Two High School Students Who Started Education Nonprofit Organization
What We Teach Children Now Will Decide What Happens in the Future
Students are the fortune tellers of the future. They will be the ones to shape and change our world in unimaginable ways. They will be the ones to directly impact the success of the world 20 years from now. One child sitting in a classroom today may discover the invention that may stop global warming altogether. Another child may discover life beyond earth. Teaching children of this generation is directly impacting our future. But what about the millions of children that don't go to school? What if one child has the potential to discover the cure for cancer but is unable to due to the lack of opportunity? That is why New Era Culture and Education Foundation's goal of supporting all students in education is so essential.
About NECEF
Founded and organized by two high school students, Emily Lu (in Palatine, Illinois) and Connie Yang (in Frisco, Texas), NECEF is a charitable nonprofit organization (501(c)(3)) that guides students on their path to success through quality education. The beginnings of NECEF took shape when the catastrophic Hurricane Harvey hit the United States. Thinking back to the event, Emily said, "I remember watching TV and seeing homes, buildings, and schools ripped apart by violent wind and rain. The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey was disastrous and when I heard that Texas had also been hit, my first response was to call Connie." Thankfully the hurricane had not reached North Texas, but Connie was also shocked at the amount of damage Hurricane Harvey had caused. "The effects of the hurricane was devastating. The news broadcasted schools ruined by the flooding water with desks, chairs, and school supplies lying everywhere," recalled Connie. Through this, Connie and Emily realized how fortunate they were to be able to receive an education. "When Emily called that night, I knew we had to help bring education to more people and create an organization that would give to those who did not have the resources for quality education," said Connie. After collaborating for over two months, they came up with the name New Era Culture and Education Foundation and their goal of creating their own nonprofit organization became a reality.
Supporting All Students in Education
Knowing that two people running an organization would not be enough, Connie and Emily expanded NECEF by recruiting more people to help achieve a lasting impact. Emily and Connie have now built their organization to around 10 people, all working to support NECEF's mission. One of NECEF's projects is to collect slightly used books and school supplies to send to under-resourced schools in the United States. Donating to Lynn Haven Elementary School in Florida, a teacher personally reached out and expressed her appreciation for the book donations because the school had been hit by Hurricane Michael, destroying many educational facilities and homes in the area. "When I received the teacher's appreciation letter, I was deeply touched because I was reminded of the purpose of NECEF and the reason that Connie and I had founded this organization," expressed Emily. Not only does NECEF donate books to schools, but they also directly help their surrounding community. In Illinois, Emily regularly leads a team of four NECEF members to volunteer at the YMCA to help with homework, games, and crafts. Realizing that they have to start small, Connie and Emily hope to build a strong foundation for NECEF in order to reach their ultimate goal of impacting young learners worldwide.
Get Involved
You can help support NECEF by sending us any old school supplies like crayons, pencils, or even books. All of these old education resources will be sent to help children in the United States receive a higher quality education. Your donation will make a difference so join us in our fight to give all students a fair chance at education. You can contact us by email for further details: necef@neweracultureandeducation.org. To find more information about us, you can visit us on our website, neweracultureandeducation.org; Instagram, @neweracultureandeducation; or Facebook page, New Era Culture and Education Foundation.