Vietnamese-American Youth Excellence Award

Report about the event

Date: Sunday August 1, 1999
Time: 11:00am - 2:00pm
Place: Kim Son IV Restaurant
300 Milam Houston, TX 77002

Introduction	Keynote Speaker	Guest Speaker
Last Year Event	Sponsors	Recipients

The ticket price is $12.00/person including a sit-down luncheon

Featuring Keynote Speaker: Mr. Quang X. Pham from California
Guest speaker on Vietnamese Culture Herritage: Mr. Jeffrey Watkins

The Mayor of Houston proclaims that August 1st, 1999 be "Vietnamese-American Youth Excellence Recognition Day".   Proclaimation will be presented at the luncheon.

Picture with guests, keynote spearkers, recipients of awards and members of VCSA

Introduction

With the Annual Recruitment Gala in the first part of the Luncheon, the VCSA hopes to reach out to younger generation of the Vietnamese-Americans in the mainstream society by showing them activities and events recently undertaken by VCSA. The second part of the Luncheon will be devoted to the recognition of all Vietnamese-American high school students who graduated either Valedictorian or Salutatorian of the school year 1998-1999 in Houston area and vicinity.

Keynote Speaker
Mr. Quang X. Pham

Following a family tradition and pursuing a childhood dream, Quang chose to serve in the military. After successful completion of Officer Candidates School, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps through the Platoon Leaders Class Program.  In 1990, Quang earned his wings of gold as the Corps' first Vietnamese-American naval aviator. One month after completion of training, he volunteered for duty in the Persian Gulf where he flew CH-46 helicopter combat and support missions during Operation Desert Storm. In 1992, he participated in United Nations Operations in Somalia as part of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) aboard the amphibious carrier USS Tarawa.

During his seven years of active duty with the Marines, Quang also served as aide-de-camp for the Commanding General of the 3d Marine Aircraft Wing (MCAS El Toro, Calif.) Additionally, he was chosen as a finalist for a White House Fellowship in 1993.  His military decorations include the Air Medal, Navy & Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal and nine other campaign medals and ribbons.

Resigning his officer's commission in 1994, Quang has enjoyed a successful sales career with two of America's most respected pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms. He has supported numerous community events including Project 20, the 20th Anniversary Commemoration of the Vietnamese Refugees' arrival at Camp Pendleton and the 1997 Tet New Year Festival in Orange County. He has been profiled in many publications and his comments have been published in numerous local and national forums (C-SPAN, Los Angeles Times, Mind Extension University, Navy Times, Orange County Register, San Diego Tribune, U.S. News & World Report, Wall Street Journal, Washington Times).

A frequent lecturer, Quang inspires audiences with his timeless messages: "On Becoming an American", "Breaking Barriers and Realizing Dreams", and "Duty,  Honor and Peace." He is one of the few Americans who experienced war as a Vietnamese child and as a U.S. Marine. His genuine appreciation for freedom and the selfless sacrifices of those who served before him is often included in his talks. He has spoken to civic associations, business groups, military and veteran organizations, and university audiences. On Veterans' Day 1998,  he was the lead speaker at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Service at The Wall in Washington D.C.

Quang continued his military service in the Reserve (rank of major). He was awarded the 1997 Award for Professionalism given by the Marine Corps Reserve Officers' Association for professional, leadership and community service excellence.  He also served as a Traffic & Transportation Commissioner for the City of Mission Viejo and coached high school basketball in South Orange County. Quang's father, a former South Vietnamese pilot, suffered 13
years in communist re-education and forced labor camps. Their combined story is about war and peace, adversity and perseverance, duty and honor, and a personal reconciliation of being American and Vietnamese. Quang is completing a book about their experiences due to be published in 2000. He will also enroll in an Executive MBA Program starting fall 1999.

Guest Speaker
Mr. Jeffrey Watkins

Jeffery A. Watkins (Ngo Dai Son): presently the Director of YMCA International Services overseeing refugee resettlement and employment programs as well as immigration counseling services, Mr. Watkins has had many opportunities to interact with Houston’s Vietnamese Community professionally, educationally and personally. In 1985 he was assigned to a two-year mission to the Greater Houston Area tasked with the responsibility of serving that cities growing Southeast Asian refugee population. During his missionary service, Mr. Watkins had ample opportunity to interact with the Vietnamese Community, learning the language and a rudimentary understanding of Vietnamese culture and society. It was this experience that has led Mr. Watkins to a life-long study of and appreciation for Vietnamese history and culture. Upon completion of his mission, Mr. Watkins attended Brigham Young University in Provo Utah studying International Relations and working part-time as a Vietnamese Language instructor at the Missionary Training Center. In 1989 he returned to Houston to work as a volunteer for YMCA International Service for the summer. That volunteer opportunity turned into a full-time paid position as the YMCA’s Welcome Center Operations manager. While working full-time Mr. Watkins transferred to the University of Houston where he received his B.A. in Political Science and Geography. After graduation, Mr. Watkins entered and completed a Masters Degree program in Asian Studies at the University of Hawaii – Manoa where he was a research affiliate of the East-West Center. During his graduate studies, Mr. Watkins had the opportunity to conduct research in Vietnam for six months on the Hoa Hao and Cao Dai religions as well as the historical southern expansion of the Vietnamese people (Nam Tien). Mr. Watkins is currently working on his MBA degree at the University of Houston – Central. In addition to his professional and educational exposure to Vietnamese society and culture, Mr. Watkins also has had the unique opportunity to interact with the Vietnamese community on a very personal level. He is in fact a member of a Vietnamese family through his wife of two years who came to this country as a refugee in 1980. Mr. Watkins and his wife have just recently been blessed with a baby boy they hope to raise bi-lingual and bi-cultural

1998-1999

Dao Duy Khuong	Valedictorian	Nederland High School
Huynh Thi Nhu Mai	Valedictorian	Klein Forest High School
Tran Kim Mai	Valedictorian	Jersey Village High School
Nancy Ho Ngoc Tuyet	Valedictorian	Willowridge High School
Dang Duc Thai	Valedictorian	Pearland High School
Nguyen Hien Vian	Valedictorian	M. E. DeBarkey High School
Bui Thuy Dan	Salutatorian	Dobie J. Frank High School
Lai Kim Dung	Salutatorian	Sharptown High School
Michelle Nguyen Minh Ha	Salutatorian	Thomas Jefferson High School
Do Nguyen Jenny	Salutatorian	Elsik High School
Nguyen Vu Chieu	Spelling Bee

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Last modified: June 27, 2004