The end of a school year brings excitement in anticipation for the summer and conclusion as exams and projects wrap up. It’s also a time to acknowledge the dedication and accomplishments of outstanding members on a campus community. The UC Berkeley Office of the Chancellor held its Awards for Public Service on May 5, 2014 to honor public service contributions of students, faculty and staff. The Foundation was thrilled to hear that the Student Group Award for Civic Engagement went to the Richmond Excellence Serving our Community (ESC) at Berkeley, with which Shinnyo Fellow, Jantsan Damidnsuren, carried out his peace and service project this past year.
Richmond ESC was described in the program announcing the awards as an organization that “supports youth in Richmond school districts who want to improve their community. Richmond ESC volunteers facilitate workshops and help youth identify issues facing their community, brainstorm solutions, and implement community service projects to address the issues. At the same time, youth learn leadership skills necessary to be effective contributing members in their community. Richmond ESC supports the City of Richmond’s city-wide volunteer initiative to address some of Richmond’s biggest challenges: violence, gangs, education, environmental restoration, and community beautification, among others. In only two years, approximately 900 youth from 13 different schools in Richmond have participated.”
Jantsan and the Richmond ESC at Berkeley focused on raising awareness and mobilizing student volunteers to address Richmond’s biggest challenges. They engaged UC Berkeley student volunteers to support young adults’ and children’s education in Richmond, while providing training for those student volunteers to ensure proper guidance and leadership development.
Congratulations Richmond ESC and Jantsan! We’re so proud of the work you accomplished during your Shinnyo Fellowship year!
For more information about Shinnyo Fellows Program, please visit this page.
For an article about the awards, check out the UC Berkeley News Center site.