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November 24, 2006 Vol. 77, no. 14F Season of giving
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| RACHEL SHAFER PHOTO |
Kenny Leu, ME senior
Berkeley Project, finance director
Kenny Leu knows it’s difficult for students to dedicate a slice
of free time each week to help out in the community, so he, along with
other students, organized Berkeley Project, a new one-day event that
lined up 1,300 students to do a day of community service on November
11. Students did everything from clean up city streets to assist senior
citizens. Leu raised $13,000 for the event and says he’s more
confident now interacting with different people. “Look, community
service is fun, but you can learn from it too,” he says. “It’s
a great chance to do something not just for yourself, but for a lot
of people.
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| RACHEL SHAFER PHOTO |
Chi Nguyen, ME senior
Project BUILD, tutor
A tutor since he was a freshman, Chi Nguyen spends seven and a half
hours per week helping local schoolchildren practice reading and vocabulary
skills as part of Project BUILD (Berkeley United in Literacy Development),
a joint program between UC Berkeley and the city of Berkeley. Nguyen
currently tutors two children, one of whom has just arrived from Vietnam,
Nguyen’s native country. By teaching others, Nguyen has met good
friends and learned to communicate and work in groups better. “It’s
fun but also challenging,” he says. “Community service
is something everyone should do during their four years here.”
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| PHOTO COURTESY OF CAL CORPS |
Emily Novick, CEE junior
Alternative Breaks Program, director
Traditionally spring break is a time to relax, but Emily Novick views it as a service opportunity. She leads the Cal Corps Public Service Center’s Alternative Breaks Program, which sends students to volunteer in various communities while exploring local social issues. Last spring, she led a group to Biloxi, Mississippi, to clean up after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. “People shared their stories of what they’d gone through and it really impacted me,” she says. Novick, who spends five to 25 hours a week volunteering, is organizing another trip to New Orleans this spring break. “You can make a difference, even if it’s just a one-time thing,” she says. “This is a way to take your education beyond the Berkeley campus.”
Want to help others during the holiday season? Do something nice for the kids at Oakland Children’s Hospital by making greeting and get-well cards, folding origami tray favors or crocheting baby booties. The afternoon of good deeds begins on Friday, December 1, at 3 p.m. in 101 Bechtel. It is hosted by the Pilipino Association of Scientists, Architects, and Engineers; the Institute of Industrial Engineers and the Society of Women Engineers. Everyone is welcome!
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