Afficient Academy recently celebrated one of the most memorable events of the year, the Annual Award Ceremony, held on September 20, 2026, at Cupertino Community Hall, Cupertino, California.
The event brought together 186 students, parents, family members, distinguished guests, teachers, and staff for an inspiring celebration of student achievement.
While trophies and medals were an important part of the day, the ceremony celebrated something even greater: the hard work, consistency, determination, and perseverance behind every student’s progress.
Celebrating Our Students
The highlight of the ceremony was the recognition of our students’ accomplishments.
Throughout the event, students were honored across several award categories, including Merit Awards, First Quarter High Achievement Awards, Honors Awards, High Honors Awards, and special Loyal Learner Recognition.
A total of 74 students received medals, trophies, and special recognition for their achievements.
Each award represented a unique learning journey. Some students were recognized for exceptional academic performance, while others were celebrated for their consistent effort, significant progress, or long-term commitment to learning.
Our Loyal Learner Recognition was particularly meaningful. These special awards honored students who have demonstrated remarkable dedication to their learning over an extended period.
The following students have been with Afficient Academy the longest and are still active. They are the winners of our Legacy award.
- Natalie Liu for Afficient Math: Since 04.28.2018
- Wesley Hsu for Afficient Math: Since 11.10.2018
- Lucas Huey for Afficient English: Since 06.03.2020
- Annabelle Tsai for Afficient English: Since 07.05.2020
- Jason Lin for Afficient English: Since 07.20.2020
Their commitment is an important reminder to all our students that great achievements are often built through small, consistent efforts over time.
Students Take Center Stage
Academic achievement wasn’t the only talent on display!
Our students brought tremendous energy and creativity to the ceremony through a variety of performances, including a Cello performance, a Chinese Kung Fu/dance performance, a singing performance, a Piano performance, and a K-pop dance.
Special congratulations to:
Brendt Pyo – Cello Performance
Dora Yu – Chinese Kung Fu/Dance
Akshara Ganapathy – Singing
Kashyap Ganapathy – Piano Performance
Stephanie Yang – K-pop Dance
Performing in front of an audience requires confidence, preparation, and courage, and we are extremely proud of each student who stepped onto the stage to share their talents.
Hearing from Our Students and Parents
Another special part of the ceremony was hearing directly from the people at the heart of the Afficient Academy community, our students and parents.
Student speakers Daniel Cao, Kashyap Ganapathy, and Oceana Liang shared their personal learning experiences and reflected on their progress and accomplishments.
We were also delighted to hear from Ms. Nupur Muralidharan, parent of Kashayp and Akshara, who shared the family’s experience with Afficient Academy and reflected on how Afficient Academy has helped her children excel in math.
Their stories reinforced an important message: academic progress is a journey that requires not only effective learning but also perseverance, self-discipline, family encouragement, and a willingness to keep working through challenges.
A Message from Dr. Fang
Afficient Academy CEO Dr. Fang addressed students and families during the ceremony and shared how Afficient Academy’s AI-driven programs have been helping students achieve excellent results.
His presentation emphasized Afficient Academy’s commitment to helping students identify and overcome learning gaps, build strong academic foundations, develop independent learning and problem-solving capabilities, and advance toward higher levels of academic achievement.
The message to our students was clear: academic excellence is not simply about reaching a particular grade or receiving an award. It is about developing the knowledge, confidence, discipline, and learning habits that will help them succeed for years to come.
Welcoming Our Distinguished Guests
We were honored to welcome our distinguished guests, Yan Zhao, former Mayor of Saratoga and currently running for Santa Clara County Board Member, and Long Jiao, a member of the Board of Education of the Cupertino Union School District (CUSD).
Both guests addressed our students and families, sharing their perspectives and words of encouragement.
We sincerely thank them for taking the time to celebrate this important occasion with the Afficient Academy community.
The Team Behind Our Students
Near the conclusion of the ceremony, we also recognized the dedicated team members who support our students throughout their learning journeys.
Our Corporate Learning Center Manager, Amanda Zhang, addressed the audience and introduced members of the Learning Center team.
Behind every student’s progress is a partnership among the student, family, teachers, instructors, and support team. We are grateful to our entire team for their commitment to helping students overcome challenges, stay motivated, and continue progressing toward their academic goals.
More Than an Award
As the ceremony came to a close, we reminded our students that the trophies and medals they received represent much more than a single accomplishment.
They represent the problems they didn’t give up on.
They represent the mistakes they learned from.
They represent the assignments they completed, the skills they mastered, and the challenges they overcame.
Most importantly, they represent what each student is capable of accomplishing when they continue to learn and persevere.
Thank You to Our Afficient Academy Family
We extend our sincere thanks to all the parents, families, distinguished guests, speakers, performers, teachers, instructors, staff members, and volunteers who helped make this year’s Annual Award Ceremony such a memorable occasion.
Congratulations to all our 2026 Afficient Academy award recipients!
We look forward to celebrating many more accomplishments with you in the year ahead.
