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Tuan Anh Dang

Service to the Community

August 24, 2021 by Tuan Anh Dang

Tuan Anh Dang, here with his mom Huong Giang Nguyen at Crabtree’s Kittle House shortly before receiving the Rotary’s Student Community Service Award and a Rotary Scholarship.  Photo by Grace Bennett/Inside Press

My first American role model was ‘Eric’–I met him when I was just 10 and he was a lanky 19-year-old studying at UCSB. Though he might be glossed over by some as just another college student, to my English as a Second Language (ESL) classmates and me, he became our guide to the outside world. Despite not having a single language in common (Spanish, Chinese, German, Vietnamese) among ourselves, Eric still somehow managed to teach us all English. Through Apples to Apples, he gave us a basic vocabulary (and uncontrollable laughter–the universal language) that we could build upon. While trying to help us integrate into the broader community, he created one right within that class. Even after the course ended, people in that class remained some of my closest friends after elementary school and throughout middle school. We kept in contact even after some of us had to return to our home countries.

I am not sure if Eric knew that he had just fostered a dozen children and made us all feel at home in this foreign country for the first time. Inspired by Eric, I strive to pay the favor forward to other immigrant children by teaching ESL classes at Neighbors Link. In their confused eyes, I see my younger self who was equally perplexed by this odd world. Unable to communicate, there is no doubt that these children are feeling alone amongst their peers, just as I did. 

Whenever I see this uncertain look in their eyes, it just drives me harder to help these children feel like a part of the community–not apart from it. Of all the children I tutor, eight-year-old Angel is the most difficult; yet he is the person I look forward to seeing every day. When he hurls books in frustration, I gently remind him, “These are the same words I once struggled with.” I want Angel to know that I will struggle through these words again for him.

In my sophomore year, as the Westchester County representative to Youth to Youth International, a youth leadership training camp, I learned leadership skills required to organize a community-based drug prevention program that focuses primarily on middle school and high school students. I met remarkable people with incredible stories of resilience as they fought their addictions to become coalition leaders. A common thread connecting their stories is the importance of communities in overcoming these substances, whether faith-based or a group of users struggling together. My peer leaders showed me the optimism and dedication it took to maintain a community in which everyone needed to believe the goal is achievable. This belief proved to be essential during a summer internship at our local New Castle United for Youth where I organized events with the goal of creating a support network that extends to all those who seek help in our town. 

Through high school, I learned how to be someone my brother can confide to about his mental health; how to be a teacher who the children in my English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) class can expect to not give up on them, even during the most difficult readings; and how to be a non-judgmental friend who can be turned to for advice with substance-problems. 

Through these experiences, I can say that trust is not a ‘thing,’ but an action. It is a vulnerable act of giving something one values, knowing that person will take good care of it like they always had. It is the highest honor someone can be given by their loved ones–no wonder my grandma emphasized its importance so much. Trust is not a one-way street. Just like how my parents, brother, students, and peers rely on me, I am sure that they will be there when I need them. Most importantly, I can trust myself to be trusted.

“Kə’myōōnədē”, the word that would not roll off my tongue when I first came to America has now become my favorite. Whether it is in school or in town, I look for communities everywhere. After all, they are what hold us together. 

Editor’s Note: Dang was honored on June 30th at Crabtree’s Kittle House with the Chappaqua Rotary Club’s Student Community Service Award; in addition, two-term Rotary president Eileen Gallagher–who received the Paul Harris service award the same day–presented Dang with a $1000 scholarship from the Rotary for his outstanding achievement and dedication to ‘Service above Self’.

Filed Under: Inside Thoughts Tagged With: Chappaqua, community day, community service, Crabtree's Kittle House, Eileen Gallagher, English as a Second Language, Essay, mentor, Mentorship, Neighbors Link, New Castle United for Youth, Rotary Club of Chappaqua, Tuan Anh Dang, Youth to Youth International

Rotary Club of Chappaqua Honors Eileen Gallagher, Tuan Anh Dang at Annual Awards Luncheon

July 2, 2021 by Grace Bennett

Don Roane presenting Eileen Gallagher with the Rotary’s Paul Harris Service Award   Photos by Grace Bennett/Inside Press

June 30, 2021, Chappaqua, NY–Members of the Rotary Club of Chappaqua, gathered at Crabtree’s Kittle House for their annual awards presentations, honored outgoing president Eileen Gallagher with the Paul Harris Service Award and Horace Greeley High School Senior Tuan Anh Dang who received the Rotary’s Student Community Service Award. The in-person celebration brought Rotary members to the Kittle House, where the group has resumed meeting every Monday to honor community members and to plan their signature events, including Community Day, this year on September 18.

Long-time Rotarian Don Roane presented the prestigious Paul Harris service award to Gallagher, a two-term President of the Chappaqua Rotary, citing “her tremendous dedication and service to the community.” Gallagher is hardly leaving her Rotary efforts behind, however. She has been asked to work with a number of towns in northern Westchester, including Chappaqua, to create an ‘e-club’ which will meet via Zoom or in person, when desired.  “It’s an exciting chance to create a virtual club, which will fill a tremendous void in the area for those who wish to serve the community at large but whose schedule does not allow for in-person weekly meetings,” said Gallagher. “Covid has brought valuable insight into how we are able to connect over the internet, with the flexibility to meet in person when desired, and with the aim to “grow Rotary”, this will be a step in that direction.”

“There is a Wall Street e-club with members from other parts of the world, which had intrigued me,” explained Gallagher, “because of its innovative, inclusive and accessible meetings. This club will be able to fill that void in Northern Westchester.” For more information and to join, write to Gallagher, newestchesterrotary@gmail.com

Horace Greeley graduating senior (on the right) Tuan Anh Dang, here with his mom Huong Giang Nguyen, received the Rotary’s Student Community Service Award and Scholarship. Inside Press photo.

On behalf of Westchester County Executive George Latimer (a long time Rotarian), New Castle Town Council member Lori Gowen Morton presented Horace Greeley graduating senior Tuan Anh Dang with the Rotary Student Community Service Award; in addition, Gallagher presented Dang with a $1000 scholarship from the Rotary for his outstanding achievement and dedication to ‘service above self.’ 

In the opening to his “Service to the Community” essay to the Rotary, Dang relayed how vital the support of a young college student mentor/instructor had been to him when he was a child enrolled in an English as a Second Language course. It was taught, he recalled, by ‘a lanky 19-year-old’ named Eric volunteering from the University of California in Santa Barbara. Dang wrote of the friendships formed, and comradery that took shape between himself and his classmates during that time.

“Despite not having a single language in common (Spanish, Chinese, German, Vietnamese), Eric still managed to teach us all English,” Dang stated. “While trying to help us integrate into the broader community, he created one right within that class. Even after the course ended, we all became proficient; the people in that class became some of my closest friends after elementary school… I’m not sure Eric knew that he had just fostered a dozen children and made them all feel at home in this country for the first time.”

“I strive to pay the favor forward to other immigrant children by teaching ESL classes at Neighbors Link. In their confused eyes, I see my younger self who was equally perplexed by this odd world.”

In his sophomore year of high school, Dang was chosen as the Westchester county representative to the Youth to Youth International Conference, a youth leadership drug prevention program. That experience was instrumental to embarking on summer internship with the New Castle United for Youth, a local coalition for whom Dang helped organize events “with the goal of creating a support network that extends to all those who seek help in our town.”

With a new incoming president Marlene Canapi on board beginning July 1, Rotary members are planning the comeback date of Saturday, September 18, for Chappaqua’s annual Community Day, canceled last year due to Covid. To keep up with Community Day plans and all Rotary activities in Chappaqua, visit Chappaqua Rotary Club | Facebook

Filed Under: Cover Stories Tagged With: Eileen Gallagher, George Latimer, Neighbors Link, New Castle, Paul Harris Award, Pay it Forward, Rotary Club of Chappaqua, Service Above Self, Student Community Service, Tuan Anh Dang, Westchester County

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