January 2016 – Vietnamese American Youth Alliance (VAYA)

VAYA joins California Coast Credit Union in Financial Literacy Education for Students!

January 26, 2016 Khoi Tran Comments 0 Comment

VAYA is partnering up with our amazing Tet sponsor this year and we have more to offer for the students and the community. California Coast Credit Union is offering a FREE financial literacy informational workshop for students! Everyone is welcome to come. In this short 1 hour seminar this upcoming Saturday January 30th, at the Mira Mesa Recreation Center “Crafts Room” starting at 1:30 p.m. – students will learn:

How to establish and manage credit, and improve credit

· What is a credit report and why it’s important

· Who’s in control of your money ( you or your money)?

· Ways to build your cash flow

And Much More! – Everyone is welcome, and will also a chance to ask questions to the professionals.

This is a great opportunity for students to come by and learn to be smarter about your personal finance and investing strategies. We appreciate our sponsor for dedicating their time and providing absolutely free knowledge that can go a long way for the student’s future.

Free food (Pizza)/drinks will be provided for your attendance, so it will be very fun event and we do not want you to miss out! Please check out our official Facebook invite and confirm so that we know how much food and drinks to accommodate.

https://www.facebook.com/events/464259617099890/

VAYA Announces Community and Civic Engagement Scholarship

January 3, 2016 VAYA Admin Comments 0 Comment

SAN DIEGO – After more than a decade working with high school and college students in San Diego, the Vietnamese-American Youth Alliance will be offering its first scholarship for community and civic engagement.

The scholarship is a logical next step for the youth organization, VAYA president Andy Nguyen said.

“During the past 12 years, we have developed leaders in the community and those leaders have gone on to become leaders in their industries and we feel this is a great way for them to give back to their community,” Nguyen said.

The scholarship is not academically based; rather, it is based on community and civic engagement. One of VAYA’s missions is to promote youth leadership through community development and the scholarship reflects that.

“We want today’s Vietnamese youth to be proud of not just their heritage but also of their community,” Nguyen said. “We want them to be actively involved in their community and affect positive change.”

To scholarship is open to graduating high school seniors living in San Diego who is at least 1/8 Vietnamese. There is an essay question that asks about the applicants’ community and civic engagement and their impact on the community. Students are to answer the questions comprehensively and thoroughly with as much meaningful content as they can.

Deadline to apply for the scholarship is Feb. 1. The winner of the $300 scholarship, sponsored by Smileinsight Dental will be announced at VAYA’s annual San Diego Tet Festival in Mira Mesa during the opening ceremony Saturday. We really appreciate Smileinsight Dental for their support in our education programs.

Click here for the scholarship application.

The San Diego Tet Festival dates and hours are Friday, Feb. 12, 2016, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 13, 2016, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 14, 2016, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is FREE.

Annual Vietnamese New Year Festival Celebrates ‘Spring of Love’

January 3, 2016 VAYA Admin Comments 0 Comment

[youtube width=”640″ height=”360″]https://youtu.be/dBFsDSrxs18[/youtube]

Mira Mesa – Love is in the air as the Vietnamese-American Youth Alliance presents the Spring of Love, a free city-wide Tết festival of games, prizes, food, and entertainment.

This year’s Tết festival falls on Valentine’s Day weekend, Feb. 12-14, 2016, and will emphasize the different kinds of love that we all share. For the New Year 2016, folks are celebrating the unifying love of the Vietnamese people, culture, and legacy. Following the Valentine’s theme, visitors can wish for eternal love at the spectacular wishing tree, capture photos with a romantic photo set, or purchase special roses for loved ones.

For the adventurous, there will be an authentic monkey bridge and other historical sets to take in. The Tết festival will be a host of enough interactive fun and entertainment for everybody!

“VAYA started from a group of young adults attempting to reconnect with their seemingly distant homeland. This passion grew into loving their local San Diego community and wanting to spread the rich traditions and culture that Vietnam has to offer as well as social awareness,” VAYA President Andy Nguyen said. “Since then it has become our mission to give San Diegans and Americans a culturally rich experience that expresses the love and efforts of the people. Everything we do reflects this mission and the values that make it possible.”

The festival, which attracts around 20,000 people each year, promises fun for the whole family with such activities as carnival rides and games, authentic Vietnamese food, lion dancing and firecrackers.

Free entertainment programs, such as high-quality musical acts, the Miss Vietnam of San Diego Pageant and a Cultural Village allows for direct immersion into Vietnamese culture.

Festival Dates and Hours are: Friday, Feb. 12, 2016 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 13, 2016 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 14, 2016 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free.

Vietnamese American Youth Alliance (VAYA)

Promoting youth leadership

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Month: January 2016

VAYA joins California Coast Credit Union in Financial Literacy Education for Students!

January 26, 2016 Khoi Tran Comments 0 Comment

VAYA Announces Community and Civic Engagement Scholarship

January 3, 2016 VAYA Admin Comments 0 Comment

Annual Vietnamese New Year Festival Celebrates ‘Spring of Love’

January 3, 2016 VAYA Admin Comments 0 Comment