Written by: Saanvi Shah, FCSN Voices Youth Reporter
Graphics by: Angela Zhao, FCSN Voices Graphic Artist

From a sophomore at Prospect High School to now an incoming college freshman, Karen Gong’s involvement with FCSN has not only shaped her personal growth but also has inspired her to pursue a path dedicated to making a positive difference in her community and beyond.

Three years ago, Karen first heard about the impactful work being done at FCSN through her brother, a volunteer in the organization. Curious, Karen slowly began to involve herself through smaller roles, joining the FCSN Voices newsletter as a graphic artist and volunteering at other events needing volunteers. As she interacted more with students and families, she was drawn to the sense of community, support, and care that FCSN embodies. Karen felt a strong, internal drive to contribute more meaningfully to the students, fueled by the deep connections she had developed with them. Therefore, she decided to sign up to teach dance sessions at the South Bay Family Gatherings. 

At age five, Karen Gong stepped foot into a dance studio and mastered Chinese traditional, lyrical, and contemporary dance over the next ten years. Recognizing the limited opportunities available for special needs students in the performing arts, Karen decided to use her love for dance to make a difference. However, transitioning from a dance student to a teacher was difficult, and Karen quickly faced obstacles. “When [I] first started teaching the in-person dance movement classes, it was a whole different experience since [I] wasn’t familiar with [teaching others or] the program style….” Additionally, while she initially had a partner to co-lead with her, the arrangement eventually did not work out. To overcome these challenges, Karen received much support from her coordinator, Ms. Mannching Wang, and many other adult volunteers, who helped her familiarize herself with the program as the only lead. 

Slowly, Karen developed her teaching style and a strong relationship with the students, and she began leading the classes at every South Bay Family Gathering, continuing for three whole semesters. Through her hard work and passion, the dance class became a success. She fondly recalls, “Seeing the parents and other volunteers [witness] the students picking up and actually engaging [in the dances] was a pretty big accomplishment and was very rewarding.” This experience helped strengthen her motivation to continue encouraging inclusivity and bringing joy to special needs students through dance. 

After the positive experiences she had while teaching dance, Karen highly encourages youth volunteers interested in FCSN to get involved and not be afraid to take initiative. Karen advises being confident in volunteering for something new, as you never know where your actions might touch someone’s life or create amazing memories. She finds inspiration and gratification in knowing she is positively impacting the lives of special needs students. 

In the fall, Karen will attend the University of California, Berkeley, and not wanting to leave behind the connections she made with the FCSN community, Karen plans to continue passionately volunteering with the organization.