Chinese Bridge Summer Camp for High School Students
Background
Hanban (the Office of Chinese Language Council International) has been organizing and sponsoring Chinese Bridge summer camp for high school students over the last two years. It has been very well received by high school students all over the U.S.
Mission Statement
To promote exchange between the youth of China and the US, and enhance the understanding of high school students of Chinese language and culture, thus to stimulate their interest in learning Chinese language and culture.
When
Wednesday, July 15 — Friday, July 31. Depart the U.S. on July 14; arrive in China on July 15 and return to the U.S. on July 31.
Who
30 high school students from Michigan. There will be 500 students from across the US in total with a teacher/student ratio 1:10.
Organizers
Organizers: Hanban and Confucius Institute at Michigan State University
Grouping and Basic Itinerary
Students and their accompanying teachers will depart the US on July 14th and arrive in Beijing on 15th. The group will attend the opening ceremony (July 17th ) and related programs in Beijing , and then they will be transferred to school bases for Chinese international promotion in one province for Chinese language instruction. (The exact location TBD by Hanban and will be announced well in advance). On July 31st, the group will depart to Beijing and then return to the U.S.
Arrangement of Activities
During the program, students will be studying Chinese language and culture (Paper-cut, calligraphy, brush painting, tea ceremony, martial arts etc.) in traditional classrooms, and participating in various sports and cultural activities (basketball friendly match, international students get-together, host family experiences etc.); they will also be experiencing for themselves various points of interest of China's long history, and viewing sites of natural beauty. Daily itineraries and curricula will be developed by schools and provincial departments of education.
Qualifications to Apply – Students
Principally we recruit students currently enrolled in credited public/private high schools who meet the following qualities:
- U.S. Citizenship
- No Chinese language background necessary; students with Chinese language background should have less than three years of coursework.
- With excellent academic record, and be interested in Chinese language and culture.
- Physically capable of international traveling.
Qualifications to Apply – Group Teachers/Chaperones
Group teachers are required to meet the following qualities
- K-12 teaching experiences, preference will be given to Chinese language teachers.
- A wealth of student management experience.
- Love teaching; being responsible and compatible.
- Outstanding communication skills and adaptive capacity.
- Physical capability of international travelling.
Group Teachers fulfill the following duties:
- Help Confucius Institute with pre-departure training.
- Accompany students attend all courses and other activities.
- Coordinate with Hanban and host schools to monitor and supervise students, taking primary management responsibilities for student behavior and activities.
- Provide guidance and support to students in learning the exploring the culture
- In case of emergency, such as student illness or loss of passport, keep close contact with Confucius Institute, Hanban, and host school staffs, as well as accompany the students for medical treatment and so on.
- After summer camp, collect feedback about the program from students. Submit to Hanban a summary report and recommendations of improvement.
Application and Selection Procedure
Qualified student applicants need to submit their application forms, personal application letters, recommendation letters from schools or/and teachers to Confucius Institute at Michigan State University before the deadline on March 20th, 2009.
Teacher applicants should submit their resume prior to March 20th, 2009.
*Mail the application materials to: Chun Lai, 115 Erickson Hall, College of Education, Michigan State University; or email the electronic version of the application materials to laichun1@msu.edu; or fax the application materials to 517.432.4797.
Confucius Institutes will conduct primary selections upon receiving the application materials and notify the selected candidates on or by April 20th, 2009.
Program Costs
Students and teachers pay only the costs on round-trip air tickets, international travel insurance and visa application. The approximate cost is $2030 (While the exact cost of airfare cannot be determined until registration, the typical airfare cost is around $1800 per traveler for July. The travelers insurance is around $100 per traveler. The visa application fee is $130). All the costs in China: room and board, meals, transportation within the country, activities and sightseeing for students and teachers will be paid by Hanban.
Preliminary Timeline
| Dates/Deadlines | Work Schedule |
|---|---|
| Prior to 3/20 | Submit all the application materials (application forms; application letter and letter of recommendation). |
| 4/20 | Receive notification on the selection results. |
| 5/30 | Submit an electronic copy of your passport (the page with your passport number and photo ID) and visa. |
| End of June (dates and time will be announced later) | Trip orientation webinar |
| 7/14 | Departure |
| 7/15 | Airport reception |
| 7/31 | Seeing off at the airport |
For questions, contact Chun Lai at laichun1@msu.edu or 517-355-8516.
