Hello, my name is Hannah Choi, one of the National Presidents of PAVA World for the 2021-22 school year. I’ve been a member of PAVA for the past five years, and through it, I’ve been able to give back to my community and gain a deeper understanding of my Korean heritage with events such as coastal and neighborhood clean-ups, tree planting, tutoring, and samulnori. I’ve gained amazing friends and unforgettable memories despite my initial reluctance to commit to this organization, and I’m happy to say that I do not regret the five years I’ve dedicated as a member of PAVA. I sincerely hope that this year will instill that same idea in many more of us.

I believe that it is so important to know that each of us is capable of making a difference in the world. So many problems have surfaced that feel too great to confront: ethnic violence against minorities both at home and abroad, the detrimental effects of environmental neglect by large corporations and the government, the ever-expanding gap between the wealthy and the poor, perpetuated violations of human rights across the globe, and so forth. But worst of all is the feeling of powerlessness that accompanies the dim prospect of combating all these problems; it definitely doesn’t help that we’re high school students already struggling with schoolwork, extracurriculars, and declining levels of motivation. However, what does help is getting together as one unified PAVA to prevent the pollution of our oceans, counteract the decline of trees, beautify neighborhoods, distribute food to the needy, and leave that positive impact. Although our contributions may not be as far-reaching as we may like, they are definitely present and undoubtedly significant—not only for the community, but also for ourselves, since it’s this action that strengthens our moral characters.

I am genuinely excited to meet all of you this year and get back out there as an organization, doing what we do best: serving our community. We all have a tendency to underrate our accomplishments at PAVA, but I’m telling you: you all deserve to take greater pride in the work that you do here. It is my wish for all of us to see that we do and that we can leave a remarkable impact on our communities. As the man who had a dream once said, “There is power in unity and there is power in numbers.” And so, it’s time for us to jump back into the action, and have ourselves another great year.

Thank you

Hannah Choi

National President

Troy High School

Class of 2022