Scholarship Fund partnered with the Acton Boxborough Musical Talent Association for its first Music Festival. The Festival was a great experience for the participants as well as the judges. We joined together for an afternoon of music performances with friendly feedback followed by a series of music themed games. It was a great opportunity to help educate each other with music as well as on the mission of the Fund. We hope to be able to continue this partnership with any future events that the ABMTA may run.

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Acton Chinese Language School Dumpling Sale -June 2, 2019

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The dumpling sale tradition continues in the Acton-Boxborough area! Throughout our history, dumpling sales have always been a great way of fundraising and raising awareness for our cause. The young students were able to learn about and help contribute to our mission on their way to and from class. Thank you to the Acton Chinese Language School for the continued support and welcoming environment.

 

Acton Chinese Language School Bake Sale -April 14, 2019

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The Hope Scholarship Fund turned a new page in the Acton-Boxborough Community with its first bake sale at the Acton Chinese Language School to raise funds. Vice President Joe Maffa ran a stand during school hours along with generous help from volunteers, Michael Sun, Rachel Lu and Amanda Wu. It was an incredible success and marked the beginning of a great relationship with the Acton Chinese Language School. We are thankful that we were able to do it with generous support for our cause from the school and hope to continue this tradition in the future.

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College Graduates  -June 6, 2018

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The Hope Scholarship Fund is proud to announce that 3 of our sponsored students have now graduated from universities in the United States, where they attended under full-ride scholarships.

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Qiong Yang graduated from Macalester College in Minnesota with a bachelors dual-degree in Economics and English Literature. She plans to pursue a career in journalism.

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Lucy Duan graduated from Luther College in Iowa with a bachelors degree majoring in Business Management and minoring in Psychology. She plans to obtain a Master of Science in Business Analytics.

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Wheeler School Dumpling Sales  -November 3, 2017

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Since the school club's founding in 2005, dumpling sales have been their primary fundraising source. It has been a means of bringing the school community together, from grades K-12, to raise awareness for social injustices and the cycle of poverty. The first dumpling sale was organized and run by The Hope Scholarship Fund's founder and has been a legacy event ever since. We would like to thank the Wheeler School community for their ongoing support of our students and our mission throughout all these many years.

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College Graduate!  -June 15, 2017

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The Hope Scholarship Fund is proud to announce the first college graduation of one of our students. The success of sponsoring students takes many years to fully realize and this marks an achievement many years in the making. We are immensely proud of her remarkable accomplishment. We would like to thank our donors for playing a part in enabling her success.

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Tina Fu graduated from Earlham College in Indiana with a bachelors degree in Psychology. She plans to pursue a career in non-profit management.

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CCTV  -August 1, 2016

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Qiong Yang continues to gain experience in reporting and journalism during a 3-month summer internship at CCTV in Washington, D.C. She was able to learn about international reporting and gain other valuable insights into her desired profession. We are thrilled that she was accepted to and made the most of such an opportunity.

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Live it! Fund Project   -July 25, 2015

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This was a grant-funded project based out of Macalester College that was awarded to Qiong Yang. It was undertaken with the goal of providing skill­-building opportunities for migrant children at Dandelion School, the first non­profit middle school for migrant students on the outskirts of Beijing. Qiong and Lucy, two Hope Scholarship Fund students, both attended the Dandelion School as children.

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With the assistance of 5 other volunteers, Qiong Yang and Lucy Duan returned to the Dandelion School to help students build core skills in leadership, public speaking, and research by conducting workshops, then having students design and implement their own projects to improve the school’s conditions and learning environment.

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Summer Intern  -February 23, 2015

Please see this wonderful article about Qiong, one of our students who is working at a summer internship with Sampan Newspaper! It is written by Kevin Freeley, a friend of The Dandelion School and The Hope Scholarship Fund. Link here.

You can read more about her on the "Student Stories" page.

 

UWC Graduates--Breaking the Cycle of Poverty  -May 22, 2013

The following is an update from a story written back in 2011, about two of our students, Yang Qiong and Tina Fu who were accepted into the International Baccalaureate program at United World Colleges.

I was fortunate to be able to join Qiong in celebrating her UWC Atlantic College graduation in Wales this summer. The school is housed in a beautiful 16th century castle next to the Atlantic Ocean. It is home to students from around the world, each bringing their own culture and accent to campus. It was a great ceremony that displayed this grand diversity. Parents from around the world were in attendance.

At the same time as Qiong's graduation in Wales, Tina Fu graduated from the Li Po Chun United World College of Hong Kong. These graduations from UWC mark huge accomplishments on their paths to bright futures that they can now determine for themselves.

This coming August, Qiong will be attending Macalester College in Minnesota and Tina will be attending Earlham College in Indiana. Both have received full scholarships from their schools.

Combined with our student's hard work, it is the support of our donors and volunteers that has helped make these terrific success stories possible. The rewards and gratification of providing a child with an education appear in stages, and take time to be fully realized. Your continued support has enabled us to carry our students through to this penultimate stage. These two girls have broken the cycle of poverty, and in doing so, The Hope Scholarship Fund's mission has been achieved.

I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved with the success of this organization: our generous donors and volunteers; the student club members and their faculty advisors; and the global schools we work with and their inspiring leaders. I am truly appreciative of your faith in our mission and our students. It is a beautiful thing to see someone grow into their full potential. I hope that you continue to be a part of that transformation. Thank you for all your help and guidance over the years.

To continue with us in this journey, please see our Get Involved page.
 

 

China Trip 2012  -Sept. 6, 2012

Our recent trip to China far exceeded my expectations! Though it was the first time our volunteers participated in the Music Summer Camp, they were able to make strong connections with their students and share their love of music. Together they put on a wonderful charity concert to end the camp. Volunteers in the English Summer Camp were similarly touched by their students. It was an emotional goodbye. Please see our "Service Learning Trips" page for volunteer reflections and a trip overview.

 

Volunteering in China  -July 13, 2012

Tomorrow morning, Ted Mooncai will lead fifteen American student volunteers to the Dandelion Middle School in the outskirts of Beijing. Beyond teaching at Dandelion's annual English Summer Camp, eight of our volunteers will teach in Dandelion's Music Summer Camp. This development was made possible through our collaborative efforts with the Wings of Music organization in China, which works to help disadvantaged youth build confidence and lay the foundations of a better future through musical education. At the end of the camp, both students and volunteers will perform together and host a charity concert in Beijing to benefit the Dandelion Middle School!
 

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Tedeschi Family Donation  -May 20, 2012

I wish to publicly thank the Tedeschi Family for their generosity. They are now responsible for the two largest single donations we have ever received. Their continued support and belief in our students is truly inspiring. More and more of our students obtain college acceptances every year and it is our goal to ensure they are never inhibited by financial reasons. This is made possible by the annual support of our generous donors. Thank you!

 

 

Day For Dandelion Fundraiser  -Mar. 27, 2012

I recently heard of a wonderful fundraiser happening in Boston this coming Saturday! As friends of Dandelion, I thought you might be interested in going and wished to pass along the news.

Last summer, five Boston Public School students volunteered at Dandelion and were truly moved by the experience and what they learned about the migrant students. Many students visit Dandelion throughout the year, but what sets these five students apart is their determination to continue to support Dandelion students once they returned to the U.S. A large amount of effort went into organizing this fundraiser. It is my hope that we can support, and thereby further encourage, this kind of effort and dedication.

Please help me in spreading the word for the Day for Dandelion fundraiser. Tell your friends, family, neighbors--all who will listen. A battle is not won by those who stand alone. Through our collective effort, we can make a difference in the lives of Dandelion students one successful fundraiser at a time.

Featured in the Wheeler Now & Then  -Dec. 20, 2011



2nd Annual Car Smash Fundraiser  -Oct. 28, 2011

The Car Smash Fundraiser continues to be a success! Despite the cold weather, the brothers of ZBT Fraternity drew another large crowd in what has become one of their annual charity events. We thank them for their continued effort and support of our students and our mission!
 

 

 

Musical Outreach Collaboration (HSF Lexington) -Sep. 27, 2011

A new HSF Chapter is born! Lead by Eric Chew, the musically talented students of Lexington High School have formed the Musical Outreach Collaboration to pursue and share the joy of music, while fundraising at the same time! We are very excited for this new chapter because it expands our goal of educational equality to include that of the arts as well. More information can be found at the School Clubs page.

 

We are currently planning another Service Learning Trip to The Dandelion School, with hopes of bringing members of HSF Lexington to help broaden Dandelion's music education program. Please contact us if you are interested in getting involved! More information on previous trips can be found on our Teaching page.

 

 

More UWC Success Stories  -Sep. 5, 2011

We received two touching emails from our students regarding their recent acceptances into UWC (www.uwc.org). Tina Fu and Yang Qiong were accepted with a full scholarship to UWC Hong Kong and UWC Wales, respectively. When they graduate from UWC, they will be offered scholarships from universities around the world, and are on a road to success well beyond their original means.

 

We have been sponsoring these two girls since middle school, and are very proud to see them excel. Their hard work and resulting achievement truly prove that our efforts are showing results. Our volunteers and supports have all been an integral part in changing these two girls' and their families' lives, and we thank you so much for that.

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The Tedeschi Family Donation  -Mar. 6, 2011

Many thanks to volunteer Gina Chang, who not only encourages both her children, Jennifer and David Liu, to help HSF in our mission, but also spreads awareness to her friends. We are very fortunate that our mission has reached the kind ears of the Tedeschi Family, who have been extremely generous. Their recent donation is the largest single donation we have ever received. It has allowed us to accept another high school student for the upcoming academic year!

 

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Increased support from the Wheeler School  -Feb. 26, 2011

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The Wheeler middle school is getting involved to support the efforts of the high school HSF Club! Journals designed with artwork made by Dandelion School students are being sold at an upcoming fundraiser organized by the middle school community service committee. It's becoming a campus wide effort and we are extremely grateful for their support!

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Phillips Exeter Official Chapter  -Jan. 3, 2011

After her persistence and dedication, Jennifer Liu has successfully brought her club at Phillips Exeter out of its infancy. It is now officially recognized by the school for the quality and range of philanthropic work they accomplish. Congratulations for reaching this landmark. For more on the Phillips Exeter HSF Club, please see our School Clubs page.

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20 HSF Students!  -Dec. 10, 2010

 

Our friends at The Mwea Fund, Inc. have helped us sponsor two more students from Mwea, Kenya. High school juniors Peter Ndung'u and John Ndung'u have been in need for many years. They have displayed potential to excel but have been hindered by their inability to consistently attend classes due to school fees. It is our hope that we can help these two secure a university education and continue on to great futures.

 

Including these new students, we have reached 20 sponsored students! It is very gratifying for us to be able to help so many and it is all due to the generous support of our donors. We, and our students, thank you. We are looking forward to sharing their success stories with you.

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Car Smash Fundraiser!  -Nov. 3, 2010

 

In an effort to draw in a large crowd with an original fundraising idea, the brothers of ZBT Fraternity held UPenn's first ever Charity Car Smash. It was a great success and all proceeds benefitted the students of The Hope Scholarship Fund! The event was a lot of fun and drew lots of attention. At one point, members of Penn's facilities and grounds staff came out with their own sledgehammers to get in on the action! Click here to read The Daily Pennsylvanian newspaper article covering the event.

 

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Executive Board change at the Wheeler School Club  -Aug. 12, 2010

Congratulations to Alex Hasslinger, Jiawen Tang, and Wayne Wu for their dedication to the HSF club at Wheeler and their recent appointment to leadership positions. For more on the Wheeler HSF Club, please see our School Clubs page.

 

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United World Colleges  -Sept. 26, 2010

 

The excellent work of The Dandelion School is again being noticed. This time, by the prestigious UWC (www.uwc.org). UWC has recently accepted their first applicant from Dandelion and have reassured Principal Zheng of their intentions to enroll two more Dandelion students next year. This is especially exciting news for us as the two students to be selected are sponsored by our donors! We look forward to watching our students progress and mature through the continued support of our donors and volunteers. 

 

Another College Acceptance! -Mar. 24, 2010

After being under our sponsorship for four years, Francis Ndukui Ndicu has recently achieved exemplary marks on his Kenya Certificate of Secondary School Education exam. We are excited and proud to hear of his qualification to attend a public university! The extent of this accomplishment is evident in that he is one of only two students from his high school to attain a high enough score. The other is Samuel Ngigi Wamburu, who we will be sponsoring through college as well.

 

Benefit Success! -Mar. 8, 2010

After the great effort of the volunteers at Andover High School and an incredible performance by the Chinese Folk Arts Workshop, over $3,000 was raised! We are very happy to announce our first benefit performance as a success and hope to follow with more in the future. A big thanks to event organizers Program Director Brendan Wang, Assistant Program Director Annie Kuan, and club member Aaron Yang!

 

The Chinese Folk Art Workshop, Inc. Benefit Performance! -Feb. 9, 2010

We are excited to invite you to our first Benefit Performance! Hosted at Andover High School, the Chinese Folk Arts Workshop, Inc. will be performing Saturday, March 6th at 2:00 PM. They are performing a host of traditional Chinese arts that are sure to entertain and amaze. There is no better way to start off the Year of the Tiger! More information on the performers can be found here.
 

Organizing another Service Learning Trip -Jan. 11, 2010

Following the success of our first community service learning trip in the summer of 2008, we are proud to announce that we are organizing a second. After his experience on the pioneering trip, Program Director Cory Levinson has decided to plan the trip this year. Touring will include Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong as well as the week of teaching at The Dandelion School outside of Beijing. If you are interested in taking part in this incredible experience, please contact us. See our Teaching page for more information on past trips.

 

HSF has joined up with GoodSearch! -Sep. 15, 2009

A quick and easy way to donate! Simply by using GoodSearch.com and selecting "Hope Scholarship Fund" as your supported charity, you can help us raise money. This link to GoodSearch will automatically allow you to raise money for us with your searches. You can also shop your favorite online sites, such as Amazon, eBay, and Best Buy, with GoodShop as you would normally shop, but by using GoodShop, 1% to 10% of your purchase is donated to your selected charity!

 

New High School Club -Apr. 5, 2009

After starting a new chapter of The Hope Scholarship Fund, Inc. at Andover High School, Brendan Wang and Benjamin Wang have made their first of many donations! Under their leadership, the club is growing and gaining more support in their community.


Our First College Student -Oct. 12, 2008

Xu Yujing was just graduating middle school when we started to sponsor her. Now, we're proud to say she has made it to college. She was admitted to Shi Hezi University in Xin Jiang. We are keeping in touch and look forward to hearing about her progress. We were able to give her the initial boost she needed and now she is the one carrying the torch, lighting the path of her own future.

 

High School  -Oct. 12, 2008

At the end of this summer, 7 students from Dandelion passed this years high school entrance exam! Dandelion continues to make huge steps in equality for migrant students as this is only the second year they have been able to even take the entrance exam, all due to the school's efforts.

Sadly, however, our fund can only sponsor 4 of the new high school students this year due to limited funds and the comparatively high cost of high school ($1,000/year). Hopefully, in later years, with your support, we will be able to make sure no student is left behind. It's donors like you that can help us realize this dream. Just imagine, for only $2.74 a day, you could give a child the single most important resource for individual advancement--an education. You could give a child a future. You can't even buy a cup of coffee at Starbucks for $2.74.

 

Success in Dandelion -Oct. 11, 2008

Despite early fears, the service-learning trip to Dandelion this past summer was a great success. Due to volunteer and student demand alike, it is likely we will have another trip in the future. Stay tuned, and in the mean time check out the new Teaching section that covers our trip.

 

An Extraordinary Kindness -Jan. 25, 2008

Robin Donovan has been involved with The Hope Scholarship Fund for a couple years now and has taught the students we benefit for two consecutive summers. Recently, she decided to donate her birthday gifts to our cause. Her thoughtfulness touched me and motivated me to donate my birthday gifts as well. As my family found out about my decision, they too decided to donate their gifts to the fund. I hope that by sharing this story with you, Robin's kindness may also influence you to lend a helping hand to those in need.

 

Future Plans -Nov. 10, 2007

We are working on taking American students on a community service learning trip to the Dandelion School.  They will be teaching Dandelion students basic English over the summer of 2008. The goal of the trip is to both expose American students to the disparity of opportunities around the world as well as help benefit the underserved children at Dandelion.  The cultural exchange is intended to alter the American students' world outlook by showing them the poverty in the world first hand, which will then hopefully inspire them to act.

 

Exciting News! -Nov. 8, 2007

This past June, 86 middle school graduates from the Dandelion School took the high school entrance exam. This was unprecedented for migrant students, who had previously been excluded. We are proud to announce that two of our scholarship recipients, He Wen-wen and Xin Su-mei, passed and are going to high school!  By making the most of the opportunities we have provided them with, they have become two of the first of their kind to make it to high school.  Not to mention that they did it with only two years of schooling under their belts!

Despite the five-fold increase in tuition, we are determined to meet their need and see them through their next step towards a higher education. Being a part of such progress towards equality is very exciting, and we invite you to join us in supporting these two remarkable students.

The Beijing Times wrote an article on the Dandelion success here.  If you are having difficulty viewing this page, you may need to encode your browser for Chinese Simplified.

 

Scarf Project -Feb. 5, 2007

The Boston Globe reported that Michelle Kwan, an Olympic figure skater, visited the Dandelion School.  The article states, The dusty concrete-floor classrooms and attached dormitories have virtually no heat. It was colder inside than outside, where the temperature hovered around freezing.  In response to hearing about these learning conditions, we mobilized student volunteers at The Wheeler School in RI and Winchester High School in MA to knit over 225 scarves, which were donated to Dandelion students.  While it might have been easier to buy the scarves, we thought that hand-knit scarves would not only help them combat the bitterly cold environment, but also bring some warmth to the children's hearts with the knowledge that there are caring people halfway around the world.