What is Echo?
Echo is a student-run organization based in Orange County that strives to foster youth’s sense of power and responsibility in the community by using their musical abilities to volunteer, fundraise, and advocate the children’s charity Echo is supporting for the year. In the 2013-2014 year, Echo will be sponsoring Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) and donating 85% of all our proceeds to the children in need of money to pay for medical bills. As for our members, we will present them with numerous volunteer opportunities, bonding experiences with other members, and the chance to host and/or participate in an annual benefit concert to support CHOC. Furthermore, Echo provides its members with an opportunity to earn different levels of the Presidential Service Award and higher leadership positions in the organization.

Echo’s Vision
A world where every child is clothed, educated, cared for, medically treated, loved, and given the opportunity to grow and live a better life.

Echo’s Mission
Our mission is to promote the “youth for youth” idea on both a global and local scale. We present students in Orange County with opportunities to directly aid the children in need around the globe by utilizing their musical talents. Music Hope not only empowers youth globally, but also helps students in the Orange County community to establish a strong sense of connection with the world.

Echo’s Structure
We truly embody the phrase “student-run” due to the minimal adult presence in all events. Our advisor Genii Ahn is the only adult fully involved with Echo. All meetings, volunteer opportunities, benefit concerts, fundraisers, and other events hosted by Echo are managed by high school students in the Echo Cabinet.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

✸ What are the benefits of joining Echo?
You will get to meet other students from all around Orange County and make connections with them.
At the end of the year, members will also be allowed to apply for higher leadership positions in Echo.
Furthermore, the volunteer hours that you have accumulated throughout the year will make you
eligible for the Presidential Volunteer Service Award, a prestigious community service award that looks
great on college applications. For more information, visit www.presidentialserviceawards.gov
✸ What does the membership fee go towards?
The membership fee will pay for your Echo tee/tank, meeting sites, food at meetings, and other
various payments that the organization has to make to support its members. In reality, $25 is merely a
part of the cost Echo pays to maintain order and operate smoothly.
✸ Is Echo going to be time consuming?
Echo has designed the schedule to be flexible for high school students. For instance, we only require
one full time volunteering commitment (which the student can choose the time frame of) and two dayof-
event volunteering throughout the one year period.
✸ How much service hours do I get?
It varies depending on your commitment to the organization. Echo requires all its members to
participate in 1 continuous volunteering event during the year to help foster a routine sense of serving
the community. Additionally members are presented with other opportunities to earn service hours by
participating in one-day events, fundraisers, attending the concert, practicing for the concert,
performing at the concert, and more. All these presented volunteer opportunities, if taken, should lead
to an accumulation of hours which can make you eligible for the Presidential Volunteer Service Award.
✸ Can I become a Cabinet Member?
Yes. At the end of the 2013-2014 year, all members will have the opportunity to apply for a cabinet
member position. They will first go through an application process then an interview process before
final choices are made. Cabinet members play chief roles in setting up meetings and volunteering
locations for our members. Unfortunately, the cabinet for this year has already been chosen.
✸ Is Echo going to be another club that I join but doesn’t do anything?
Absolutely not. Echo has regular meetings, comprehensive volunteering schedules, and fun socials
lined up for members to participate in. However, do understand that what you put in is what you will
get out of the organization. We will present you with numerous opportunities for leadership and
serving the community; all you need to do is be a proactive member and participate.
✸ What organizations does Echo benefit?
Every year, a new children’s charity will be chosen that Echo will support for the year. This year
specifically, we are supporting CHOC.
✸ Should we use the past information sheet?
No. Please disregard the Music Hope information sheet. If you have any questions regarding the past
information sheet and this document, feel free to contact echo.orangecounty@gmail.com. If you are
unaware of what this is, ignore this question.
✸ Do I have to perform at the annual concert?
We will not require you to perform. However, we encourage you to participate, especially when no
one else is willing to step up. If you are a talented musician, we want you to be confident in your
abilities and share it with us.