The Indian Cultural & Educational Center Youth Group will be celebrating its 28th year in April 2023. It was formed in 1995 to aid the children (aged 12-18) of first generation Indian immigrants. The initial purpose was to provide a setting for these teens in which they could socialize with other children of their own age and heritage and develop a sense of belonging and community. In first few years activities of the Youth Group were primarily social. Events such as annual trip to Itchetucknee River, summer trips to water parks and springs, and regular picnics at local parks. These fun activities provided a way for the Youth Group children and their parents to interact and identify with individuals from their own culture.

Since its inception however, this group has also been involved in many different volunteer activities. Their first volunteer work began in year 1999 for the newly built Indian Cultural & Educational Center (ICEC). They started fundraising efforts such as car washes and bake sales, for the purchase of needed chairs, tables, and library furniture. They have also raised funds to install curtains for the backstage and game room equipments such as ping-pong, air hockey, and foosball tables. They were also able to raise enough funds by selling dinners at different events to install stage lights and a music system at a cost of about 10,000.00.

In addition to volunteering for ICEC, the Youth Group has spent much time volunteering in Gainesville and the Alachua County. They have participated annually in events such as Keep Alachua Beautiful, and Hope for The Holidays. They have also hosted canned food drives for the St. Francis House and have served meals several times to the homeless and hungry people. This group has been helping to clean ICEC building and surrounding area twice a year (in April & October). They enjoy painting outside walls and stairways.

Every year since 1998, this group has been adopting one and sometimes two needy families during the holiday season through Alachua County’s Hope for the Holidays program. They have collected money and new items from their friends and families and even been known to contribute from their own allowances to purchase gifts and necessary items to fulfill the families’ dreams for Christmas. In year, 2004, the Youth Group sponsored a family of four teenagers with no parents, in which the 19 year old was carrying the burden of support for his three younger siblings. They raised enough funds to purchase all of their wished goods such as cloths, purses, football, basketball, computer and a gift certificate for Publix for meals. The community members donated printer and monitor for the computer.

In addition to their dedication to community service, the Youth Group hosts two main cultural programs during the year. Every January and August, these children, with the help of their parents, organize and run cultural programs to celebrate India’s Republic and Independence Days, respectively. They contribute heavily to much of the behind the scenes work for these events and a majority of Youth Group children also perform dances, songs, hosting, instrumentals and skits for the programs. These talented young children also play an instrumental role in ICEC’S Annual India Fest, a festival held for the Gainesville and surrounding community to display India’s vast culture and heritage. They perform various dances, songs etc., help serve food & drinks and volunteer in organizing and running the event.

Finally, these students help minority children in the Gainesville community in their preparation for the SAT exam by tutoring them in Math and English each week at the ICEC. All members of this group also participate in volunteer activities through their respective schools via Key Club, March of Dimes, and other organizations.

Their volunteer activities extend to other parts of the world as well, for example some of the children have started a fundraiser to help build a well for a needy village in Ghana. They held a cultural program on January 29, 2005 to raise funds for the Tsunami disaster to help fishermen by buying them a boat in a small village in India who lost every thing during this disaster.

Over the years, this young group of children has shown dedication and selflessness through their voluntary acts for the ICEC, the Gainesville and surrounding communities. In addition to their sometimes grueling school work, they take time out of their schedule to help those around them and truly demonstrated that they are today and will be in the future, caring, dedicated and community oriented citizens.

Primary Officers

President

Ketki Bhusari

Armaan Goel

Vice President

Tvisha Joshi

Shiven Sharma

Secretary

Neha Gupte

Nikita Bhusari

Treasurer

Sachin Joshi-Guske

Rishabh Modak

Other Roles

Volunteer and Outreach coordinator

Tanvi Gawande

Abhith Kasala

Event Coordinator(s)

Krisha Jain

Shivani Joshi-Guske

PR

Tavya Joshi (Senior)

Vedaant Khare (Junior)

Newsletter Editor(s)

Kartikeya Rajderkar (Senior)

Suneet Sharma (Junior)

Photographer

Rehaan Goel

Youth Group Coordinator(s)

Swapna Bhusari

Abha Gupta

Indian Republic Day Sports Event 2024 - Saturday, Jan 27th, 2024 - 2:30 PM to 5:00 PM

High School Graduation Program - Saturday, May 25, 2024 (4:00 PM to 8:00 PM)

India's Independence Day - Saturday, Aug 17th, 2024 (4:00 PM to 8:00 PM)

January 2024

Primary Officers

President

Purni Hasitha Tumati

Vice President

Armaan Goel

Ketki Bhusari

Secretary

Tvisha Joshi

Mahika Podarala

Treasurer

Neha Gupte

Nikita Bhusari

Other Roles

Volunteer and Outreach coordinator

Tanvi Gawande

Shiven Sharma

Event Coordinator(s)

Krisha Jain

PR

Yuvan Rishi Thogara (Senior)

Rishabh Modak (Junior)

Newsletter Editor(s)

Kartikeya Rajderkar (Senior)

Nitya Rao (Junior)

Photographer

Vedaant Khare

Tavya Joshi

Suneet Sharma

Youth Group Coordinator(s)

Rajyalakshmi Tumati

Primary Officers

President

Akash Verma

Anushka Vyas

Vice President

Purni Hasitha Tumati

Secretary

Ketki Bhusari

Treasurer

Niharika Manda

Mitil Gnanavel

Other Roles

Volunteer and Outreach coordinator

Aagneya Singh Banerjee

Event Coordinator(s)

Tara Sahni (Fall/Spring)

Shiven Sharma (Spring/Summer)

PR

Tvisha Joshi (Senior)

Armaan Goel (Junior)

Newsletter Editor(s)

Kartikeya Rajderkar (Senior)

Nikita Bhusari (Junior)

Photographer

Rishabh Modak 

Youth Group Coordinator(s)

Priyanka Vyas
Amrisha Verma

ICEC Youth Group wishes everyone Happy Holidays & a very Happy New Year!

We wanted to thank all the YG officers & their families along with everyone in the community for  generous donations & support to the YG fundraising efforts.

1. Holiday Potluck-

2. Pay it forward calendar for Peaceful Path families-  ICEC YG continues the long tradition of giving during the holiday season by sponsoring holiday wish list items for victims of domestic abuse. This tradition was started so the youth of ICEC community will understand the joy of giving to other people, especially the less fortunate ones. This year YG officers collected $235 in Monetary donations, $60 Publix gift card and other calendar items worth of $350. These were delivered to Peaceful Path on Dec 20, 2021.

3. Canned Food drive for the Bread of the Mighty Food Bank – We helped this local food bank collect canned food items to provide food to less fortunate people in the community. YG officers collected 126 pounds of food items which will feed approximately 105 meals. These were delivered to them on Dec 21, 2021. Pandemic slowed us down but did not stop our YG officers from connecting and helping. Despite the pandemic, we were able to connect and fundraise by using technology and maintaining social distance.

4. Indian Republic Day 2022

5. Bake and cook potluck

ICEC Youth Group wishes everyone Happy Holidays & a very Happy New Year!

We wanted to thank all the YG officers & their families along with everyone in the community for generous donations & support to the YG fundraising efforts.

High School Graduation Program 

Indian Independence Day 2022