Yiran (Cherry) Chen - Gold Award

School: Lincoln High School
Category: Young Adults (16-25)
Hours: 257

Cherry is currently a senior at Lincoln High School. This past year, her volunteer efforts were mainly centered around Mission: Citizen, a student-run and student-led nonprofit organization educating immigrants on the naturalization process through free citizenship classes. Mission: Citizen is dedicated to helping those in the Portland Metro area pass the naturalization test and become effective US citizens. As an Executive Director, Cherry leads organization-wide meetings, coordinates citizenship classes, organizes fundraising events, and facilitates student scholarships. She also actively engages with her local immigrant community through hands-on teaching. She is committed to providing access to resources for the citizenship test and fostering increased civic engagement within her community. In addition, Cherry co-leads her school’s FlockFeast club, providing groceries for Lincoln families experiencing food insecurity. She is passionate about participating in local volunteer efforts and strives to make a positive impact on 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 Cherry Chen.