Laura Qin - Silver Award

School: Westview High School
Category: Teens (11-15)
Hours: 77

Having grown up in the suburbs of Portland, Oregon, Laura was often sheltered from the adversities of reality. She spent her childhood primarily concerned with her academic and social well-being. However, Laura fully recognized the extent of her privilege when she spent a couple weeks in the rural fringes of China, exposed to an alternate spectrum of struggles – struggles with simple survival. On this trip, she realized a large portion of the world population still lacked access to proper healthcare. Moving forward, she started thinking of ways to give back to the less fortunate of her local community. When Laura entered high school, she started volunteering at the Cedar Mill Library every week, until she decided to direct her volunteering pursuits towards her interest in medicine. Over the summer, she obtained a volunteer position at Oregon Science and Health University (OHSU) in order to expand her knowledge about the medical field and directly help other people. Alongside volunteering, Laura is co-captain of the Westview Dance Team. She practices approximately 15-20 hrs every week, and dance has both physically and mentally challenged her. On the team, she has developed many valuable qualities like perseverance, respect, and humility. Laura’s passions have helped mold her character, benefiting both her and her community.

Oregon Chinese Coalition is proud to join the President of the United States in recognizing the volunteers who consistently take the time to make a difference in the lives of others. Therefore, it is a great honor to present the President’s Volunteer Service Award (PVSA) to Laura Qin.