By: Diana H. Zhao
When I volunteered at the charity marathon, I thought it would just be another early morning event. I didn’t expect it to be such a fun and inspiring experience. I signed up to help out and earn some service hours, but I ended up learning how powerful teamwork, encouragement, and kindness can be. From setting up the inflatables and helping kids, I learned that helping others can be just as rewarding as running the race itself.
By Camille Hu
A charity marathon is more than a race; it’s a movement of compassion and unity. Each stride represents care, perseverance, and a desire to make the world better. Participants run not just for themselves, but for those who can’t. Behind the scenes, there are always people working hard to make the event possible. As a member of the CYOC, I volunteered to help set up at the charity marathon on October 4. It was an amazing experience filled with energy, teamwork, and joy. The event took place early in the morning, and volunteers like me helped set up water stations, hand out food, and organize activities for children. It felt wonderful to be part of something that brought people together for such a meaningful cause.
By: George Wang
On October 4, 2025, I had an amazing opportunity to volunteer at the 4th Annual MoCo CARES Charity Race, an inspiring community event hosted by So What Else and Covenant Life School. The race brings together local families, businesses, and volunteers to support children and families in need across Montgomery County.
By: Grace Yan
So What Else (SWE) 是一家 501(c)(3) 非营利组织，致力于为巴尔的摩-华盛顿地区的弱势群体提供食品救助、家庭物资和青少年项目。通过阅读、体育和艺术等课外活动，SWE 不仅改善了儿童和家庭的生活，也鼓励更多青少年参与志愿服务，带动社区形成良性循环。
By Ruichen Feng (CYOC)
On the evening of September 10, 2025, the nonprofit organization So What Else (SWE) held its first-ever “Partner & Sponsor Appreciation Event” at Silo Falls in Brookeville, MD. Representatives from 25 nonprofit and philanthropic partner organizations, along with nearly 85 volunteers and supporters, gathered to celebrate past achievements, share experiences, and envision future community initiatives. The Capital Youth Outreach Club (CYOC) attended as one of SWE’s 25 partner organizations.
By 华府青年 媒体报道组 Ruichen feng
中文校正：Joy Wu, September 2025
2025年9月1日，在这个凉爽的初秋正午，CYOC（Capital Youth Outreach Club）的第一支弦乐团——CYOC Chamber Ensemble 正式开启了首次排练。随着第一首合奏乐曲的奏响，这支由16位热爱音乐的青少年组成的乐队宣告成立，开启了他们用音乐服务社区、传播文化的全新旅程。
By: Diana H. Zhao
This year, I had the opportunity to volunteer at the Chinese Culture Festival in Washington, DC. It was an unforgettable experience that not only helped me learn more about my culture and tradition, but it also helped me connect with other people.
By: Peishi Yu
On August 30, 2025, the Capital Youth Outreach Club (CYOC) attended the annual Washington Chinese Culture Festival in Washington D.C. The festival took place on Pennsylvania Avenue between 3rd and 4th Street, and was home to many Chinese cultural events. When walking through the grounds, you could spot all kinds of activities in full swing – whether that’s live speeches and performances, people admiring art, talking with their friends, or just enjoying some good food.
By: Neil Lee
Last Saturday me and my brother had an unforgettable experience at the 2025 Washington Cultural festival. During the festival we volunteered at a tent that was doing facepainting. At the facepainting station we learned how to do facepainting and how to put on temporary tattoos. During the day, we helped paint images and put temporary tattoos on people’s faces for free. It was my first time using temporary tattoos and face paints, it was very interesting to me. At first, it was difficult for the team to apply face painting as we couldn’t get the consistency of the ink to be just right so that it will leave a mark and won’t flow to places where it shouldn’t go to, but after a bit of practice we figured out how to get the ink to stay in the pattern that we wanted. On the other hand I liked how simple it was to apply the temporary tattoos, the particular reason for this is because that to put on the temporary tattoo you just have to peel of a thin plastic layer and then put the image onto your hand / head, and you then wait ten seconds and lift of the paper and the image would be stuck to your hand.
By: Camille Hu
Diversity and cultural exchange are one of the most important parts of a country, a society, a community. At the annual Chinese Cultural Festival at D.C., different people from different background, culture, area, came together, shared their culture and embraced other’s culture. Volunteering at the Chinese Cultural Festival in Washington, DC was more than simply lending a hand; it was an opportunity to step into a living expression of culture, community, and connection.
华府青年 CYOC 
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