A group of Chinese exchange students stopped at the Mount Airy Rotary Club’s weekly lunch meeting Tuesday as part of a week tour of the area.
The students, 12 in number, travelled from the city of Chang Shu in the Jiang Su Province and are linked to the Mount Airy Schools’ Mandarin Chinese program.
The group’s teacher, Zhu Yan Ping, presented to the Rotary Club at Cross Creek Country Club on behalf of the visiting students. Ping said she had been teaching at Chang Shu High School for 30 years, and she focused her remarks on describing the city she called home.
Ping said her city’s name meant “a good harvest every year.” That name fits in a fashion; while not an agricultural center, Chang Shu is a thriving port city with much industrial manufacturing. It is one of China’s top-10 richest cities.
The city, located about a 90-minute drive from Shanghai, has about 2 million residents and covers an area 1,260 square kilometers in size, according to Ping.
She said the city has a large automotive parts industry.
Additionally, Ping tossed an invitation out to the audience.
“One of my former students is the deputy mayor,” said Ping. “If there are any businessmen who want to make an investment in our city, we can help.”
Dr. Greg Little, city schools superintendent, introduced Ping to the club. He called the Mandarin Chinese program, which began a year and a half ago, a success, thanking school board members and other key players for their involvement.
Little said today’s children will grow up in a different world than the one to which prior generations have played witness.
“This generation will be impacted by globalization like none before,” said Little. “Our students are now applying the STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) skills we teach to a global network.”
Little described the Mandarin program as “progressive and forward thinking.” It’s also a program which has “blossomed” in Mount Airy.
“We were named the Confucius Classroom of the Year,” explained Little. “It really is because this has been a team effort.”
Mount Airy was able to outshine much larger schools in earning the title, said Little. It was due, at least in part, to an excellent Mandarin teacher.
“We have one of the top-30 Chinese teachers in the world,” said Little of teacher Vicky Yang. “Her classroom is high energy and highly engaging.”
Little explained the level of excellence exhibited in the Mandarin program is part of what made hosting the 12 exchange students possible.
He said the other part was the hard work of Assistant Principal Kevin Joyce, who coordinated the trip.
Following Ping’s remarks, members of the Rotary Club peppered Ping with questions, mostly regarding education.
Ping said every city in China has its own university, and the goal of the education system in China is to get students to that next level of education. For Chinese youths, 98 percent will go on to attend college.
Another question regarded ping-pong, a favorite game among the Chinese people.
“How educated did you get in ping-pong,” a Rotary member asked the host family students, who were also in attendance.
“I got smoked,” replied one local youngster.
