Spring Break
Asian group helps to mentor adoptees
Laura Woods For The Red & Black
Issue date: 3/28/07 Section: News
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Three-year-old John Birchenall is not just any ordinary child. While his name may sound all-American, he is not.
Birchenall was adopted from China by an American couple in 2005, and his original first name is not John - it is Zhi Yong.
Wanting to expose their child to his Asian roots, Birchenall's parents became involved with the Asian Children Mentoring Program, a University student organization that pairs adopted Asian children with Asian mentors.
The primary aim of ACMP is to give these children exposure to a culture they may otherwise never know.
ACMP is the collaborative effort of Athens Area Families of China Adoption and the Asian American Student Association.
AAFCA members Dr. Dorothy Boothe and her husband Mike have two 7-year-olds - a son adopted domestically and a daughter adopted from China.
Boothe approached the University's AASA about creating a mentoring program in early 2006.
"Although my husband and I have learned much about Chinese culture, we want our daughter to have the opportunity to learn from a mentor with personal experience growing up with Chinese heritage," Boothe said. "I want all children, not only adoptees, of Asian heritage in the Athens area to have the opportunity to learn from a mentor about his or her experience growing up and attending a university in the United States."
Past president of AASA Chen Lin worked alongside Boothe to make her vision a reality.
"I hoped that this program would help the kids understand more about their backgrounds, but it was mutual for the students involved as well because I hoped Asian students at UGA would have a chance to become more involved in the Athens community," said Lin.
ACMP began as a series of programs until it became a registered student organization in November 2006.
In addition to providing mentors, the organization sponsors one community-based cultural event for the children each semester. Last semester, the organization sponsored an Autumn Moon Festival including crafts, storytelling and traditional food for the children.
Birchenall was adopted from China by an American couple in 2005, and his original first name is not John - it is Zhi Yong.
Wanting to expose their child to his Asian roots, Birchenall's parents became involved with the Asian Children Mentoring Program, a University student organization that pairs adopted Asian children with Asian mentors.
The primary aim of ACMP is to give these children exposure to a culture they may otherwise never know.
ACMP is the collaborative effort of Athens Area Families of China Adoption and the Asian American Student Association.
AAFCA members Dr. Dorothy Boothe and her husband Mike have two 7-year-olds - a son adopted domestically and a daughter adopted from China.
Boothe approached the University's AASA about creating a mentoring program in early 2006.
"Although my husband and I have learned much about Chinese culture, we want our daughter to have the opportunity to learn from a mentor with personal experience growing up with Chinese heritage," Boothe said. "I want all children, not only adoptees, of Asian heritage in the Athens area to have the opportunity to learn from a mentor about his or her experience growing up and attending a university in the United States."
Past president of AASA Chen Lin worked alongside Boothe to make her vision a reality.
"I hoped that this program would help the kids understand more about their backgrounds, but it was mutual for the students involved as well because I hoped Asian students at UGA would have a chance to become more involved in the Athens community," said Lin.
ACMP began as a series of programs until it became a registered student organization in November 2006.
In addition to providing mentors, the organization sponsors one community-based cultural event for the children each semester. Last semester, the organization sponsored an Autumn Moon Festival including crafts, storytelling and traditional food for the children.
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