About Us

▫ It was formed by a group of concerned parents who wanted to bring their teenagers together to better know each other, work together, and form relationships.

▫ The CACA Teen Club has flourished during the past thirty years and has been one of the most successful programs in the CACA organization.

In 1976, an Ad Hoc Committee was first formed by Mrs. Yi-ling Chiang to explore the possibilities of forming a youth organization. The response to the proposal was overwhelming. Thirty-two families with forty-two teenagers responded and the first event, a picnic, was held in Colonial Park on May 15, 1976. On that day, the CACA Teen Club was officially established.

The fact that the Club is led by teenagers has contributed greatly to its success year after year. The members elect their own officers and the parents of the officers serve as advisors. The teenagers design their own activities, and the parents provide logistic support and guidance when needed.

Many parents feel a sense of involvement with their children in the Teen Club by helping them develop interpersonal and organizational skills, which enhance their self-confidence in life. As it turns out, the Club benefits not only the teens but also their parents by allowing them a chance to enjoy a second childhood.

The special bond shared among the members of the Teen Club passes down from one generation to another. Many current Teen Club members have fond memories of CACA Teen Club’s famous Memorial Day family camps and are inspired by the teen brothers and sisters who made the camps possible. Other popular bonding events include sport tournaments, ski trips, sailing, white water rafting, picnics, dancing, overnight lock-ins, game nights, and who can forget Dumpling Night?

The Teen Club encourages its members to serve the community and become informed in main stream society politics. Teens actively participate in events such as American Cancer Society’s annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk, Daffodils for Hope fundraiser, Relay for Life, and the Poster Contest. To promote political activism among mostly immigrant communities, the Teen Club also conducts voter registrations drives. The Club fosters sharing or imparting knowledge from teenager to teenager, such as in the annual Teen-Teaches-Teen College Seminar.

The CACA Teen Club is a valuable organization for second generation Chinese Americans. It offers an important opportunity for teens to socialize, forge relationships, and build important connections within the Chinese American community that will be essential and meaningful in growing older.