Summer to prepare for the future – US high school students learn Chinese and think about careers

Community service

The participants spent a weekend with the children at two migrant schools – Dandelion School and Bainian Vocational School – which many considered the most rewarding part of the program.

“Community service has always been an integral part of the APSA program,” Dean said. “By teaching and playing with kids from underprivileged families, students from big cities in the US glimpse a totally different life and they are motivated to think how they can help and empower these people.”

The experience led Daniel Hagan, another 2008 APSA China alumni, through a door he never expected to take. He deferred college for a year to return to China and do community service. He is now in Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region teaching Chinese.

This summer’s 38 participants are now engaged in the last part of the program back in the US. “They are writing papers and will present them to school superintendants and discuss with the school board the program results. They will also talk to their community about what the program has taught them and how it can contribute to improving the world,” Dean said.