A new school year brings changes to the School. One of our newest affinity and alliance groups, Christian Youth Affinity (CYA), was established this year by three sophomore students: Gemma Chin, Austin Li, and Brianna Wong. At first, Li had the idea to start a group for Christian-identifying students, or any students who wanted to learn about Christianity, and emailed Ms. Nguyen for assistance. Wong and Chin had emailed at the same time, which was separate from Li. The three were familiar with each other’s Christian background, and this led them to come together and create a group with the intention to foster a safe and welcoming space. Chin says, “I noticed some people who went to my church wouldn’t talk about their faith much, and this was one of the reasons I wanted to create CYA. We want people to have a safe space to talk about this in a smaller group.” CYA is for Christian-Identifying students, or anyone interested in learning more about Christianity. Each Friday during the club’s block in Mr. Joo’s room, the three set up a slideshow and create a bible study, including worship, snacks, and inviting anyone with open arms. Wong describes CYA as “God-centered, loving, and uplifting.” The meetings are very relaxed, and they create a safe and enjoyable environment for everyone. Looking into the future, Chin, Li, and Wong plan on doing fundraisers such as bake sales both in and out of the school around the Christmas season. CYA isn’t just about preaching their morals, but also applying their faith to the real world by giving back to help others. They want to raise money to give gifts to kids, and would love for people to help in the future to reach their goal. Students can show support by attending their meetings, volunteering at future events, and promoting to anyone who may be interested. CYA hopes that their group will continue to grow and add new members to help create a positive impact in and out of the School.
