Strength in Numbers: California Students Improve Education Access

Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Tiantian Yang. Read her story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.

Some people are intimidated by the ambition of those in Silicon Valley. Some are a bit put off. Tiantian Yang, a 17-year-old high school senior, finds motivation from it. Born in Fuzhou, China, Tiantian arrived in a place that was, in many ways, culturally different from her previous home when she was just 3 years old. She has always been attuned to the world around her, including to the traditions of her family. Not only is she bilingual, but she draws inspiration from—and strongly identifies with—her ancestors’ emphasis of the importance of education.

Amidst the global pandemic, Tiantian founded the Tap Initiative to support local and international cultural institutions and to remove barriers to education. In just a few years, the organization has grown to 11 student-led chapters across local schools whose members participate in monthly projects. They have raised over $14,000 for international partners Bajrayogini Meditation Center to renovate its water filtration system and Cambodian Community Dream Organization to support its health education program. Living in an area centered around high-level technology, sometimes, simple solutions and enthusiastic volunteers are all that are needed to make a lasting impact.

What inspired you to get started with this initiative?

I come from a Hakka family. Hakka is an ethnic group in China characterized by and known for our culture of sharing. My ancestors instilled in my family the belief that education is vital and that its acquisition can change one’s destiny.

Unfortunately, a lot of cultural frameworks and academic barriers perpetuate academic inequality, which limits students with incredible potential.

During online schooling in 2020, I did some research and found that a lot of cultural institutions depend on volunteers and donations to run. My search led me to a local temple requesting volunteers to help renovate rundown buildings for an academic center, and so the Tap Initiative started. Initially, it was just three people. I began inviting peers on weekend volunteering trips. We assisted with projects like flood restoration and clearing overgrown greenery to prepare the land for building purposes. The latter is an ongoing project.

Tell us about your volunteer role with the Tap Initiative.

I created the Tap Initiative to address educational inequality within cultural institutions. I oversee communication efforts between chapters and check in to see their individual needs and how members are doing.

I’m leading a 40-officer team and have over 250 student members from across the Bay Area who have participated in our monthly trips. Together, we do activities like landscaping, clearing overgrown land and renovating local facilities at the Fa Yun Chan temple and the Tri-Valley Native American Center. We’ve also organized archives and common rooms and transformed spaces into functioning classrooms for students.

In coordination with institutions in both Nepal and Cambodia, I’ve arranged panels where members and chapter leads can learn about the impact of ongoing humanitarian crises and how those impact educational standards and enduring conditions. We’ve held discussions on how we could best support at-risk students. With fundraising across the different campuses, we’ve also helped supply around 11,000 Nepalese and Cambodian students with study material, health care, water filters and more.

What is your multicultural night market?

Tap Into the Night, our biggest fundraiser, started two years ago and is unique to our Quarry Lane chapter. Our team hosts food vendors from around the East Bay area on our campus. We had 550 guests come out for our first year, and this year, we had 500. Our goal is to connect guests with different cultures through food while bringing attention to current educational systems through speeches.

What are your long-term plans or goals for the organization?

I’m currently working alongside our director’s team to set up additional chapters in the Bay Area. The institutions we’re currently partnered with have expressed a growing need for volunteers and funding to address infrastructure and operational needs for their academic centers and students.

What’s been the most rewarding part of your work?

It’s seeing the enthusiasm we all share. For example, I recently hosted a panel with our current international partner, the Cambodian Community Dream Organization (CCDO). In this panel, professional leaders shared their thoughts on educational standards and current circumstances in Cambodia.

Our members were able to fully share their curiosity and extroverted nature, which was really nice to see. They suggested potential projects after listening to the multitude of challenges and considerations that students and staff in Cambodia encounter. This shared enthusiasm has really become the drive behind all of our work and what makes me love collaborating.

Tell us about future partnerships, programs or events that you are excited about.

Our director’s team and chapter leadership teams are working on a documentary to share our service work and testimonies from both our leadership and institutional partners. By sharing this with the schools we have chapters with and on social media, we hope to promote both educational and cultural awareness while encouraging others to engage with our shared mission.

Why is it important for others to get involved with causes they care about?

Being involved, you’re able to actively contribute to our surrounding world and learn from collaboration with professional leaders, students and fellow volunteers. No matter who you are, your ambitions have the ability to create incredible impact.

Any advice for people who want to start volunteering?

I would encourage them to first learn about the community they’re a part of. There are so many challenges, and by learning about those first, you’ll see where your interests are.

What do you want people to learn from your story?

I want to encourage others to be open-minded about the vast and varying needs and circumstances of our world and to take action either through volunteering or alternative means like donating. There is so much to achieve, and by working together, we can find answers to problems that have yet to be solved.

Do you want to make a difference in your community like Tiantian? Find local volunteer opportunities.