Ethan Zhang - Gold Award

School: Westview High School
Category: Young Adults (16-25)
Hours: 262.5

Ethan is currently a 12th grader at Westview High School. During the current year, he volunteered in many areas, including cybersecurity, chess, and various community services.

Ethan has always been interested in the field of computer science ever since his introduction. In particular, he has been interested in cybersecurity. In recent years, cybersecurity has become a burgeoning field and topic in the world among most people. This year, he organized efforts to help secure the local communitys cybersecurity; he and his team performed security assessments and penetration testing on multiple local businesses, resulting in the securing of over 7000 users private information and preventing businesses from potential financial loss. This effort is widely recognized by the media and received the Prudential Emerging Visionary award.

Ethan has also been interested in chess since his introduction. In recent years, chess in all forms has exploded in popularity among many people, and all, whether competitive or casual players, use it as a social medium. This year, he volunteered with Puddletown Chess as a board member and a coach to give chess lessons and instructions to young students of all skill levels. He gave weekly 90-minute lessons to better the skills of those who wished to improve in the sport. Additionally, he helped organize tournaments and received the Mentor of the Year Award.

Ethan also participated in a diverse range of other activities organized by OCC. He regularly participated in serving the Transition Project, a project that brought monthly homemade meals to the homeless in the Clark Center. He partook in the effort consistently to cook and serve the overlooked members of the community, helping bring a splash of color into their monotonous lives. Furthermore, he also represented the Chinese community at the annual Rose Parade.

As a member of the OCC Youth Advisory Council, Ethan is proud to use his skills and passion to help others in need. Sometimes, even an act that only affects one person makes an impact on the 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 Ethan Zhang.