Growing Into Leadership: Tzu Chi Academy Alumni Stories
Written by Jiali Liu
Translated by H.B. Qin
Edited by Ida Eva Zielinska
Published #80 | Spring 2026 Issue
SHARE
“Tzu Chi has been a part of my life since childhood,” said Elvin Huang, 26, an engineer at Texas Instruments and deputy group leader of the Tzu Chi High School Group in the Tzu Chi USA Northwest Region. It’s hard to imagine that this part of his life, which now spans 22 years, began a bit rockily when he was four years old.
Every Saturday morning, his father would drop Huang off at Tzu Chi Academy, San Jose, California. The playful boy and his four best friends often challenged their teachers in class, earning them the affectionate nickname “the Five Tigers.” Yet Huang stayed with Tzu Chi from preschool through his upcoming certification as a Tzu Chi volunteer. He has grown from a child who was loved and cared for into a young man who loves and cares.
A Childhood Filled With Love
Now that Elvin Huang has a busy schedule centered on work and volunteering, he has little time to look back. Yet as he begins to reminisce, cherished memories of being cared for come rushing back. “When I was a little boy, Mom and Dad would accompany me to Tzu Chi Academy. Later, because Mom taught piano lessons on Saturday mornings, Dad was the one who took me. Then, after seventh grade, Mom took over again.”
This seemingly simple transportation routine reflects Elvin’s parents’ commitment to his humanistic education. Each weekend, the half-hour round-trip drive, plus more than three hours of classes, consumed nearly the entire morning. But they never complained; instead, they became actively involved.
Tzu Chi volunteer Mingling Hsieh was Huang’s teacher during his Pre-K year at Tzu Chi Academy. She was deeply impressed by his parents. “His father was very tall, and it was he who took Elvin to class most of the time. Though the little boy struggled to sit still at first, his father persisted in bringing him to learn and patiently accompanied him,” she recalled. “I also knew his mother, a piano teacher, was very busy, yet she still made time to accompany him to class, which showed how important she considered his education at the Academy.”
There was one time Hsieh spotted Huang’s father playing basketball at the school. “I casually asked, ‘Why aren’t you volunteering?’” she shared. Her seemingly playful nudge unexpectedly spurred Huang’s father to become more involved. He not only drove his son to school, but also took on the role of a class dad.
“I still remember Dad performing with us at Tzu Chi activities,” Huang said, looking back at one scene from his childhood. “We did the children’s song ‘Harvesting the Carrot.’ Dad wrapped himself in a white blanket as the carrot, and we kids pulled him,” he described with a chuckle.
He then shifted to memories of his mother’s involvement. “When we volunteered at nursing homes, Mom always came with me. She would play piano for the elderly,” he said. “My parents didn’t just drive me to places; they actively participated alongside me. Since there were over 30 students in our class, they would help look after the younger kids, too. Volunteering with Mom and Dad was truly wonderful.”
Both Infuriating and Hilarious
When Elvin Huang attended Tzu Chi Academy, he and four other boys constantly left their teachers both exasperated and amused. “We were so mischievous, teachers called us the ‘Mischievous Five,’” he recounted.
“They were full of ideas and really good at being funny,” Mingling Hsieh said with a smile. “They loved doing the opposite of what they were told to do. If we told them to sit down, they would stand up. If we asked everyone to sit, they would move to the back. They just wouldn’t follow instructions. It was both infuriating and hilarious, but honestly, they were adorable.”
“These students are the children of Tzu Chi volunteers. They were together at the Academy from a young age, playing, studying, and growing up,” Bob Chen said. He has long chaperoned youth in the Tzu Chi USA Northwest Region and has accompanied many students over the years. Yet these particular children left a deep impression on him. What’s even more remarkable is that these once-mischievous boys continue walking the Tzu Chi path together to this day.
“One of us received Tzu Chi volunteer certification a year before I did,” Huang said. “After I graduated and returned to Northern California, we co-led the Tzu Chi High School Group and served as teaching assistants together. After he was certified, he asked me, ‘Hey, do you want to get certified too?’ ‘Sure,’ I replied. To this day, we still chat often. I can talk to them about anything. We’re truly like family. Another boy’s mother is a teacher at our Academy. She watched us grow up, playing and fooling around. Every time I see her, I say, ‘Hello, Auntie!’”
For Huang, calling her “Auntie” is not just a polite form of address: It reflects a family-like closeness.
The volunteers at Tzu Chi Academy cared deeply about me. Their kindness went beyond a typical teacher-student relationship. It still feels like family, like an aunt or uncle and a nephew.
Bob Chen also witnessed this enduring bond. “Kids are more willing to get involved when they have peers with them,” he said. “That is one reason Huang has stayed so involved with Tzu Chi all these years. The guidance and companionship of the senior volunteers are crucial, too.”
The Tall Figure Who Disappeared
One day, Elvin Huang’s carefree childhood came to an abrupt end. Mingling Hsieh recalled how the tall figure who always dutifully dropped him off at school suddenly disappeared from the entrance. Huang seemed to mature overnight.
“His father’s passing changed him profoundly,” Hsieh said. “I remember his dad had been ill for some time. On the day his father passed, we went to their home to recite prayers for him. I remember Elvin telling me that with his father gone, he needed to help his mother, to care for her and his younger sister.” Hsieh felt heartbroken yet proud of the child. “That must have been the period when he matured the fastest.”
During those sorrow-filled days, the companionship of Tzu Chi volunteers became a vital source of support for Huang’s family. “I believe this experience gave Elvin Huang’s mother deep trust in Tzu Chi, convincing her that her child should continue growing in Tzu Chi’s educational environment,” Hsieh said. On subsequent weekends, she saw Huang’s mother taking over the school runs. Though life grew busier, her commitment remained unwavering.
Huang didn’t bring up that period in the interview, but he often spoke about his father – the dad who performed for the children on stage wrapped in a white blanket, the dad who drove him to school every weekend, rain or shine… Those moments have become some of his most cherished memories, and his mother has tirelessly carried his father’s love forward.
More Than Just Learning the Language
Elvin Huang admits that studying Chinese wasn’t what he enjoyed most at Tzu Chi Academy, but its cultural courses and volunteer service opportunities deeply captivated him. “I realized Tzu Chi Academy was truly different from regular schools, and even from the Advanced Placement Chinese program I took in high school. I especially loved the humanities courses at Tzu Chi, like flower arranging and tea ceremony. I looked forward to every class.”
Mingling Hsieh also observed another side to the playful little boy. “Back then, we volunteered at a nonprofit nursery garden featuring California native plants. We helped with planting, weeding, and cleaning up debris. I watched Elvin push cartloads of debris, walking and working tirelessly… His quiet dedication moved me deeply. He truly approaches tasks with utmost dedication. You never need to remind him of anything. Even then, I sensed this child wasn’t just highly proactive. He genuinely possessed sincerity and committed himself voluntarily.”
Hsieh’s observation resonates with Huang’s own feelings about service. “I’ve always loved volunteering since I was young. I enjoy helping others through my actions; it feels incredibly meaningful.”
“Our Academy’s vision differs from other Chinese language schools,” Bob Chen said. “They focus primarily on Chinese language instruction, while we incorporate an additional humanistic dimension, integrating principles of conduct, cultural literacy, and moral cultivation into our curriculum.”
He brought up the tea ceremony class as an example. “It’s not merely about drinking tea. It encompasses etiquette and profound insights into Chinese culture. Each time tea is brewed, it calms the mind. The music, the movements of the senior volunteers as they serve and prepare the tea… even the most restless children settle completely in that setting. When the children offer tea to their parents, it becomes part of practicing filial piety,” Chen elaborated.
“I remember one year when I chaperoned a Tzu Chi High School Group and shared the concept of filial piety with them. The moment I used the English term ‘filial piety,’ a student told me, ‘It’s like you’re speaking a foreign language. I’ve never heard that term before.’ They had never encountered this concept in school,” Chen added. “I was quite shaken by this and realized how lacking moral education is for American youth. It strengthened our resolve to excel in humanistic education.”
When children practice filial piety, especially when children in the U.S. do so, some parents are moved to tears. When a child kneels to offer tea, the emotion is profoundly different. This is precisely why parents are so eager to send their children to Tzu Chi Academies.
The education at Tzu Chi Academy isn’t just for students; it also emphasizes the “shared growth” of teachers and parents. “For example, if students attend an environmental protection class, it’s just the teacher teaching the students,” Chen explained. “How would parents know the importance of what we teach? That’s why we also have parent classes where parents attend together. Usually, we invite senior volunteers or experts to host seminars on environmental topics. This way, parents can align with their children’s environmental classes. When children ask questions about environmental protection, parents are better prepared to join the discussion.”
This holistic educational approach, designed to foster the growth of the whole family, has strengthened bonds within Elvin Huang’s household. “I still remember our tea ceremony classes. Parents would attend, and the teacher would show us how to brew tea and serve it to them. After offering tea, I even gave my parents a hug and massaged their backs. They were deeply touched,” Huang shared.
“Receiving a humanistic education from a young age taught me filial piety and gratitude,” he noted. “Now that I’ve graduated from college, my relationship with my family remains strong. That’s why I can still live at home instead of rushing to move out, as many others do right after graduation.”
Achieved Through Collective Efforts
From enrolling in the Pre-K class at age four to receiving his Tzu Chi volunteer certification at 26, Elvin Huang has been with Tzu Chi for over two decades. Looking back on his early years at Tzu Chi Academy, he appeared a bit embarrassed. “I want to apologize to my former teachers because I was a bit too mischievous,” he said. “They were all so kind and considerate. Even though they knew I was naughty, the teachers still devoted themselves wholeheartedly to teaching us.”
The person I am today was shaped by the Tzu Chi Academy.
For 2026, Elvin Huang has planned an exceptionally busy schedule. “At the end of June, I will lead 60 youth to Taiwan for the U.S. National Tzu Shao (Tzu Chi Youth) Camp. This number holds special significance as we mark Tzu Chi’s 60th anniversary.” He will then complete his final training session and return to Taiwan in October for his Tzu Chi volunteer certification.
Hearing this news, Mingling Hsieh couldn’t hide her joy. “Master Cheng Yen has entrusted educators with a responsibility to ‘sow the seeds of compassion.’ It truly warms my heart to see Elvin, one such seed, sprout and flourish.”
From one of the rebellious “Mischievous Five” to a capable young leader, and from receiving love to giving love, the once spirited little boy who dreaded Saturday mornings now leads a new generation of children along Tzu Chi’s path. Twenty-two years are enough for a seed to grow into a grand tree.
“I am deeply grateful to my parents, for it was through them that I had the opportunity to receive Tzu Chi’s humanistic education from a young age,” Elvin Huang said. With his roots now firmly planted, he concluded, “Tzu Chi gave me sound values and ignited my passion for volunteering. I hope to help the next generation of Tzu Shao (Tzu Chi Youth) become Tzu Ching (Tzu Chi Collegiate Association members) and, in time, grow into senior volunteers.”
