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Recent Events
AAPI DAY
AAPI DAY
On May 4th, CAPA MC-GNG participated in the AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) Day celebration held in the cafeteria of Seneca Valley High School. The large space was filled with a vibrant mix of cultural booths and community organizations.
The event featured numerous stands showcasing various Asian cultures through interactive activities and displays. In addition to cultural exhibits, local organizations such as the Montgomery County Recreation Department and the Montgomery County Crisis Center were also present, offering resources and information to attendees.
CAPA had two tables set up. One table was dedicated to a plant sale fundraiser, featuring items such as lettuce, eggplants, Chinese cilantro, and tomatoes. A price board was displayed to inform visitors of the cost of each plant. The second table hosted an engaging activity involving a spinning wheel numbered 1 to 12 and Jackpot on the left side of the table. Depending on the number landed on, participants answered a corresponding trivia question and won prizes such as candy, refrigerator magnets, or reusable shopping bags but if they got Jackpot they could get all three prizes. The purpose of the reusable plastic bags was to encourage our zero hero plastic recycling initiative. On the right side of the table we had an AI chatbot on a computer that could detect the emotion of the person chatting with the computer. I also sent out palm cards to passersby and they all thought that plastic recycling was a great idea and that they would do it.
At the front of the cafeteria, a stage showcased a variety of cultural performances, entertaining guests with traditional dances and music. Several Asian-owned food businesses utilized the cafeteria kitchen, including Peter Chan, Hello Vietnam, Anna Sudha Community Kitchen, and The One Cake, offering delicious cuisine to attendees.
Throughout the event, raffles were held, adding an extra layer of excitement. Participants eagerly listened for their numbers to be called and celebrated joyfully when they won.
Overall, the AAPI Day celebration was a lively and enriching event that brought the community together to enjoy culture, food, and fun.
Video Contest Award Ceremony
Video Contest Award Ceremony
The Award Ceremony for the Plastic “Zero Waste” Public Service Video Contest is Held with Great Ceremony
CAPA-MC Growing and Giving Club, Eunia Zhang reported
On March 16th, last Sunday, the Growing and Giving Club under CAPA-MC held the award ceremony for the Plastic “Zero Waste” PSA Video Contest at the multifunctional hall of Winston Churchill High School. Many of the award-winning students, along with their family and friends, attended the event. The ceremony was also attended by guests from various fields and representatives of the contest's judges.
At the beginning of the award ceremony, the student leaders of the club played video messages from Ms. Julie Yang, President of the Montgomery County Public Schools Board of Education, and Ms. Kate Stewart, President of the Montgomery County Council. Both of them highly praised the contestants for their attention to the plastic bag pollution issue in Montgomery County and their enthusiasm for protecting the community environment. Ms. Julie Yang also prepared certificates awarded by the Montgomery County Board of Education for each of the winning students.
Ms. Lily Qi, Maryland delegate of District 15, also took time out of her busy schedule to attend the award ceremony and deliver a speech. She praised the participants for their concern for the community, introduced Maryland's efforts in environmental protection policies and projects, and called for more young people to engage in environmental protection actions. In addition, Montgomery County Community Project Manager Jake Adler, senior TV producer and host Ms. Li Feng, Chief Correspondent of Yuan Media Ms. Yin Pingping, CEO of Belem Therapeutics Dr. Frank Zhang, CAPA-MC President Ms. Xu Peng attended the ceremony and presented awards to the winners. The club's current president, Nathan Tian, and the founder of the "Zero Waste" project, Kenneth Shue, hosted the ceremony.
The entire award ceremony process went smoothly. After the winners of each age group were announced, their winning works were played on site, earning rounds of laughter and applause. The First Prize winner in the adult group was Ms. Ma Jihong. She wrote lyrics about plastic recycling to the tune of an old song and performed the song in the video, telling everyone types of plastic bags and films can or cannot be recycled. The First Prize winner in the middle school group was Alice Zhao. Her video, filmed in beautiful nature, features her dressed as a white-bearded zoologist. She educates the audience not to litter plastic trash by showing discarded plastic bags found in the woods and streams can harm birds and small animals. The First Prize winner in the high school group was Aidan Jones. His video, titled “Recycle Plastic Films in Montgomery County” uses rich data and interesting animations to show how to properly recycle plastic bags and films at home. Other award-winning works also had unique features, with the Second Prize winner in the high school group, Eunia Zhong, using purely handmade animation to present the theme, while another group used a humorous little skit. All the entries were very creative, with unique and diverse ways of presentation.
After the award ceremony, the winners posed for photos with their certificates and prizes, along with the award presenters. The prizes for this competition included environmentally-themed items such as home hydroponic growing systems, vegetable planting beds, compost bins, outdoor water filters, and more. Finally, the members of the club gave a detailed introduction to the “Be a Zero Hero” project. Many attendees expressed their intention to take immediate action and start recycling plastic bags and plastic films at home. Let’s work together to protect the environment we live in and make Montgomery County and Maryland’s water clearer and the skies bluer!
塑料“零零弃”公益视频大赛的颁奖典礼隆重举行
- CAPA-MC爱心园艺俱乐部Eunia Zhang 供稿
3月16日，上周日， CAPA-MC旗下的爱心园艺俱乐部在Winston Churchill高中的多功能厅举办了塑料“零零弃”公益视频大赛的颁奖典礼。许多获奖的学生们和他们的亲朋好友兴致勃勃地参加了活动。俱乐部邀请的来自各界的嘉宾和大赛的评委代表也出席了典礼。
颁奖典礼一开始，俱乐部的学生领导就播放了蒙郡公校教委主席Julie Yang女士和蒙哥马利县议会主席 Kate Stewart女士发来的祝贺视频。她们都高度赞扬了参赛者对蒙郡塑料袋污染问题的关注和保护社区环境的热情。Julie Yang女士还为每位获奖学生准备了由蒙郡教育委员会颁发的奖状。
马里兰州第15选区代表齐丽丽女士也在百忙之中出席了颁奖典礼并发表了讲话，她称赞了参赛者对社区的关心，介绍了马州在环保政策和项目上的所做的努力，并呼吁更多的年轻人投身环保行动。另外，蒙郡社区项目经理Jake Adler、资深电视制作人和节目主持人李峰女士、源媒体首席记者尹平平女士，Belem Therapeutics公司CEO Dr. Zhang、CAPA-MC主席许鹏女士等出席了会议并为获奖者颁奖。俱乐部现任主席Nathan Tian和“零零弃”项目创始人Kenneth Shue主持了典礼。
整个颁奖过程非常流畅。来自成人组、初中组、高中组的鼓励奖、三等奖、二等奖、一等奖的获奖人被依次宣布后，他们的获奖作品在现场播放， 收获了阵阵笑声和掌声。成人组的一等奖获得者是马继红女士。她用一首老歌的旋律创作了有关塑料回收的歌词，并在视频中边唱边演，告诉大家什么样的塑料袋可以或不可以回收。初中组的一等奖获得者是Alice Zhao。她的视频拍摄于美丽的大自然中，她扮作一个白胡子的动物学者，通过在树林和小溪中发现的丢弃塑料袋教育观众不要乱丢塑料垃圾，保护鸟类的小动物。高中组的一等奖获奖者是Aidan Jones。他的视频名为“在蒙郡正确地回收塑料薄膜”，用丰富的数据和有趣的动画展示了如何在家庭中正确回收塑料袋和薄膜。其他的获奖作品也都各有特色，高中组的二等奖获奖者Eunia Zhong 采用了纯手工动画的方式来展现主题，而另一组获奖者采用了幽默小戏剧的方式。所有的参赛作品都非常有创意，展现方式独特而多样。
颁奖典礼结束后，获奖者们手捧奖状和奖品，与颁奖嘉宾们一起合影。这次比赛的奖品包括家庭水培种植系统、蔬菜种植床，堆肥小桶、户外水过滤器等以环保为主题的物品。最后，俱乐部的成员们还向与会者详细介绍了塑料“零零弃”项目。很多人表示会立刻行动，在家中开始回收塑料袋和塑料薄膜的行动。让我们一起保护我们生活的环境，让蒙郡乃至马州水更清，天更蓝！
Year End Party Summary
On Saturday, December 14, 2024, the CAPA-MC Growing and Giving Club hosted its End of the Year Party/Meeting both for student and adult members. It was held in Rockville, MD. During the party, student leaders reviewed events and accomplishments in 2024 and shared plans for the upcoming year of 2025. In the spirit of celebration, the party was held in a potluck style, allowing attendees to enjoy dishes together, followed by a raffle, and fun games to celebrate the holiday season.
2024年12月14日，CAPA-MC爱心园艺俱乐部在马州洛城举办了年终庆祝聚会。会上，俱乐部的学生领导们回顾了2024年俱乐部所举办的活动和所取得的成果，同时也分享了2025年的活动计划。每个俱乐部成员家庭都带来了自己的拿手好菜。大家一边吃一边聊，中间还穿插了抽奖环节，其乐融融。最后，大家还玩了有趣的游戏，在欢笑声中庆祝节日季的到来。(Written by Eunia Zhong)
Donating Plastic Bench to Richard Montgomery High School
On 11/25/2024 at 1:30 PM, a group of students from the CAPA-MC Be a Zero Hero club visited Richard Montgomery High School to donate a bench made from recyclable plastic bags. This bench was awarded to the club by NexTrex Co. in recognition of their passion and effort in promoting plastic recycling. The student leader of the club initiated the Be a Zero Hero plastic bags and film recycling project on January 1, 2023. The project was driven by concerns about the growing issue of plastic pollution and a desire to make a positive change in the community.
Since plastic bags and films are not included in Montgomery County's recycling system, Zero Hero club members have collected nearly 2,000 pounds of plastic bags (roughly 150,000 bags!) over the past two years. All of these have been donated to NexTrex Co., a leader in creating composite products from recycled plastic films.
Richard Montgomery High School (RMHS) was instrumental in helping us reach our 1,000-pound recycling goal last year. To recognize this partnership, we invited the principal of Richard Montgomery High School, Ms. Alicia M. Deeny, and the administrative secretary in charge of the school's green team, Miss Laura M. Hermansdorfer, to participate in the bench donation ceremony. They praised our club's efforts and expressed their appreciation for the students' commitment to the community. They also asked for the students' names and schools, encouraging them to promote this meaningful initiative at their respective schools.
The students who participated in the donation event are from several Montgomery County public schools. They are: Kenneth Shue, Nathan Tian, Justin Jiang, Kylie Zhang, Alice Wei, Sophie Shen, Jason Yao, Sky Zhang, and Melody Zhou. They will continue promoting plastic recycling and expanding the Be a Zero Hero program to their schools. They hope everyone will take action to start recycling plastic bags and films at home, at school, at work, and beyond. Together, we can make Montgomery County a better, greener place.
2024年11月25日下午，CAPA-MC爱心园艺俱乐部的学生成员们访问了理查德·蒙哥马利高中（Richard Montgomery High School），向校方捐赠了一张由可回收塑料袋制成的长椅。这张长椅由NexTrex公司授予爱心园艺俱乐部，以表彰俱乐部在推动塑料回收方面的热情和努力。2023年1月1日，出于对日益严重的塑料污染问题的关切，俱乐部的学生领袖发起了名为“塑料零零弃”（Be a Zero Hero）的塑料袋及薄膜回收项目，希望通过多方面的行动为社区带来该领域的积极变化。
由于塑料袋和薄膜不包含在蒙哥马利郡的回收体系中，爱心园艺俱乐部的成员们承担起了收集塑料袋和薄膜的任务，在过去两年里共收集了近2,000磅的塑料袋（大约等于150,000个塑料袋）。所有这些塑料袋都已捐赠给NexTrex公司，该公司是一家致力于将回收塑料袋制成复合产品的龙头企业。
理查德·蒙哥马利高中在帮助俱乐部实现去年的1,000磅回收目标方面发挥了重要作用。为了表彰和深化这一合作关系，俱乐部邀请了该高中校长艾莉西亚·M·迪尼女士（Alicia M. Deeny）和负责学校绿色团队项目的行政秘书劳拉·M·赫尔曼斯多弗女士（Laura M. Hermansdorfer）参加了长椅捐赠仪式。在仪式上，她们称赞了俱乐部的努力，并对学生们为社区所做的贡献表示了感激。她们一一询问了参与捐赠仪式的学生们的姓名和所属学校，并鼓励他们也在各自的学校推广这个有意义的活动。
参与此次捐赠活动的俱乐部学生来自蒙哥马利县多所公立学校。他们分别是Kenneth Shue、Nathan Tian、Justin Jiang、Kylie Zhang、Alice Wei、Sophie Shen、Jason Yao、Sky Zhang 和 Melody Zhou。他们表示将继续致力于推广塑料回收，并将“塑料零零弃”项目扩展到他们自己的学校。俱乐部也呼吁每个人都能采取行动，在家里、学校、工作场所等地开始回收塑料袋和薄膜。我们携手努力，一定可以让蒙哥马利郡变得更加美好、更加绿色。
CAPA National Youth Leadership Contest
Our club’s “Be a Zero Hero” project received the Gold Award at the CAPA National Youth Leadership Contest on October 12, 2024. The contest showcased youth’s initiative and leadership in four categories, community service project, civic engagement project, entrepreneurial business plan, and open mic performance. Since the launching of the project in January 2023, the project has mobilized members of the Chinese community in Montgomery County through educational outreach events and has set up about twenty collection sites in places like schools, churches, senior centers, and community centers. In total, the project has collected more than 1,800 lbs. of plastic bags and films, which otherwise would have ended up as trash in landfills and polluted waterways.(Written by Nathan Tian and Eunia Zhong)
Rockville Science Center STEM Day
On October 12, 2024, our club, CAPA-MC Growing & Giving Club, participated in the Rockville Science Center’s Community STEM Day as an exhibitor. We introduced our “Be a Zero Hero” plastic bag and film recycling program to visitors, teaching them about the particular kind of plastic waste we are looking for and how they can collect and recycle it properly. Visitors showed a lot of interest in our program because many of them used to only know to recycle plastic containers by placing them in the bins provided by Montgomery County. At the event, they learned for the first time that plastic bags and films can be recycled into composite materials to make items such as benches and decks. Our club members gave out many instructional palm cards which teach visitors how to collect and recycle accordingly. Many people said that they would follow through on the instructions. (Written by Nathan Tian and Eunia Zhong)
Be a Zero Hero at MCPS Back-to-School Fair
Be a Zero Hero at MCPS Back-to-School Fair
Be a Zero Hero at MCPS Back-to-School Fair (English Version) - Written by Justin Jiang
On Saturday, August 24th, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) hosted its annual Back to School Fair at Westfield Mall in Wheaton, Maryland. The fair aims to share county educational organizations, programs, and opportunities with families. It also contains kid's activities, music, and a free vaccine clinic. Our club, the CAPA-MC Growing and Giving Club, participated in the fair to promote plastic recycling, connect with the community, and advertise our club.
We actively approached attendees at the fair, helping them distinguish which kinds of plastic would be collected by Montgomery County, and what types would not. Plastics that are not recycled by the county should be dropped off at stores such as Giant and Safeway. Some people were already knowledgeable about recycling while others appreciated our tips and information we provided.
Our club members’ efforts received wide attention as more and more people gathered around. One parent even inquired if his kid could join our club to help promote plastic recycling. Some environmental organizations also showed interest in our mission. For instance, we had a productive talk with a member of Compostology, a youth organization focused on climate change, discussing potential cooperation. Our efforts also caught the attention of reporters. A reporter from Montgomery County Media (mymcmedia.org) interviewed us to learn more about our club and our mission. (click to read more)
Our message quickly spread within the fair. Toward the end of the fair, when event volunteers were cleaning up, many of them eagerly came to our stand with plastic tablecloths asking us to recycle them. This sparked a ripple effect, as more people followed their lead, a few people even took the plastic tablecloths out of trash piles and gave them to us. In the end, we collected 21 pounds of plastic, keeping it out of the trash.
The CAPA-MC (Chinese American Parent Association – Montgomery County) Growing & Giving Club was formed by a group of middle and high school students in MCPS who are passionate about healthy living and environmental protection.
A significant part of our focus has been tackling the major issue of plastic pollution. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the average United States citizen generates around 487 pounds of plastic waste annually, increasing the size of landfills and polluting our watersheds. Since plastic bags and films are not typically recycled, they contribute significantly to this problem. Nowadays, microplastics are found everywhere: in the ocean, in local watersheds, in sea creatures, and even in the food we consume.
Concerned about this issue and seeking positive change, our club’s student leaders initiated the “Be a Zero Hero” plastic bags and film recycling project on January 1, 2023.
Since the project’s launch, over the past year and half, we have hosted 40 outreach events and reached over 6,000 people within the community, thanks to the efforts of over 100 wonderful volunteers.
We encourage MCPS students to take action today, join us to protect the health of the Chesapeake Bay watershed together!
塑料“零零弃”- 蒙郡公校学生在行动
CAPA-MC爱心园艺俱乐部Justin Jiang报道
8月24日星期六，蒙哥马利郡公立学校系统（MCPS）在Wheaton的Westfield Mall举办了一年一度的新学年开学博览会。此次博览会旨在向全郡的居民和家庭介绍郡内的教育机构、项目和机会。博览会还包含有儿童活动、音乐演出和免费的疫苗接种服务。我们的俱乐部——CAPA-MC爱心园艺俱乐部，也参与了此次博览会。在会上，我们大力推广塑料回收项目并主动与社区建立联系，很好地宣传了俱乐部的使命。
我们积极接触前来参加博览会的居民，帮助他们区分哪些种类的塑料可以被蒙郡回收，哪些不能。我们让大家知道那些郡里不回收的塑料应当送到Giant或Safeway等商店回收。有些人表示已经对回收有一定了解，更多的人则感激我们提供的建议和信息。(点击链接查看详情)
随着越来越多的人聚集在我们的展位前，我们俱乐部成员在现场的努力得到了广泛的关注。一些家长甚至询问他们的孩子是否可以加入我们的俱乐部来帮助推广塑料回收。一个环保组织也对我们的使命表示了兴趣。例如，我们与专注于气候变化的青少年组织Compostology的成员进行了富有成效的交流并讨论了潜在的合作机会。我们的行动还引起了记者的关注。一位来自蒙郡官方媒体（mymcmedia.org）的记者对我们进行了采访，对我们俱乐部推广的塑料回收项目有了更多的了解。
我们的有关减少塑料废弃物的呼吁在博览会上迅速传播。博览会接近尾声时，活动志愿者开始清理现场，他们中的许多人兴奋地拿着收集好的塑料桌布来到我们的展台，交给我们回收。这引发了连锁反应，更多的人效仿他们的举动，甚至有几个人从垃圾堆里“救出”塑料桌布交给我们。活动结束后，我们汇总了收集到的塑料废品，居然有21磅之多，有效避免了这些塑料被丢弃在垃圾桶中的命运。
CAPA-MC（蒙郡华裔家长会）名下的爱心园艺俱乐部（Growing & Giving Club）是由一群在蒙郡公校系统（MCPS）就读的中学生和高中生组成的，他们对健康生活和环境保护充满热情。
俱乐部重点关注的一个问题是塑料污染。根据经济合作与发展组织（OECD）的数据，美国平均每位公民每年产生约487磅的塑料废物，这不仅增加了填埋场的负担，还污染了我们的水源。由于塑料袋和薄膜通常不被回收，它们对环境的影响尤为显著。如今，微塑料几乎无处不在：在海洋中、在本地水域里、在海洋生物体内，甚至在我们吃的食物中也能找到。
出于对这一问题的关注和寻求积极改变的愿望，我们俱乐部的学生领导者们于2023年1月1日发起了“零零弃”塑料袋和薄膜回收项目。
自项目启动以来，在过去一年半的时间里，凭借超过100余名优秀志愿者的努力，我们已举办了40场宣传活动，让6000多位社区成员了解到了这个项目。
受到成功的鼓舞，我们的目标是将这一项目扩展到更多社区，影响更多人。我们鼓励MCPS的学生们今天就采取行动，加入我们的行列，共同保护Chesapeake Bay流域的生态健康！
Be a Zero Hero & Healthy Living Event
Be a Zero Hero & Healthy Living Event
On June 16, 2024, the CAPA Growing and Giving Club and the CAPA THRIVE Club participated in a collaboration event at Black Hill Regional Park. Guest speakers from The Natural Way of Living were invited by the THRIVE Club to lead participants in “miracle walking,” meant to facilitate calmness and connection with nature. Students from the Growing and Giving Club then discussed the significant progress of the Zero Hero Initiative, an ongoing plastic film collection program initiated at the start of 2023. After the presentation of awards for contributions to the G&G Club and the THRIVE Club photography competition, participants enjoyed a picnic and competed in friendly games to celebrate Father’s Day.
Written by Kenneth Shue
Community Garden (5/25)
Community Garden (5/25)
On Saturday, May 25th, members of GxG went to the community garden to help out. There, from 9-12 AM, we cleared out the weeds that had been accumulating, planted new plants, and harvested some lettuce and celtuce. We then drove to CCACC, a senior home, and donated everything we harvested to the seniors. It was very rewarding seeing their smiles when they saw the product of our hard work!
click to read more
When we returned back to the garden, we got surprised by a garden snake that was sitting under a piece of cardboard. We struggled to catch it, but finally one member grabbed it by the tail and put it in a bucket. To our surprise, it threw up a frog! It was really cool to see nature at work. At the same time, we were hosting a plant sale to the other people working and walking in the community garden to sell some extra plants, which was also a success. Overall, it was a very fulfilling day!
Written by Daphne Wen
On Saturday 5/25/24 we gathered up all of our 莴笋 and most of the ripe lettuce to CCACC. We arrived at 8 o'clock and started getting rid of weeds and harvesting the vegetables. There were a lot of weeds but my mom bought some new garden tools which helped a lot. Once Jihong arrived she had brought some seedlings for us to sell. We sold a lot of plants and decided to go to the senior center shortly after. We loaded all the vegetables that we were going to give onto my moms car. Sky, Jihong, Daphne and 2 other girls went to CCACC. When we arrived the staff had already set up 2 carts for us to put the vegetables on. Once we put the vegetables on the carts we walk over to the main event to talk and make a short announcement about the vegetables. At the time they were playing bingo and the staff decided it would be a good idea to use the vegetables as rewards. It felt good to donate the plants to people.
Written by Nathan Tian
On Saturday, May 25, from 9-11 AM, I was at the Growing & Giving Club’s community garden to help out. I brought my bitter melon seedlings to plant in our garden and Italian pepperoncini seedlings to sell to the community. I’ve been gardening for a long time with my family and still do after joining the club, but this was my first time providing my seedlings for the club. I was glad to be able to provide bitter melon seedlings because they are hard to germinate and take care of and I have learned through a couple years of growing them. Since I’ve been growing bitter melons for a while now, I used my own seeds from previous years. This time they were specifically for our club along with the hot peppers, which I received seeds from the club to cultivate. I took pictures of them often to track their progress and fell into a routine of watering them, moving them, and documenting their growth. However, I did eventually stop taking pictures because they were getting too large for the same format. After the first few weeks, I took them outside to harden them. Although they were a little vulnerable in the beginning, with a couple leaves wilting, I was able to train them under the sun, shade, and rain. This would eventually prepare both my peppers and my bitter melons to be put into the garden. On this day, I planted 3 of my 5 bitter melon seedlings into the soil at the community garden. I hope they can grow bitter melons so that our club and the community that we donate to can enjoy them.
Written by Eunia Zhong
MCPS Safety Day
MCPS Safety Day
On May 11th, we arrived at a huge parking lot next to the Montgomery college campus. We walked around and I could already see there would be a lot of cool things going that day. After walking around for quite a while we managed to find our booth. There were many volunteers wearing yellow T-Shirts asking us if we needed help. When we arrived at our booth, we started setting up using and putting posters up. I also set up a little stand for the plants I was going to sell for the club. The booth next to us was very nice and gave us some of their pedestrian safety bags that you could tie around your waist like belts. I decided to go to their booth and they told me I could try driving a car in virtual reality. It was my first time using a VR headset and it was very funny. The VR game was to look at the pedestrians long enough to get a point. In total there were 10 pedestrians you had to stare at. It was very fun but my eyes hurt afterwards. It felt weird after putting on the Headset but nonetheless I went back to our booth and realized the time was 11:30 which was the official time of the safety day.
When I got back we were given a stamp. This stamp was for the passports we had to stamp. If someone had the passport fully stamped there was a raffle for a bike. We had candy for kids as well, we also taught people about recycling plastic. At 12 one of the adults at our booth went to go get pizza for us.
Written by Nathan Tian
Arthur Sherwood Field Trip
Arthur Sherwood Field Trip
On Monday, April 22nd, we woke up really early so we could get to Arthur Sherwood Environmental Education Center. It was the last exit before the Bay Bridge. We went through a forest and it was as obvious as last time when we went to the Philip Merrill Chesapeake Bay Headquarters. When we arrived we went on a rocky path and we were supposed to park in front of a cabin. We passed the cabin unknowingly but we got to see a big chicken coop with a duck in it. When we finally drove back to the Cabin we noticed that some of the other members from G&G had already arrived.
Soon the instructors arrived; Jeff, Camelia and Tiffany, who was our captain for the day, arrived. They guided us to the bathrooms because we would be on a big boat the whole day. The bathrooms were a 2 floor building. It looked a lot like a watchtower. The top floor were the stalls and the bottom were the urinals; it was all eco-friendly. The only water used was a foot pumped sink that collected the water you used to wash your hand. After everyone finished going to the bathrooms we went towards the dock and got our life jackets.
We went on the boat and we drove around the creek. We played observation bingo and we found everything. We also did a water observation activity, where we had to look, smell, feel and eventually taste the water. Afterwards, we did some water purity tests and turned out the salinity was pretty low because the salt and freshwater did not mix. So all the freshwater was hanging at the top. The water clarity was fair as we could see the disc as far as 85 cm below the water.
Following that, we put out a net to see what was in the water. We drove around the creek and after a while we decided to pull it out. But we struggled to pull it out because Jeff had found out we had found a log in the net. Jeff and Tiffany finally got the log out of the net and we got to see the fish we caught. Most of the fish were injured and that was probably due to the log. We caught a hogchoker, some anchovies, a croaker, a shrimp and a crab.
After we let the critters back into the water, we had lunch while we headed towards the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. I had never seen the bridge from this perspective and this close. After we finished lunch we decided to check the water oxygen levels and it was good. The oxygen was above the dead zone levels which is a good thing.
After driving around the Bay Bridge for a while, Tiffany decided to let us drive the boat around. We all had a lot of fun driving the boat around. When we were almost there we cleaned the boat using the water, some students hauled up water in buckets, and others scrubbed the whole boat. We got back to the dock and gave gifts to the instructors as a way of thanking them for that day. After we got off the boat some of the kids tried to use nets to catch fish. Overall, we had a really fun time on this trip!
written by Nathan Tian
Rockville Science Day
Rockville Science Day
On April 21st, GxG was invited to the Annual Rockville Science Day. There, members introduced and explained the plastic bag recycling project, as well as the relevant scientific knowledge of plastic recycling. They also gained lots of scientific knowledge from viewing other stands. We were happy to see a diverse range of people interested in the plastic recycling project and willing to take action to recycle at home!
MCPS Youth Climate Summit
MCPS Youth Climate Summit
On April 13th, GxG members attended the MCPS Youth Climate Summit, where GxG leaders presented and introduced younger students to our plastic bag recycling project: Be a Zero Hero! Additionally, they lead students to weave mats out of discarded plastic bags and then played a game to get the concept of plastic bag recycling into the hearts of the students. The event was a great success and the organizers and participants were very happy.
G&G Spring Garden Opening
G&G Spring Garden Opening
On Sunday, April 7th, we came back to the community garden for the first time after winter. Working together with SEEDS and THRIVE, we brought everything that we used from last year’s garden to start rebuilding the garden again. Spring had finally begun, so we decided to plant some of the seedlings we sprouted into the garden.
We started preparing the garden by tilling and weeding the dirt so that it would be suitable for plants to grow. Then, we divided the garden using string and dug trenches that surrounded the beds and filled them with mulch in order to make a path for us to step on. Then, we made a tall fence that surrounded the entire garden and assembled a wooden door. After two hours of hard work, we took a break where we taught everyone about recycling plastic films and gave out reusable saran wrap. It was great to be back in the garden and we’re excited for the new year of planting!
written by Nathan Tian
Lunar New Year Celebration
Lunar New Year Celebration
On 2/11/24, the second day of the Lunar New Year, members of the CAPA-MC Growing and Giving Club visited the Maryland Chinese Bible Church Chinese School in Rockville to join the New Year celebration and promote the plastic bag recycling project. Volunteers worked in pairs, managing three activities. The first group introduced our club and the plastic recycling project; the second group displayed real objects, conducted a brief assessment of the audience, and provided stamps; the third group distributed cotton candy. The event was highly successful. Many thanks to all volunteers - Kenneth Shue, Kylie Zhang, Eunia Zhong, Jason Yao, Alice Zhao, Linda Chen, Nathan, Janette, and parent mentors - Jun Zhou, Zhen Yuan, and Jane Shue. Club members also welcomed MCPS BOE member Ms. Julie Yang, who visited our table and took a group picture with club members.
Past Events
Seeds Starting Talk & Free Potting Workshop
Seeds Starting Talk & Free Potting Workshop
On March 2, the Growing & Growing Club, will collaborate with Thrive Club and SEEDS club to prepare fruit and vegetable seeds for the community garden. Additionally, our gardening expert, Jihong Ma, will give a talk to the club for directions and information. Light refreshments, including pizza, will be provided. Spaces are limited, so sign up using the QR code as soon as possible!
Recycling and Hiking
Recycling and Hiking
On January 1st, 2024, the first day of the New Year, our club went to the Great Falls in Bethesda, Maryland to hike the trail and pick up trash along the way. There were eight families that attended the event, 2024 New Year's Re"hike"ling Day. We brought bags and trash grabbers to collect and store the litter we found while walking along the trail. Our goal was to clean up the environment, educate people about our plastic recycling program, and use this experience as a way to celebrate the new year. Before the hike, student leaders of the club gave a brief talk about the plastic recycling program to new club members and other participants. They used some examples of plastic (bags and films) to teach others how to recycle plastics properly. Our club's new year resolution is to reach as many people as possible in our community and collect 1,000 lbs of plastic bags and films.
Holiday Season Recycling
Holiday Season Recycling
The holiday season is quickly approaching and the shopping season has begun! We're introducing our new holiday season recycling event! If you haven't noticed, online shopping is accompanied by a lot of plastic packaging, especially plastic bubble wrap. Please do not throw these plastic waste into a regular trash can; instead, you can collect them and send them to the special plastic bag recycling bins in the following stores. We hope that you can help to reduce plastic pollution and protect our living environment during the holiday season.
Garden Fair
Garden Fair
On December 16th, CAPA-MC Garden Club members publicized the plastic bag recycling program at the US-China Experimental Chinese Garden Fair held in Quince Orchard High School. The leaders and members did a great job of introducing the club and recycling project, and handed out lots of materials.
Assembling Chairs Made From Recycled Material
Assembling Chairs Made From Recycled Material
CAPA-MC Garden Club members gathered to assemble a bench made from recycled plastic material. The plastic bags used to create the bench was collected from our plastic recycle project and was awarded to our club. It will be donated to a community in the near future.
Garden Cleanup
Garden Cleanup
On October 29th, members of CAPA-MC Garden Club worked together to clean out the community garden in order to start off a new year. They dug out old plants and tore down fences to get ready for new fences and plants. This event was also a collaboration with CAPA's SEEDS organization; kids with learning disabilities also came to help with the garden cleanup and participated in an activity where they potted winter plants. There was also a small but warm ceremony to send off old members and to welcome the new leadership team.
Montgomery County AAPI Celebration
Montgomery County AAPI Celebration
On May 29th, CAPA-MC Garden Club attended the Montgomery County AAPI (Asian-American Pacific Islander) Celebration at Senaca Valley. They then also donated vegetables to CCACC.
Watershed Science Seminar
Watershed Science Seminar
An atmospheric scientist, Dr. Jingfeng Huang will be hosting a seminar about climate change and the Chesapeake Bay on Zoom at March 4th, 8-9:30pm.
Master Gardener Seminar
Master Gardener Seminar
A biologist and Urban Gardener, D'Anna Jensen hosted a seminar about smart planting on Sunday, February 26th on Zoom.
Zoom Meeting with Dr. Chen
Zoom Meeting with Dr. Chen
On Sunday, December 4th, at 5pm EST (2pm PDT), Dr. Xingyuan Chen hosted a zoom meeting on how watersheds are studied and modeled.
On Saturday, December 17th, Growing & Giving members held an exhibit at Richard Montgomery High School about plastic recycle and demonstrated a watershed model.
Growing & Giving members had a field trip to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation headquarters in Annapolis on October 24. Reports are published here!
CAPA-MC members attended the 2022 Montgomery County's Back-To-School Fair on August 27th at Wheaton Mall.
CAPA-MC members attended the 2022 Chinese American Convention & UCA National Youth Convention in Washington DC from July 14th to July 16th.
CAPA Annual Meeting
CAPA Annual Meeting
On June 11th, CAPA-MC Gardening Club members gathered at CAPA's Annual Meeting.
Spring Vegetable Seedling Sale
Spring Vegetable Seedling Sale
On May 21st, CAPA-MC Gardening Club members held a vegetable seedlings sale for the community. They sold tomatoes, squashes, peppers, etc. For leftover seedlings, please contact capa.gardening@gmail.com.
Zoom Meeting with Dr. Chen
Zoom Meeting with Dr. Chen
On May 8th, the Growing and Giving club members had a Zoom meeting with Dr. Chen, an Earth Scientist, for the watershed seminar. They discussed watershed related issues, and how to protect them.
Zoom Meeting with Master Gardener
Zoom Meeting with Master Gardener
On May 1st, the Growing and Giving club members had a Zoom meeting with Master Gardener D'Anna Jensen. They talked about how to create informative posters about protecting the watershed in order to educate the community.
Garden Opening 2022
Garden Opening 2022
On April 2nd, the Growing and Giving club members opened the community gardens by setting up fences, preparing the soil, and planting some seeds.
Giving Back
Giving Back
In October 2021, GGC members harvested Napa cabbages and donated 35 bags to CCACC senior center.
Assembling Chairs Made From Recycled Material
Assembling Chairs Made From Recycled Material
CAPA-MC Garden Club members gathered to assemble a bench made from recycled plastic material. The plastic bags used to create the bench was collected from our plastic recycle project and was awarded to our club. It will be donated to a community in the near future.
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