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WASHINGTON -- President George W. Bush celebrated Asian Pacific American Heritage Month by presenting six individuals with the President’s Volunteer Service Award at the White House on May 10.

            The award by the USA Freedom Corps is the highest level of commendation given to individuals who have volunteered 4,000 hours or more. 

            On October 23, 1992, President George H.W. Bush signed Public Law 102-450, designating May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Current President Bush has celebrated this occasion every year since 2001, when he signed the proclamation for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

            The recipients were: Angela An, Recruitment Coordinator, SAP America, Washington, D.C.; Anna DeSanctis, Middle School student, Holy Spirit Episcopal School (Houston , Texas); Kay Hiramine, CEO, Private Sector Consulting (Colorado Springs, Colorado); Adeel Khan, Student Body president, Virginia Tech (Springfield, Virginia); Linda Uehara, retired teacher and volunteer, Learn and Serve (Mililani, Hawaii); and Jonathan Wu, high school senior, Monte Vista High School (Fremont, California).

            Angela An, Recruitment Coordinator, SAP America, Washington, D.C. Angela served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Secondary Education program in Bulgaria from 2004 to 2006. She taught English and Information and Communication Technology to students at a school in a small, remote mountain town.

Angela also taught basic computer classes and summer English courses for students and community members and helped organize a summer leadership camp for 40 youths nationwide called Camp GLOW (Girls Leading Our World). She’s now an active volunteer at a Sunrise Assisted Living Facility and helps deliver groceries for in-bound senior citizens.

Anna DeSanctis, Middle School Student, Holy Spirit Episcopal School (Houston , Texas). Anna organized the Odyssey Project, raising over $22,000 in 18 months to help start libraries at four orphanages in the China region where she was born.  She did so by hosting a school dance, asking her grandparents to encourage friends to make donations, selling her computer and video games, and contributing her allowance to the effort for a year.  The additional funds left over from the Chinese social welfare organizations were used to construct water wells in two remote villages. 

Kay Hiramine, CEO, Private Sector Consulting (Colorado Springs, Colorado). Kay launched Humanitarian International Services Group (HISG), a U.S.-based humanitarian non-governmental organization that helps find and mobilize resources to meet humanitarian needs around the world and responds to disasters and emergencies.

In 2006, HISG’s activities included more than 120 projects in 60 nations and the group donated over $8 million in humanitarian assistance. Following Hurricane Katrina, HISG’s team launched a Private Sector Operations Center in Houston that mobilized over 1,500 volunteers into the disaster zone within one month after the disaster.

Adeel Khan, Student Body president, Virginia Tech ( Springfield, Virginia). Adeel has worked diligently to reorganize Hokies United to promote school spirit and help heal the community in response to the tragic events at Virginia Tech on April 16.  Hokies United helped organize a candlelight vigil at the University, which was attended by 40,000 students, faculty, staff, and community members, and is working on charitable projects such as a memorial T-shirt campaign and a memorial concert to benefit the victims’ families. Adeel also serves as the president of his class, is a member of the Student Alumni Associates, treasurer of the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity, and is the office manager of the Collegiate Times Business Department.    

Linda Uehara, Linda Uehara, retired teacher and volunteer, Learn and Serve (Mililani, Hawaii). Linda has been working with youth, families, schools, and communities to promote and support safe and healthy lifestyles in Hawaii for over 40 years.  After 33 years as an educator, Linda retired in 2002 but continues to serve through volunteer work.  In 2003, she was appointed by Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle to serve on the Juvenile Justice State Advisory Council, a group that provides services for approximately 1,800 youths each year. As a volunteer with the Hawaii Girls Court,she co-facilitates Girls Street Smart, a life skills program for Asian and Pacific Island teenagers. 

Jonathan Wu, high school senior, Monte Vista High School (Fremont, California). After competing in a regional science fair as a high school freshman, Jonathan wondered why there were no similar opportunities for younger children. To fill this void, Jonathan persuaded a group of his fellow high school students to help him establish the Science Alliance.

The Science Alliance recruits high school honor students to work with fifth-graders from 16 elementary schools on advanced science projects.  The mentors and their “buddies” work together after school throughout the year.  At the end of the year, all of the kids share their projects at a science fair “extravaganza,” where prizes are awarded.  Now in its third year, Science Alliance is currently providing valuable science training to more than 160 elementary school students.