BRANCHOUT! IS NOW IN BOSTON!
Fostering communities through the Port Arts Fest
SUPPORTING STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES THROUGH KEEN
An eye-opening experience for all mentors attending!
TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS
Howard County's first inperson training since COVID
pg.2
A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
a thank you for reading what is The Explorer? what does this magazine cover?
ISSUE THEME: BRANCHOUT!
what is the theme for this issue? how did we explore the theme? what did we ask?
pg.3 how have you supported your community?
SUPPORTING STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES THROUGH KEEN
TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS
pg.5 why is leadership important in society?
JOIN US TO SUPPORT A YOUTH-LED HOMELESS SHELTER!
pg.7 people across the world have different stories.
pg.10
ANNOUNCING 2023 STUDENT LEADERSHIP TEAM
what more will this new team accomplish?
pg.14
BRANCHOUT! A PROUD PARTNER OF HOWARD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM
a new opportunity for Branchout! students!
pg.18
CREDITS
the lives we've led, the stories we've read, and the memories we've yet to make
BRANCHOUT! IS NOW IN BOSTON!
pg.9 how do local competitions foster a friendly community?
pg.12
CREATING AN IMPACT: 2023 BRANCHOUT! OPENING EVENT
kickstarting the year!
pg.16
SUBMISSIONS FOR ISSUES 4 & 5
submit to our next winter and spring issues! themes and all info here
This year, the Explorer is proud to announce that we will be sharing new multicultural perspectives through interviews with students and figures from more than ten countries in the third volume of the Explorer! To celebrate this upcoming milestone, this theme centers around celebrating the program that the Explorer project is proud to work with: BranchOut!
BranchOut! is a youth multicultural movement bringing together the next generations of leaders. This volume is a collection of some of the most recent initiatives led by BranchOut! mentors.
The Explorer's mission is to explore various topics that connect all of humanity regardless of culture, border, or age. The articles shared in this magazine reflect a snapshot of the writers at a certain time, aggregating their stories and perspectives from around the world. We hope that as you read this issue, you take a moment to reflect on your own experiences that you had growing up, and think on the things that all of us around the world have in common.
Brian Zhou, Editor-in-chief David Cao Guest EditorWe asked sarah li and elibabeth li about their experiences at keen. their answer?
On Sunday, May 7th, ten BranchOut! mentors gathered at the Kilmore Center in Vienna, Virginia, and participated in an event organized by KEEN Greater DC. KEEN is a nonprofit that stands for Kids Enjoy Exercise Now and its mission is to “ empower youth with disabilities and impact volunteer coaches through participation in free, non-competitive, one-on-one programs of physical activity and fun, supporting the overall health and well-being of all participants.”
Elizabeth Li, a 10th grader at Oakton High School and a BranchOut! student leader, shared the following.
“Today at KEEN, all the BranchOut! mentors were able to pair up with a child with disabilities and all of us enjoyed the experience. The children were adorable and super energetic! Our mentors played with them on the playground and in the gym, pushing them on the swings, playing basketball, etc. Throughout the experience, all of us learned how to communicate and bond with someone without using verbal speech.”
KEEN provides several activities throughout the school year and gives students with disabilities an opportunity to exercise while providing their parents a much-needed break as many of these students need constant care and attention.
This volunteer experience greatly helped the BranchOut! students by expanding their knowledge of the worldview.
It taught the mentors how to communicate with others who might not convey their thoughts in the same way. Additionally, it helped them understand and accept people from different backgrounds and situations. At the end of the session, the athletes had a rousing round of “The Hokey Pokey” before being dismissed. From the athletes’ happy faces, it was evident that they had fun.
Below are testimonials from a few firsttime BranchOut! participants:
“Working at KEEN has been an eyeopening and new experience. I enjoyed working with Maddy, my student-athlete, and we both learned a lot about each other. By working with these studentathletes, I have learned and improved my communication skills. I definitely recommend KEEN to anybody interested!”
- Aimee Liu, 8th grade, Longfellow Middle School
We asked sarah li and elibabeth li about their experiences at keen. their answer?
“I think that going to KEEN was a very cool and unique experience. I helped a kid who was nonverbal and had cerebral palsy, and it was an interesting, but great experience He was a great kid, and we had some fun. We did some activities, and I think he really enjoyed it. I think it was an important experience for me because it helped put things in perspective and it helped us see what some kids have to deal with. Additionally, I think it was awesome to be able to create joy for a child who has had a difficult life from the start. Overall, it was an incredible experience, and I would definitely do it again.” - Jai Arora, 9th grade, Langley High School
“Volunteering at KEEN was an extremely unique and enjoyable experience. As it was my first time attending a BranchOut! event, I also got to meet a lot of wonderful team members. I learned all about communication and how it may be difficult for those with disabilities. Overall, I had an amazing time volunteering at KEEN and if given the chance, I would like to participate again.” -
Thank you to KEEN for providing us with this opportunity! Please contact us at velbranchout@gmail.com for more information!
LianhanLi, 9th grade, BASIS
“Through working with my assigned athlete, Sanjana, I was able to learn patience and communication. At first, we may not have known how to communicate well, but towards the end, we reached an understanding and had tons of fun. This experience with KEEN really opened my eyes to the people around me.” -Sarah Li, 8th grade, Longfellow Middle School
BranchOut! mentors of the Howard County Chapter had an incredible opportunity to enhance their leadership qualities through a workshop led by Dr. Joanne Zhang on Sunday, May 21 at the East Columbia Library, Columbia, MD.
Below are testimonials from some of the BranchOut! Mentors who participated:
“Participating in BranchOut! Howard County’s first in-person leadership and training session ever since the pandemic was truly an exciting experience! Being able to connect with other members I rarely have the opportunity to meet with was just one of the many benefits of the gathering. I also found the training exercises we did with Guest Speaker Dr. Joanne Zhang to be extremely unique and connecting. I think that it was a great event that allowed for members to get to know each other better, and connect with others even more outside of volunteering in programs throughout the year.” -Joshua Soong, 11th grade, River Hill High School
Dr. Joanne Zhang graciously shared her expertise, offering valuable feedback to the mentors, while also creating an environment where mentors could learn from one another.
In addition to the leadership session, the mentors had the chance to kick off the summer by familiarizing themselves with the various summer programs that BranchOut! has partnered with.
We want to thank all the mentors who attended the event, and a special thank you to Dr. Joanne Zhang for generously dedicating her time to educate and inspire our mentors.
“It was an amazing opportunity to participate in BranchOut! Howard County’s first in-person leadership workshop since the pandemic. I thought it was a great learning experience engaging in Guest Speaker Dr. Joanne Zhang’s leadership discussion and exercises. I found that I could truly grow as a leader and apply what I learned to future leadership opportunities. Not only that, I was able to meet the other mentors of BranchOut!’s HoCo Chapter. It was wonderful to meet new people and catch up with familiar faces. It was lovely getting to have firsthand experience of how welcoming the BranchOut! community is. I would definitely love to participate in another inperson workshop again!” - Jayce Zhang, 11th grade, Reservoir High School
We asked Jayce zhang to write about her experiences at the howard county training event.
The event brought together new and returning mentors, fostering team bonding through engaging activities and insightful discussions on effective leadership.
We asked Jayce zhang to write about her experiences at the howard county training event.
“The leadership training provided by BranchOut! proved very insightful and gave substance to what being a leader was. Previously, when I needed to assume leadership in a group, I was able to do so, but with much confusion as to what kind of person I needed to be. However, this training helped to ingrain the qualities of a good leader in my mind and allowed me to strive to become a better leader. The training taught us the importance of communication through hands-on activities, which demonstrated firsthand how a good leader is required to communicate well. In the demonstration, we were paired up in groups in order to guide a blindfolded person through certain tasks. In order to succeed, the guide needed to be able to communicate effectively on what the tasks in front of the blindfolded person was.” - Jeffery Xu, 11th grade, River Hill High School
BranchOut! Boston is excited to partner with a Harvard-affiliated youth shelter organization in Cambridge, which is the nation’s first youth-led homeless shelter. Seeking to support community organizations and promote cultural understanding, the BranchOut! team was drawn to the mission of Y2Y to offer programming to
Y2Y provides youth experiencing homelessness with more than just a bed; they offer a sense of secureness, resource navigation, medical and mental health care, legal services, job search support, and leadership opportunities. Student volunteers serve 2 meals a day, complete general cleaning duties, rotate laundry, and keep clothing and toiletry supplies stocked. BranchOut! Boston staff was invited to tour Y2Y’s facility on Friday, May 26th, and meet with Benjamin Gaytan Rios, the Student and Community Manager.
At any time, you can find Y2Y’s facility, which was designed with the goal to make its guests feel safe, warm, and invited, filled with guests, service providers, and student volunteers. The team works to create “sustainable pathways” out of homelessness and help guests develop skills to create successful futures for themselves Y2Y, also active in New Haven, CT, is a leader in the youth-driven solution to homelessness in the United States. They work towards this solution through advocacy, outreach, and education.
Illustrating how key Y2Y’s work is to supporting youth in the Boston area, their 39 beds make up about half of all youthspecific shelter beds in the Greater Boston Area.
Our mission at BranchOut! is to connect our mentors with opportunities to expand their perspective on social issues and deepen their empathy for those with different stories from them.
By volunteering at Y2Y, BranchOut! mentors will build connections with guests and fellow volunteers, learn more about youth-homelessness, and help Y2Y create a safe and nurturing environment for young people. We are thrilled to work with Y2Y and are in the process of developing future volunteer opportunities for our BranchOut! mentors. You can learn more about Y2Y Harvard Square and how to support their mission here. If you are interested in learning more about our BranchOut! Boston chapter, and opportunities to work with community organizations like Y2Y, please learn more about our program and application process here.
We asked branchout! about their parternships with other organizations.
“interrupt the cycle of homelessness for a generation of young adults.”
We asked branchout! about their parternships with other organizations.
BranchOut! Boston had a fantastic time volunteering at Port Arts Fest in Cambridge, MA on Sunday, May 21st. Hosted by the Community Art Center, this community-based festival features a mural competition and attracts a large and enthusiastic crowd each year. This event marked BranchOut!'s first volunteer action in the Boston area. Kudos, BranchOut!.
We look forward to our upcoming collaboration with the Community Art Center this summer!
If you are interested in joining BranchOut! Boston, you can apply here!
On Sunday, June 11th, BranchOut! student leaders met in the Vienna BranchOut! office to discuss plans for the upcoming 6/24 training event and the rest of the summer. The meeting brought together new and experienced BranchOut! leaders from across three states and ten different schools. The leadership team discussed the upcoming programs and schedules for the training event and built ideas on top of each other. Returning mentors were able to use previous years’ experiences to improve the program this year while training four understudy officers, Ava Song, Kevin Xue, Sarah Li, and Jai Arora. Dr. Wu, cofounder of BranchOut!, used the meeting to announce the new leadership team this year. These students worked as understudy officers for over a year and are now ready to step up and lead the 2023 cohort.
We also welcomed our two college interns this summer, Henry He and Ronny Gattuso, who are both rising sophomores at Syracuse University. Henry graduated from Langley High School while Ronny graduated from West Potomac High School in 2022, and they are excited to support BranchOut! this summer as a program lead and Innovator participant.
The team shared their ideas on what new actions could be done this year to boost efficiency and collaboration. Mentors also split into smaller groups corresponding to each program at BranchOut!: Tutoring, Innovator, The Explorer, and Career Panels. In these focused groups, mentors were able to consider new ideas and projects specific to each program to increase success
Thank you to all mentors who attended the event and helped BranchOut! programs kick off stronger than ever this summer.
Below are a few testimonials from the two understudy officers in the meeting:
Brian Zhou, rising 12th, TJHSST
Josh Soong, rising 12th, River Hill HS
Evan Wang, rising 12th, Montgomery Blair
Johnny Liu, rising 12th, TJHSST
Jayce Zhang, rising 12th, Reservoir HS
David Cao, rising 12th, TJHSST
Kavya Kuttuva, rising 11th, TJHSST
Richard Zhu, rising 11th, Richard Montgomery
Elizabeth Li, rising 11th, Oakton HS
David Liu, rising 11th, Virginia Episcopal School
Eric Duan, rising 11th, Glenelg HS
“The leadership meeting on Sunday was helpful and eye-opening. I learned much more about each program and met hardworking leaders from BranchOut!. Everyone contributed great ideas and a wonderful discussion. When I left, I definitely felt more assured and prepared for the start of the summer program.” -
Sarah Li, rising 9th grade, McLean High School
“Being a part of the Branchout! leadership meeting on Sunday was truly an incredible experience. Engaging with so many talented and committed student leaders, each with their unique ideas helped me deepen my connection with Branchout!. The passion and creativity demonstrated by my peers were inspiring, and I’m so excited about the positive impact we’ll make together this summer!” - Kevin Xue, rising 11th grade, Chantilly High School
how did the annual training event set branchout! up for success?
BranchOut!’s annual training and open house event took place on Saturday, June 24th, 2023 at 9 AM EST During this event, we heard from two community leaders, Mr. Vincent Yee and Ms. Mona Roy, who discussed the importance of civic engagement. We also heard from Dr. Yuhsien Wu, co-founder of BranchOut!, who gave a presentation on how to be a leader. New and returning members alike were inspired by the stories and motivation the speakers had to offer.
The training event also featured some incredibly inspirational words from Ms. Roy, who spoke to the BranchOut! mentors about civic engagement and social responsibility. She shared stories from her own life which underlined the importance of civic engagement, and how being a leader in one’s community is not just a choice but a duty. Her inspiring message empowered mentors to stand up not just for themselves but for others as well, and to act as empathetic leaders within their community.
Our training event kicked off with a presentation by Mr. Yee, award-winning author of the Clara Wu and the World of Azen book series. Launched within one year, the series serves as an example of what Mr. Yee believes our society currently lacks: better Asian representation within media. Mr. Yee hopes to inspire young adults nationwide to get involved in their community as leaders and become a role model for those around them.
Dr. Wu gave a motivational presentation on what it means to be a leader. She emphasized the idea of being proactive and branching out of one’s comfort zone and shared some of the integral values within BranchOut!’s culture. Her presentation was followed by training from the junior leadership team, who educated mentors about the various divisions of BranchOut! and trained them on proper tutoring and emailing etiquette. Mentors then split into breakout rooms for program-specific training, led by various student leaders.
how did the annual training event set branchout! up for success?
Thank you to all the community leaders, emcees, and program leaders, including Dr. Meina Liu and Ms. Cuiwei Zhao, for helping make this year’s training event a success, as well as all the mentors who attended! We look forward to a great summer with you all.
Below are some testimonies from training event attendees:
“Attending the BranchOut! training event on 6/24 was an incredible experience. It featured two inspiring guest speakers, Vincent Yee and Mona Roy, who shared their remarkable journeys and insights, motivating us to be a superhero in our own community. Additionally, I was looking forward to learning and hearing from Dr. Yuhsien Wu, who talked a little about her personal experiences and the expectations associated with being a young adult. Throughout the event, I gained valuable insight into the various programs BranchOut! offered, and the expectations associated with each one. As we transitioned to our designated breakout rooms specific to our chosen program, I had an amazing time getting to know the mentors that would be working alongside me in the Belong STEAM camp. The event was truly an amazing experience, and left me with a stronger eagerness for this summer!” - Kevin Xue, Rising 11th Grade, Chantilly High School
"Hearing from Dr. Yuhsien Wu also taught me about leadership and responsibility. When we split into different breakout groups, I joined the one for the Innovator program and was briefed on logistics and plans for the summer. We also participated in activities that helped strengthen our group bond. Overall, the event felt like a great success to me.”Sarah Li, rising 9th grade, McLean High School
“The training event on 6/24 was a great experience! I really loved getting to hear from guest speakers Vincent Yee and Mona Roy. Both inspired me to realize that anyone can be a hero through civic engagement."
how did the annual training event set branchout! up for success?
With the end of school, many summer programs have begun in Howard County Public School System BranchOut! is proud to be invited back to support three HCPSS programs, namely Black Student Achievement Program, Innovative Pathways Credit Recovery/Gear Up, and Extended School Year Academic Intervention.
This is the first year that Howard County BranchOut! mentors were given the opportunity to help with the Innovative Pathways (IP) Credit Recovery/Gear Up Program. This program offers high school credit-bearing courses in various content areas to rising 9th-12th graders who need to make up a class or require support in academics. Students from numerous Howard County high schools alternate days of in-person classes at Howard High School and online synchronous classes via Google Meet.
Three BranchOut! mentors worked at Howard High School as part of the IP Credit Recovery Program by collecting and transferring materials, mentoring students who were struggling with new concepts, and supervising student activities in the classroom. Through this experience, the mentors learned the importance of being proactive in seeking out problem-solving solutions for students who need help. Because not all students have the same mindset when it comes to learning, mentors were reminded of the need to be patient, mature, and empathetic, and to practice clear communication.
Howard County BranchOut! mentors who are volunteering for the Black Student Achievement Program (BSAP) Summer Institute had the opportunity to attend an in-person orientation on Thursday, June 22, 2023. BSAP is a summer program that allows K-9 students to accelerate in academic and enrichment courses.
how did the annual training event set branchout! up for success?
The orientation introduced the volunteers to the mission of the program and the responsibilities given as a volunteer. The tutors were also given useful tips and were taught to treat the students with care and to be patient with them. Tutors will be able to apply these tips to both their work in the program and to future tutoring opportunities. Alongside the information session, the tutors got to meet and connect with other mentors outside of the BranchOut! Community through several activities. BSAP welcomes rising juniors and seniors in the Howard County area to volunteer in the summer program, and this year over 80 student mentors are volunteering.
BranchOut! students will teach a variety of subjects ranging from math to languages. Through this experience, BranchOut! mentors will learn to adapt to a variety of student needs, and they will gain creativity skills as they formulate unique lesson plans.
We are confident that these summer tutoring opportunities will give BranchOut! mentors a chance to form a deeper connection with their community. We are proud of our student mentors for their desire and willingness to serve while expanding their comfort zone. We look forward to a productive summer!
Intervention is set to start on Wednesday, July 5th. It is a program designed to prepare students from grades K-12 an opportunity to prepare for the upcoming school year. A unique feature of ESY is that students get to learn in a personalized manner, which means the teaching style and study material will be unique to the student, allowing for their learning environment to be effective.
Both themes 1 and 2, Growing Up and Coming of Age are related to things that we've experienced in the present or the past. It's time to look to what lies ahead of all of us, which is why the theme for Issue 4 is Looking to the Future.
We keep prompts as vague as possible to encourage you to write about things that are personally important to you. However, we have suggested prompts in case you would like something you can work with. They are not required to be used and are merely a guide- we invite you to submit any work that meets our guidelines, even if you don't think it answers a prompt or the theme.
What will our world in the future look like?
What is the greatest thing not yet invented?
Where will the place you live be in ten years? In twenty? In a century?
Where you will be in the future?
How you will shape the world?
How your past has shaped your future?
If you have any questions throughout the submission or writing process, please do not hesitate to contact us at theexplorer@velbranchout.org.
All four topics this year center around our development and growth in life, whether in the past, present, or future. To wrap our theme up, we are ending with the topic of Past, Present, and Future to explore the intersection that our passions, cultures, backgrounds, and identities have on our writing and what is important to us.
For this concluding annual issue, we invite you to use any guiding prompt from prior issues this year, which can be found in this issue and the previous issue. However, these prompts are not required to be used and are merely a guide- we invite you to submit any work that meets our guidelines, even if you don't think it answers a prompt or the theme. Especially for this theme, we invite any perspective, prompt, or topic!
If you have any questions throughout the submission or writing process, please do not hesitate to contact us at theexplorer@velbranchout.org.
Submission Requirements:
Please email theexplorer@velbranchout.org with a heads up if you are working on a work for the Explorer. We would love to discuss what you are writing with you and are open to reading your works if you encounter roadblocks. Your writing should be 1000 - 1500 words for long-form content. Short-form articles of 600-800 words are also accepted.
Deadlines:
For Issue 4, Looking to the Future, the deadline for the final submission of completed work is before midnight EST on August 19th, 2023.
For Issue 5, Past, Present, and Future, the deadline for the final submission of completed work is before midnight EST on September 23rd, 2023.
We accept case-by-case submissions after the deadline. If this applies to you or you anticipate needing an extension, email us at theexplorer@velbranchout.org Email all final submissions to theexplorer@velbranchout.org
Editor-in-chief: Brian Zhou, 11th grader at Thomas Jefferson HS, United States
Guest-Editor: David Cao, 11th grader at Thomas Jefferson HS, United States
Year-Round Outreach Lead: David Cao
Journalism Lead: Kai Bian, 11th grader at McLean HS, United States
US Journalism Lead: David Sheng, 10th grader at McLean HS, United States
CA Journalism Lead: Sophia Wang, freshman at UToronto, Canada
CN Journalism Lead: Andrea Ma, China
Managing Editor: Phoebe Wang, 10th grader at Dominion HS, United States
Director of Outreach: Emma Song, 12th grader at Wootton HS, United States
Assistant Director: Rachel Ni, 11th grader at Centennial HS, United States
Assistant Director: Sophie Zhang, 10th grader at McLean HS, United States
Editor-in-chief: Brian Zhou, 11th grader at Thomas Jefferson HSST, United States
Director of Outreach: Emma Song, 12th grader at Wootton HS, United States
Assistant Director: Rachel Ni, 11th grader at Centennial HS, United States
Assistant Director: Sophie Zhang, 10th grader at McLean HS, United States
Coordinator: Kelly Ji, 9th grader at Centennial HS, United States
Coordinator: Lirui Fu, 10th grader at Winston Churchill HS, United States
Director of Journalism: Kai Bian, 11th grader at McLean HS, United States
US Journalism Lead: David Sheng, 10th grader at McLean HS, United States
CA Journalism Lead: Sophia Wang, freshman at UToronto, Canada
CN Journalism Lead: Andrea Ma, China
US Writer: Brayden Wang, 12th grader at Oakton HS, United States
US Writer: Jessica Wang, 12th grader at Thomas Jefferson HSST, United States
US Writer: Gabby Wang, 11th grader at McLean HS, United States
US Writer: Amber Gong, 10th grader at Severna Park High School, United States
US Writer: Lisa Sun, 10th grader at Oakton HS, United States
CN Writer: Zhuorong Li, 12th grader at Shenzhen MS, China
CN Writer: Julia Mindy, China
Managing Editor: Phoebe Wang, 10th grader at Dominion HS, United States
Editor: David Lu, 10th grader at McLean HS, United States
Editor: Kevin Xue, 10th grader at Chantilly HS, United States
Editor: Shuya Li, 9th grader at Marriotts Ridge HS, United States
BranchOut! is a youth community outreach program based in the Washington DC metropolitan area founded in 2015 that sponsors The Explorer. It was founded to answer the call to action by former Dean Jim Ryan of the Harvard Graduate School of Education in late 2015. Our founder, HGSE graduate Dr. Wu, answered the call to action. In a few short months, BranchOut! was created to bridge achievement and cultural gaps in the current system.
While the program began in two states with 20 students, it has since branched out to more than 150 mentors annually with volunteers from all around the United States and the world. Over the years, BranchOut! expanded to provide targeted educational services at credit recovery programs in multiple counties and states, create software to meet academic needs, and build societal awareness of modern issues through research and journalism.
Currently, BranchOut! mentors continue to volunteer at credit recovery programs, promote STEM outreach to a K-8 audience, host career/college fairs, and share the stories of teens from around the world. BranchOut! continues to develop software, with projects aiming to connect the AAPI community against the rise of anti-Asian hate and uplifting mental health.
At BranchOut!, learning is two-sided; mentors gain experience in branching out and taking the initiative to lead. Current and former mentors credit BranchOut! as the first place where they learned to take the initiative.
BranchOut!'s programs have been recognized by multiple congress members and have won the Congressional App Challenge for its work in promoting education accessibility through technology.
