September 3, 2013
OCA-WHV 2013 Student Leadership Award
Dear Superintendent and Principal:
On behalf of OCA’s Westchester and Hudson Valley (OCA-WHV) Chapter, we are pleased to inform you that OCA-WHV will be sponsoring its 2013 Student Leadership Award. The award intends to honor outstanding high
school students who have demonstrated meaningful involvement in serving the Asian American community and/or enthusiasm in learning Asian cultures, and who have a proven record in academic excellence and leadership in making a difference in their community.
The award is open to all high school students in their junior and senior years. Up to three awardees will be selected by a committee appointed by the OCA-WHV board. The awardees will be honored at our annual Dynamic Achievers Award Banquet on November 02, 2013, at the Double Tree Hotel in Tarrytown, alongside with four adult outstanding Asian American leaders from the greater New York area.
We would appreciate that you encourage your students to apply for this award, and nominate the deserving applicants for our consideration. The details on the award and the application and selection process are attached here for your information. Applications must be received by October 4th, 2013, either by mail at OCA Westchester/Hudson Valley, P.O. Box 541, White Plains, NY 10602, or via E-mail at SLA.OCA.WHV@gmail.com.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the award committee at SLA@oca-whv.org
Sincerely yours,
Jin
Li, Grace Pan & Xin Zheng
Vice Presidents and co-chairs
of Student Leadership Award Program
OCA Westchester and Hudson
Valley
2013 Student Leadership Award
Award Description
The OCA-WHV Student Leadership Award (SLA) is an annual program sponsored by the Board of OCA-WHV and administered by a committee appointed by the Board. The award is designed to recognize high school students in the local schools who have demonstrated meaningful involvement in serving the Asian American community and/or
enthusiasm in learning Asian cultures and languages, and who have a strong record of academic excellence and demonstrable leadership in making a difference in their community and school.
OCA is a prominent national organization dedicated to advancing the social, political and economic well-being of Asian Americans in the United States. OCA-WHV is one of over 80 chapters and affiliates nationwide and has served the Asian American communities in the Westchester and Hudson Valley region for over 30 years. Showcasing the success and proud achievements of Asian Americans has been a focus of our chapter, and the Student Leadership
Award gives us the forum to celebrate and reward the young generation of leaders who are either Asian Americans, or who has strong interests in promoting Asian culture and heritage.
Application and Nomination Process
All high school students currently in their junior and senior years and who are currently attending high schools in the Westchester and Hudson Valley region are eligible to be nominated for the award. Past awardees are ineligible for
nomination.
All Chinese schools and high schools in the Westchester and Hudson Valley region can nominate their qualified students for the award.
The nomination criteria shall consist of the following:
- Each student must complete an application form and be nominated by a sponsor who must be able to vouch for the integrity and character of his/her nominee.
- Each student must provide a copy of his/her current transcript of grades, a summary of past and current extracurricular activities including proofs of community/public service as evidence with names of organizations and references, evidence of leadership, achievements, and awards.
- Each student must provide a written personal statement (in English of 200 words or less) of his/her higher education and
professional objectives. - Three letters of recommendation (preferably at least one by school official) must
accompany all the documents requested.
Categories for Nomination and Documentation
The student leaders shall be nominated for their outstanding work in the following categories:
Leadership
- Leads one or more projects on an on-going, long-term basis
- Serves as a role model for his/her peers
- Initiates or creates solutions to problems
Academic Excellence
- Demonstrates outstanding scholastic achievement
- Initiates/participates in school programs and events
- Demonstrates good public speaking skills
Community Service
- Fills a community need
- Solves a community problem
- Works with other community groups to solve a community issue
Involvement in the Asian American
community and Asian culture and studies
- Advocates for Asian culture and heritage
- Participates in Asian American programs and events
- Studies Asian culture and language
- Promotes diversity and community collaboration
Judging Point System
There are four categories for nomination. Each category will be given equal weight of 25 points, with each subtopic within each category given proportional points. That is, if there are four subtopics within a category, each subtopic will be given approximately 6.67 points. Adding up all the points from each subtopic will give a total of 100 possible points. The ranking of the students will be based on the total points received by each student from all the judges.
Selection Process
The SLA Selection Committee shall have the following guidelines:
- A Selection Committee composed of five judges and one non-voting chairperson will evaluate all the nominees based on a
scoring system approved by the board. - All the judges shall be elected by the OCA-WHV Board of Directors and the chairperson shall be appointed by the Board.
- Members of the committee can be any OCA member or non-members.
- Committee members cannot be a sponsor of any of the nominees being considered.
- The Selection Committee shall meet to review and evaluate all the relevant information in the student nomination packet.
It shall sit in formal meeting in October and shall complete its task within two weeks. - Each judge shall review each nominee’s information and decide independently on the point value to give the student. Then the chairperson shall compile all the point values for the students and rank them in order from the highest to the
lowest. - The Selection Committee is charged with selecting three nominees with the highest scores to be the award recipients.
- The decision by the Selection Committee is final.
- Notification/announcement/invitation will be issued soon thereafter when a decision is reached or, no later than 5 days after the decision has been reached. The awardees will be notified by October 18, 2013.
Award and Award Presentation
Each awardee will receive a Certificate of Distinction, a plaque, and a cash award ($500 for first place, $250 for second place and $150 for third place). The awards will be presented at OCA-WHV annual Dynamic Achiever Awards Gala on November 02, 2013 at the Doubletree Hotel in Tarrytown, New York.
The awardees will be invited to the Gala free of charge and must be able to attend. The awardees will also be recognized in the OCA-WHV newsletter.
The awards will be presented at OCA-WHV annual Dynamic Achiever Awards Gala on November 02, 2013 at the Doubletree Hotel in Tarrytown, New York. The awardees will be invited to the Gala free of charge. The awardees will also be recognized in the OCA-WHV quarterly newsletter.
Student Leadership Awardees in the past three years
2012
Cynthia Y. Luo
Rye Country Day School, NY
Marianna Y. Zhang
Hunter College High School, NY
Tiffany Jiang
Edgemont Junior/Senior High School, NY
2011
Jonathan Li
John Jay High School, Cross River, NY
Amy Wang
Horace Greeley High School, Chappaqua, NY
Jessica Liang
Fox Lane High School, Bedford, NY
2010
Tom Zhang
New Rochelle High School, New Rochelle, NY
Jiani Xu
Pelham Memorial High School, Pelham, NY
Kelly Yang
Rye Neck High School, Mamaroneck, NY
OCA-Westchester and Hudson
Valley
2013 Student Leadership Award
Nomination Form
===================================================================
To be completed by applicant:
School Name: _______________________________________________________________
Student Name:
_________________________ Grade: ___________________________
Home Address:
______________________________________________________________
Phone: ________________________ email: __________________________________
Month/Year of Birth:_____________________ Graduation Date:_____________________
Are you an OCA member or Yong OCA member? ____________________________________
Will you be able to attend the award ceremony at Double Tree Hotel in Tarrytown on November 2nd, 2013 to accept the award, if you are one of the awardees? _________________________
Applicant Name: _________________________ Signature:___________________________
Date: _________________
===================================================================
To be completed by a school official:
Please state why the student is being nominated for the OCA Student Leadership Award.
School Principal: _________________ __________________ Date: ____________
Signature PrintName
Email (for
notification): _________________________________________________________
Instructions:
- Please fill and sign the top part of the application form and ask your school Principal or district superintendant to finish and sign the bottom part of the form.
- Provide a transcript of grades and achievements from your current school.
- Summarize past and current extracurricular activities including community/public service proofs of evidence with names of organizations and references, evidence of leadership, achievements and awards.
- Provide a Written Personal Statement (in English in 200 words or less) of your higher education and professional objectives.
- 3 Recommendation letters (preferably, one by school official)
- You can either send the application package to OCA-WHV’s mailing address at: OCA-WHV, c/o Student Leadership Award Committee, P.O. Box 541, White Plains, NY 10602, or scan and save all material to a PDF
file and email it to: SLA.OCA.WHV@gmail.com - Application Deadline: Application material must arrive at the mailing or emailing address by October 4th, 2013
- Awardees need to attend the OCA-WHV Dynamic Achievers Award Banquet (admission is free of charge for awardees) on November 02, 2013 at the Doubletree Hotel in Tarrytown to receive the award.