Nearly 200 student scholars, their parents, teachers and school administrators participated in our Global Pathways Awards ceremony honoring Chinese language students in Winston-Salem in May. The event recognized celebrated middle and high school students who performed well on international Chinese language tests given for the first time in N.C. this year.
“Learning Chinese provides North Carolina students with a distinction that will serve them well as they apply to colleges and go on to jobs in our increasingly interconnected world,” said Go Global NC Executive Director Rick Van Sant. “It’s simply inspiring to hear our students using Mandarin with confidence.”
Certificates were presented to the 117 students who passed tests known as the YCT and HSK in January. The celebration of academic achievement was punctuated with student and faculty cultural performances – music, dance, poetry readings.
Special honors went to Polk County High School. Polk was awarded five Global Pathways Scholarships, sponsored by Chinese Testing International, to attend a 2-week intensive language immersion program in China in July. Among the 10 middle and high schools participating in the Chinese proficiency testing this year, Polk had the highest participation rate and a 100% passing rate. These scholarship recipients will join other students from around the globe to spend two weeks in Beijing and a neighboring province for Chinese language and culture learning in the immersion program organized by China’s Ministry of Education. There will also be educational exchange activities with local Chinese students.
The expansion of Chinese language programs in our state — more than 12,000 N.C. students are studying Chinese – is thanks in large part to Go Global NC’s Chinese Guest Teacher program. Through a partnership with College Board, we provided 33 teachers from China to teach Chinese language and culture in schools throughout North Carolina this past school year. Learn more about our China Programs.
Did You Know? Students who speak a second language have an advantage in the global job market, and research shows multiple cognitive and social benefits as well. This CBS article shows by learning Chinese may help in your job and this NEA Research report about the benefits of second language study shows why any second language is a plus.
