Territory’s Young Pacific Leader delegate heads up school supply drive

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — American Samoa’s representative at the Young Pacific Leaders Conference, July 18-21 in Hawaii, Mary Cheung-Fuk is hosting a school supply drive to prepare our students for the upcoming school year.

“Upon completion of the Young Pacific Leaders (YPL) Conference in Hawaii, conference attendees return home to host community service projects, also known as YPL LEADS. YPL LEADS is “a month-long event highlighting the YPL program through community service activities in the Pacific,” said Cheung-Fuk in response to questions from Samoa News.

Launched in 2013, the Young Pacific Leaders (YPL) is a U.S. government’s signature program to strengthen leadership development and networking in the Pacific.

An English Teacher at Tafuna High School Cheung-Fuk said the leadership and regional cooperation are essential to our livelihoods as people of the Pacific and for future generations. Cheung-Fuk told Samoa News as an Educator and YPL Alumna, she wanted to host a school supply drive to prepare our students for the upcoming school year.

“The beginning of the school year can be a stressful time for families financially.

“Students come from all sorts of family dynamics and sometimes they do not have enough notebooks or art supplies when they come to class. Thus, through this Drive, we hope to equip them with the resources to succeed and be excited for the new school year.

“Every child deserves to start the school year right.”

Adding that school supply shopping was one of her favorite childhood past times.

“I would look forward to new stationary items, scented erasers, and pink-colored supplies each year. It made me excited and prepared to go to school.

“This is the same excitement, I hope these students get to enjoy. I was raised by a single-working mother and I know school supply shopping is not easy on families.”

Cheung-Fuk said the School Supply Drive is a collaborative effort between the Rotaract Club of Pago Pago and the Young Pacific Leaders LEADS activity to provide new school supplies for children and youth in the DHSS Homeless Shelters and DHSS Women’s and Families Shelters, Juvenile Detention Center, and the Parents of Children with Special Needs Network (PCSN Network).  

They are collecting new school supplies until August 31, 2022. “The community may donate at the red bins located in 5 different locations or via Paypal at [email protected].

The locations are at ACE; Cost U Less; GIAS; Island Business Center and Forsgrens- Laufou.  According to the YPL website there are a variety of programs and engagements including U.S. educational and cultural exchanges, regional exchanges, and seed funding.

“The YPL seeks to build the leadership capabilities of youth in the region and strengthen ties between the United States and the Pacific.

“The YPL focuses on critical topics identified by youth in the region: education, environment and resource management, civic leadership, and economic and social development.”