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BCS Teams

Against the Wind 

Busting Out Ottawa
We are "Busting Out", Ottawa Breast Cancer Action's dragon boat team. We come from diverse age groups, professions, backgrounds and fitness levels, but we have been brought together by the great denominator - breast cancer. This year marks the 10th anniversary since the team was formed. We have 76 members who paddle twice a week from May to October on the Ottawa Rideau Canal. Our Mission: * To demonstrate that a full and active life is possible beyond the diagnosis of breast cancer. * To improve the physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual health of members. * To stress the importance of physical fitness in the fight against breast cancer. * To provide regular opportunities for members to experience joy, laughter and support. * To serve as an example to our community. * To raise awareness of breast cancer and all its implications in our own community and beyond.

Go Pink!DC
GoPink!DC is the first metropolitan Washington, DC area dragon boat team whose members are all breast cancer survivors. We are a community learning to paddle and compete locally and nationally. We are sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, under the guidance and dedication of members of the National Capital Women’s Paddling Association. Our mission is to create a community committed to empowering those of us who have had a diagnosis of breat cancer by taking part in a sport that is challenging, active, and above all: FUN!

Machestic Dragons
We are the Machestic Dragons, a Mercer County, NJ based Women’s Breast Cancer Survivors Dragon Boat Team, an affiliate NJDBC team. Our own Dragon Boat came to us in in 2003 courtesy of ICEA of Long Beach California. We are the first organized, non-profit BCS team in the state of NJ. Since our inception in 2002 we have expanded our membership of BCS survivors to include supporters and friends. Our membership includes residents of Pennsylvania and South/Central New Jersey. We race in the BCS Division as well as the Women's Division. We differ in age, educational and occupational backgrounds, family dynamics and athletic abilities. We started out as strangers with only our disease in common. Now we are a "floating support group" of women who want to share our passion for life with other breast cancer survivors and encourage all women living with breast cancer to look to a future filled with enthusiasm and hope. OUR MISSION: to raise awareness of breast cancer; to show others who are weakened by the struggle with breast cancer that there is life after this disease; to encourage others to face their dragons with an indomitable spirit; to look beyond today, to a future filled with hope and promise.

Community Teams

APABA-DC
The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of the Greater Washington D.C. Area ("APABA-DC") is an organization of over 300 members comprised of attorneys, law professors, law students, government officials, and other interested individuals.  We are an organization dedicated to serving our members and advocating for the legal needs and interests of the Asian Pacific American community, the greater Washington D.C. area, and the legal profession.

Argonauts
The Asian American LEAD Argonauts consists of middle and high school youth from the Columbia Heights and Chinatown areas. They participate in the AALEAD Secondary School Program—an after school program geared towards increasing successes academically, socially, and emotionally of the youth. This is the third year the Argonauts are participating in the Festival and we are very excited to return.

CLSC Dragon
CLSC Dragon is a self-constructed festival team gladly participating from Columbia's Chinese School in Howard County Maryland. We are thankful that we can be joining and sharing this experience with everyone in this group. Our team comes from many backgrounds and we have come here today to have fun! Although CLSC Dragon is a festival team, we are competitive, yet this is certainly a pleasure to be here. Thank you to our sponsor, Chinese Language School at Columbia and everyone related to this event that contributed!

Cornell Big Red Dragons
This is the fifth year for the Cornell Club of Washington to bring a mixed team known as the BIG RED DRAGONS to participate in Washington’s Dragon Boat Festival. Our mascot is the Big Red Bear, and it was an easy decision to transmute the bear into the dragons when naming our festival team. Since the 1930’s the Cornell Club has fostered mutual enjoyment, friendships and social contacts through scholarship, outreach, social and community service activities. In Ithaca, New York, Cornell University has recently established a new undergraduate major in China and Asia-Pacific Studies (CAPS), where students study the Chinese language all four years. The BIG RED DRAGONS come to life each spring to race with the other festival teams. The team is a mix of all age groups, led by a few veteran festival paddlers, including this year’s Tri-Captains. GO BIG RED!

Dragons to the Rescue

East Rising
East Rising is comprised of young adults from the Washington Metropolitan area. Many of us are active in the Asian community. East Rising is sponsored by the East Rising Lion Dance Troupe, which many of our paddlers are members of.

ECS Dragon Warriors
ECS Dragon Warriors team is formed by the enthusiastic parents of Experimental Chinese School (ECS) located in Northern Virginia. We are veteran and novice paddlers. The "super fun guarantee" word of the mouth has attracted many new team members. For many of us, this is the first time we are actually in a dragon boat and being part of the celebrations. We know the force and we feel the speed. We race with our arms and our team spirits. Fun has already filled the air. The goal is there and we will get there soon.

Harmony Tang Dragons
Harmony Tang Dragons is a team originally formed from the parents and friends of the Hua-Fu Chinese School Youth Team members.  The team was organized and named by Jane Yang, our steady drummer and team captain.  About half of the Harmony members were returning for the fourth year.  The team's coach this year is Ping Li. Of special note this year is a father and son combination (Leo Wang and Jeffrey Wang), FF fraternity brothers (Vincent Young and Tak Lee), husband and wife (Regina and Rafael Villasmil), as well as eight members from the Comptroller of the Currency (Luis Betancourt, Patrick Cohill, David Weber, Scott Paccagnini, David McBee, Regina Villasmil, Xiaolong Yang, and Ping Li).  

OCAYP Phoenix and Spitfires
The Organization of Chinese Americans-Young Professionals(OCAYP) is a sub-group of the OCA-DC and the OCA-Northern Virginia (OCA-NOVA)Chapter. OCAYP is made up of young Asian American Professionals in their twenties and thirties, who work in the D.C. Metropolitan area. We are commited to having fun, meeting people and helping others. This is the 4th year of our Charter team the OCAYP Spitfires.

This is OCAYP's second team for the 2007 Dragon Boat Festival. Make no mistake; the 2nd team is based on when the team was formed and not on quality of players. Team Phoenix represents OCAYP in the Open division and has impressive winning records for the past 2 years. For more information on OCAYP please see our 1st team, OCAYP Spitfires. It is part of OCAYP’s strong tradition commit multiple teams to the Dragon Boat festival.

Out 2 Paddle
For the past ten years, AQUA (Asian/Pacific Islander Queers United for Action www.aquadc.org) had been promoting Asian heritage and visibility in the queer community, demonstrating the integrity and values of being Asian men. By joining the dragonboat race, we're celebrating our Asian roots, and to gain acceptance from our peers, family, and friends in the Asian community as we stick together to demonstrate our pride. Combining forces from the gay, bisexual, transgender, and allies of the Asian and Pacific Islander community in the metro Washington, DC area, Out 2 Paddle is once again cruising the Potomac River with fabulous paddlers on our fierce dragon. While we may "paddle to the beat of a different drum", our coordination and determination had pulled many surprises. While you may try to paddle as we dazzle, our strength and strategy will determine who end up on top at the other end.

RCS Dragon Boat
Rockville Chinese School Dragon Boat Team The RCS dragon-boat team represents the Rockville Chinese School (RCS), Inc. which is a non-profit organization. It was founded in the summer of 1981 and has been committed to teaching the Chinese language and promoting interests in Chinese culture and heritage. For over twenty years, RCS has offered weekend language and cultural classes. RCS recruits students from preschool to high school age and, currently, has about 200 students. With its broad and rich variety of classes, culture activities, and experienced teachers, RCS has trained many advanced students in Chinese language and traditional Chinese arts and culture. RCS organizes and participates in various cultural, intellectual, and social events to encourage interaction among its students and with other cultures and local communities.

SunRise Warriors
The SunRise Warriors are comprised of the hardworking and fun loving staff from SunRise Academy. Established in 1999 as a private, non-profit, educational institution in the District of Columbia, SunRise Academy is dedicated to the education and remediation of students with a wide range of learning and emotional disabilities. The school currently serves boys between the ages of 7 and 22, exposing them to a nurturing and culturally enriched curriculum and environment emphasizing the traditional and historical achievements of Africans and African Americans. For more details, please visit www.sunriseacademy.org. This is our very first appearance at the Washington, DC Dragon Boat Festival and we’re very excited to be participating. Good luck to all the teams and see you on the water!

UMUC Virtual Dragons I and II
The two University of Maryland University College (UMUC - www.umuc.edu) Virtual Dragons Teams send our cheers to friends & competitors at the 2007 Washington D.C. Dragon Boat Festival. UMUC is a virtual university with students from all over the world, and our teams are the "boat-full" reflection of that diversity. UMUC teams are sponsored by the Office of Diversity Initiatives, Alumni Relations, with growing support and recognition from the school as the benefits of dragon boating continue to prove itself both obvious and profound. We work hard to drag people out of the office or school to paddle; so that they can be healthy, happy, and return to class or work with a smile. We are determined, focused, and we work hard together, but also never forget to have fun along the way. This year, the UMUC Virtual Dragons Teams have many new paddlers along side our seasoned veterans who are students, staff, alumni members, family and friends of UMUC. We look forward to the challenge and to bring home some medals as souvenirs to our hard practices together. Come cheer for us, the UMUC Virtual Dragon Teams!

Washington DC Taiwanese School
Representing Washington DC Taiwanese School, an academy established in 1983 that maintains the goals of teaching and preserving Taiwanese language and culture for present and future Taiwanese American generations, the dragon boat team members are assembled from alumni, families and friends of this incredible school. From the artistically talented to the technologically savvy, parents, teachers, students, and friends have gathered to create this unique squad to voyage into the unknown where no PTA of the school has ever gone before. With just two practice sessions and all amateurs, the team is determined to take on any challenge. What does not kill us this year will only make us stronger for next year.

Water Hazards
The NIH Paddling Club is a part of the Recreation and Welfare Association of the National Institutes of Health, and is dedicated to fostering health, fitness, environmental awareness, and fun for federal workers, their families, and the Greater Washington DC community through outdoor activities.  We sponsor our own dragon boat racing team as well as hold canoeing and kayaking recreational and training events throughout the year.  This is the fourth year that the group has entered both an adult team as well as a youth team.  Several of our members have gone on to join the DC Dragons premier team and have raced in Canada and Taiwan.  The Water Hazards are joined this year by GoPink!DC, the DC area breast cancer survivors team.  GoPink!DC’s mission is to create a community committed to empowering those of us who have had a diagnosis of breast cancer by taking part in a sport that is challenging, active, and above all... FUN!

Yong Han
The Johns Hopkins University Yong Han Team is sponsored by the Johns Hopkins University Alumni Association and Johns Hopkins Yong Han Lion Dance Troupe. The JHU Alumni Association graciously sponsors students to experience cultural activities such as this. The JHU Yong Han Lion Dance Troupe is a student run organization focused on spreading Chinese culture and lion dancing to the Maryland area.



Corporate Teams

Booz Allen BetaFish Blue
Booz Allen BetaFish; unparalleled in our fight to slay the dragon while we mesmerize our contenders by our strength and speed. The BetaFish crew continues to expand as more and more people become interested in dragon boating. Many people on the BetaFish are today participating in their first ever dragon boat festival. The team looks forward to great competition and fun as they take to the waters of the Potomac. We would especially like to thank the Booz Allen Asia Pacific American Forum (APAF) for our sponsorship in this race. We would also like to thank our sponsors, Dave Aldrich, Charlie Givans, Doug Lane, Susan Penfield, Robin Portman, and Charlie Zuhoski for their on-going support. Booz Allen Hamilton, a global strategy and technology consulting firm, works with clients to deliver results that endure.

Charm City Racers
The Charm City Racers is a championship caliber paddle team that features members from two Baltimore area corporations that regularly compete in the biennial Catholic Charities Dragon Boat Festival (Baltimore, MD). This will mark the first time that members from the two companies have competed together and it is the inaugural event for the Charm City Racers. We are excited to be a part of this Festival and are looking forward to the May 19-20 weekend. Best of luck to all!!

CI Green Dragons
The CI Green Dragons are an eclectic bunch, brought together by their belief in environmental conservation (and beer).  Far from being a bunch of organic-salad-eating-vegans, we believe in action as opposed to words.  We mostly work at Conservation International (donor of our lovely green t-shirts) and are sponsored by the Sign of the Whale Pub on M Street, where we can be commonly found. Our support to conserve this Critically Endangered District Whale (Cetacea inebriata) has led to this majestic mammal being down-listed to Least Concern thanks to a successful community-based sustainable harvest program. A true conservation success story. The team on the other hand, has switched from Prosperous to Threatened.    

ENSCO Innovators
ENSCO, Inc. provides engineering, science and advanced technology solutions for the defense, security, transportation, and environment industries. ENSCO is headquartered in Falls Church, Va., and has major offices in Springfield, Va., Endicott, N.Y., Melbourne and Cocoa Beach, Fla., and field offices around the United States and in Beijing, China.

From signal processing algorithms that make international treaty monitoring efforts more effective, to railroad track monitoring equipment that makes train travel safer, we support government and industry organizations with a variety of solutions that make the world a safer place. Our work includes designing sophisticated computer models that make NASA launches more reliable; developing monitoring systems that safeguard government facilities and national landmarks; providing safety assurance and operational efficiency for the FRA and rail industry; and providing mission-critical software development and engineering systems for avionics operations and control.

Like our company, the ENSCO Innovators are infused with a modern pioneering spirit! We are a varied group, made up of employees (engineers, clerks, administrators) who have worked for ENSCO from 1 to 30 years, along with family members and friends. This is our 3rd time to participate in the Washington D.C. dragon boat festival. We are energized!  We are ready to compete. Here come the ENSCO Innovators!   

Ernst & Young : EY/ASIA I and II
EY/ASIA is an Affinity Network that operates as a team from Ernst & Young’s Washington, D.C. and McLean, Virginia offices. Ernst & Young is a leading professional services firm that provides clients with a broad array of services relating to audit and risk-related services, tax, and transactions. The 114,000 Ernst & Young professionals in 140 countries around the globe pursue the highest levels of integrity, quality and professionalism in helping companies in businesses across all industries — from emerging growth companies to global powerhouses.

In the US, Ernst & Young has consistently been honored by Fortune magazine as one of the Best 100 Companies to Work For, and was ranked #2 on the Diversity Inc Top 10 Companies for Asian Americans.  At Ernst & Young, we foster a high-performance environment where our people have the opportunity to grow and succeed; and where they can develop as positive, high-competent and effective individuals. This enables them to realize their full potential while delivering the highest quality service to clients.

At core of this culture is Ernst & Young’s commitment to promote an inclusive and equitable work environment. One manifestation of this commitment is EY/ASIA (Ernst & Young Asians for Support, Inclusion and Appreciation).  Founded in 2004, EY/ASIA is a network of professionals working together to support and develop Asian leaders through career development, cultural appreciation, and community service.

Finnegan Dragons
Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP proudly participates in this year’s DC Dragon Boat Festival, supporting the Katrina Relief initiative.  Since its founding over four decades ago, our firm has become one of the largest and most successful Intellectual Property law firms in the world, with five offices across the U.S., foreign offices in Brussels, Taipei, and Tokyo, and a plan to open an office in Shanghai in the near future.  The firm’s dedication to its clients and reputation for resolving some of the most complicated IP issues lies with our ability to match the needs of each unique case with the right combination of legal skills and resources.  The firm, similarly, has a strong dedication to public service through pro bono activities, active community participation, and involvement in local and national bar associations.  For more information, please visit www.finnegan.com.

Georgetown Hoyas
Georgetown University Business School (IEMBA) & The Brookings Institution www.georgetown.edu | www.brookings.edu Currently ranked #10 worldwide by Business Week, the Georgetown IEMBA Program provides working professionals with the tools needed to confront challenges, enhance their careers and help their companies succeed in today’s global business environment. ---- The Brookings Institution is a private nonprofit organization devoted to independent research and innovative policy solutions. For more than 90 years, Brookings has analyzed current and emerging issues and produced new ideas that matter—for the nation and the world.

GSK Crew

GW Colonial Dragons
For the second year in a row, a group of determined George Washington University alumni and their friends and family members have formed a team to challenge the Potomac and make our alma mater proud. So look for the buff and blue on the water moving like a well-oiled machine, but don't blink or you'll miss us as we zoom past creating a sonic boom and leaving all others in our wake! Good luck to the other teams and special thanks to the George Washington Alumni Association for their support. Go G-dub!

Hill Runner

IBM Blue Dragons and Blue Leviathans
We are extremely excited to be participating in the 2007 Washington D.C. Dragon Boat Festival!  This is the second year that our IBM Blue Dragons have made an appearance, and we expect to hold our own out on the water again this year!   

Most members on our team are novices, paddling for the first time.  We are out to enjoy the day and festivities, and learn more about this rapidly growing sport.  In addition, this event is an excellent opportunity for IBM'ers to exhibit company pride, build comradery, and practice teamwork in a stimulating environment.  At IBM we work hard and we play hard as a team!

Pirates of the Potomac
This is the first year for the Pirates of the Potomac and we are enthusiastic and energized to win the gold – the golden medal, that is! We come from diverse cultural backgrounds and have been drawn together to learn more about the history and the Chinese tradition of dragonboating – the only sport to be celebrated as a national holiday. We are a group of novices who have been lured by the treasures of the event – namely the fun, team spirit, and camaraderie. This is going to be a remarkable adventure for everyone.  Pirates ahoy!

PTCPower-Hwa Lien
The PTC Power and Hwa Lien Service Center The PTC Power and Hwa Lien Service Center Team are comprised of family and friends of these two organizations. Some of us have been doing this since the festival first started while others are experiencing this for the first time. PTC Diesel Power-USA has been in the business of supplying and manufacturing spare parts since 1973. Currently our products are sold all over the U.S. and exported to over 40 allied countries. Please visit our website at www.ptcpower.com for more information. Hwa Lien Service Center is a non-profit organization.

Snakeheads
The USPTO-APANET was first established in 2002 in supportive of its Charter approved under the standards and requirements of Commerce Department Administrative Order 202-707. Its’ mission focuses on enhancing diversity at the USPTO by educating all employees and neighbors beyond the importance of diverse cultural heritage of Asian, Pacifica American. The organization’s out-reach desire resulted in the creation of the dragon boat team in 2004 formally known as the APANET, but now as the Snakeheads. Lead by Don Wong, the Snakeheads composed of 45 members of the organization whose backgrounds range from Computer Science to Engineering are out to paddle in supportive of promoting values of diversity beyond their workplace. "Snakeheads" derived from the name of a predatory fish known for its ability to thrive in foreign waters to eventually dominate as predators, symbolizes the teams’ relentless spirit to out paddle their competitors but all for a good cause. WWW.USPTOAPANET.ORG

Sughrue
Sughrue, Mion is proud to be racing in its first DC Dragon Boat Festival, in support of the Katrina Relief initiative of Dragons to the Rescue.  For over a half century, the attorneys and staff at Sughrue, Mion have been pulling together to protect the intellectual property rights of the firm's clients world-wide, through creative initiatives, determination and hard work.  With a consistent focus on the finish line for its clients' technology and business interests, Sughrue fully understands the value of an idea, and the vision, plan or purpose that lies beyond that idea.  Whether procuring, protecting or defending its clients'  patents, trade secrets, trademarks and copyrights, the team at Sughrue can take the lead and enable its clients to optimize their strategic position, both domestically and internationally, and triumph over their competition.  This same dedication is applied to the firm's community activities.  For further information on the firm's professional capabilities, please visit www.sughrue.com.

Taipei Tokyo Fire Dragons
Sponsored by the local Taipei Tokyo restaurant chain, the Fire Dragons are a group of first and second year paddlers from all over the DC metropolitan area.   The core Askinazi group from last year welcomes the addition of the new members and believes that we’ll do even better this year than last year!  Special thanks to Mei-Wen Wang, our team mom for all her care.  We’ve been training hard and are determined to win it all!  To quote our paddler AznLemming: We play to WIN!  

TECRO
Under the leadership of Representative Jaushieh Joseph Wu, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative office (TECRO) team is comprised of 25 staff and family members. TECRO, being one of the major sponsors of the Dragonboat Festival from its inception, has been participating in the races ever since. From novice paddlers to veterans, every year we join together and strive to synchronize as a team, in dragonboat racing as well as serving our country, the Republic of China (TAIWAN).

Yushan
Dragon boat racing as the basis for annual water rituals and festival celebrations, and for the traditional veneration of the Asian dragon water deity. Absolutely, Yushan team will show up this year as usual. Yushan team represents the sprits of Taiwan. We play to win and play to gain more friendships in this year.

Premier Teams

Booz Allen BetaFish Red
Booz Allen BetaFish; unparalleled in our fight to slay the dragon while we mesmerize our contenders by our strength and speed. The BetaFish crew continues to expand as more and more people become interested in dragon boating. Many people on the BetaFish are today participating in their first ever dragon boat festival. The team looks forward to great competition and fun as they take to the waters of the Potomac. We would especially like to thank the Booz Allen Asia Pacific American Forum (APAF) for our sponsorship in this race. We would also like to thank our sponsors, Dave Aldrich, Charlie Givans, Doug Lane, Susan Penfield, Robin Portman, and Charlie Zuhoski for their on-going support. Booz Allen Hamilton, a global strategy and technology consulting firm, works with clients to deliver results that endure.

DC Dragons
The DC Dragons began in 1992 as NCAWPA, the National Capital Area Women's Paddling Association.  What started as a women's dragon boat festival team has evolved to include men's and mixed teams that compete internationally.  A non-profit, community-based organization, NCAWPA spearheaded the development of dragon boating and outrigger canoeing both locally and along the East Coast and was a driving force behind the creation of the Eastern Region Dragon Boat Association.  We are a co-sponsor of the Washington D.C. Dragon Boat Festival, the first and only dragon boat race in Washington, DC and we've been a member of the Board of Directors for the Washington D.C. Dragon Boat Association since 2001.  A primary goal of the DC Dragons is to inspire others to join in a sport that epitomizes cooperative team effort, is physically challenging and has a central focus on fun!

Philadelphia Flying Phoenix

Pittsburgh Paddlefish
Pittsburgh Paddlefish:  Teamwork.  Camaraderie.  Power

The Pittsburgh Paddlefish from Three Rivers Association work out year-round for fun, fitness, and competition.  We’re a diverse and welcoming crew, ages 18 to 75.  Paddlefish also volunteer extensively with newbie paddlers, help conservationists tag finned paddlefish, and enjoy paddling to a local bar for beer an’’at.

A mixed-boat team, coached by Ben Ledewitz, we have a strong enough roster, to also field competitive women’s. men’s, masters, grands, and youth teams.  In 2005, three members were on Team USA in the women’s grandmasters in Berlin.  Several teammates traveled to Taiwan in 2006 to compete on the American Team with our friends from D.C.  Our entry in this race will be our Premier Women’s Team.

Tainan
Most of the paddlers are members of the Tainan Rowing Association. They have won many times in the annual Tainan City Dragon Boat Championship. Young and old, the age of the team member ranges from 16 up to 65 years old. The only female paddler, Liang Nien Tzu, is also member of the national rowing team and a national champion. She is currently teaching at Tu-chung Senior High School as a PE teacher and coach for their rowing team.

Schuylkill Dragons

Youth Teams

Chinatown Community Cultural Center
The Chinatown Community Cultural Center is a non-profit organization that promotes the cultural heritage and language of Chinese Americans. The Center provides Chinese language classes for children and adults, Tai Chi, Martial Arts, Chinese Calligraphy, craft and cultural workshops for children and educational seminars for adults. The Center provides English as a Second Language (ESL) classes for local immigrants as well as providing translation assistance for citizens in the Chinatown Community. The Center also sponsors The China Exchange Program of which 15 of Washington, D.C.’s public high school students learn the Chinese language, culture, and history. These students learn to read, write and speak Mandarin Chinese. This is a paid learning initiative that lasts for three years. After completion of the first year of the program the students have an opportunity to go to China for two weeks during the summer. After the second and third year of the program they also have the opportunity to participate in a study abroad program and intern with a Chinese-American firm. The final goal of the program is to enable the students to take and pass the Chinese AP language class or receive college credit through testing-out of the first year of Chinese language classes. Over the last year since the Center’s opening, the Center has worked with numerous community organizations hosting and sponsoring various cultural events for the areas residents. If you are interested in learning more about the Center’s programs please visit us on the web at http://www.ccccdc.org or call the Center at 202-628-1688.

Hua-Fu Chinese School
This is the third year for the HuaFu Dragonboat Youth team to be competing in the annual Washington DC Dragonboat Festival. After two years of victory, we come back with a relatively half-new team but none-the-less ready to surge ahead for a third year of victory. We are proud to represent both our Chinese school and our Chinese heritage by participating in this wonderfully cultured event.

Thank you to our Coach Ping who has helped us through two years. Thank you to Li Laoshi, who has encouraged us to have fun and organizing fundraising. Thank you to all the parents who drive around and cheer the team on. Thank you to the school who has supported us wholeheartedly all these three years.   

NIH Youth Team
The NIH Paddling Club is a part of the Recreation and Welfare Association of the National Institutes of Health, and is dedicated to fostering health, fitness, environmental awareness, and fun for federal workers, their families, and the Greater Washington, D.C. community through outdoor activities. We sponsor our own dragon boat racing team as well as hold canoeing and kayaking recreational and training events throughout the year. This is the fourth year that the group has entered both an adult team as well as a youth team. Our youth team consists of highly motivated high school students from Maryland and Virginia who have joined together to celebrate this cultural tradition. The youth team is self-organized and operated by its own members.