Education and Cultural Initiative
The Society for Friendship with China, Inc. sponsors many educational and cultural projects. The Society is a not-for-profit organization that promotes friendship between China and the United States. Although China is the most rapidly developing industrial nation in the world, in China's rural and agricultural areas there are few educational opportunities and girls are often passed over for boys when it comes to even basic academic advancement. Therefore the Society for Friendship with China, Inc. has made its mission to assist both boys and girls from rural areas so that they have the same opportunities as other children in developed countries.
Here are some projects that the Society for Friendship with China, Inc. is currently sponsoring:
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BEVERLY CHIEN GRAHAM MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIPS
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Fifteen scholarships have been established in China in memory of Beverly Chien Graham who died July 3, 2006 after a long battle with cancer. Today, in China, students have to pay a fee to attend school, including elementary level. Girls often take a lower priority than their brothers in the allocation of family funds, especially in poorer communities. Therefore, we have chosen to focus on providing scholarships for young girls at this time.
Five girls in each of 3 schools with which we already have a relationship, Hanjiaping, Yu Kou and An Shang have received the first of these scholarships. We have already received the names, ages, and financial situation of the awardees from Haijiaping and You Kou Schools. In each case, at least one of the |
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parents is deceased or disabled and the family is so deeply in debt it would be likely that they would not choose to send a daughter to school, even though there is a compulsory attendance law.
Since the financial needs of each girl is likely to continue, The Society will continue to grant this scholarship to each girl through her elementary years as long as she maintains her academic standing, thus qualifying her to for acceptance to a Middle School. An Endowment Fund has been established to perpetuate these scholarships. |
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| SCHOLARSHIPS FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS |
To truly help the recipients of the Elementary Scholarships, we need to help the students continue their education through at least high school and hopefully, college. The plan is to continue the Beverly Chien Graham Scholarship through middle school, high school and college for those elementary recipients who maintain good attendance and scholarship. In China, they must pass a test to continue their education from one level to another.
The Society has established a separate endowment to fund these scholarships. We hope to fund it with individual contributions and grants. We expect to have 2-3 elementary recipients who qualify to go on to Middle School and be in need of this help in the 2007-08 school year. Therefore, we need to get it at least partially funded soon. Joan Putthoff is chairing the committee to raise money to fund this endowment. Please click here to get more information about or to make a donation to this Endowment Fund.
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| HANJIAPING, YU KOU, AND AN SHANG SCHOOLS |
Five scholarships have been granted to each of the following elementary schools. Each school has a plaque placed at the entrance of the school stating that the school participates in the distribution of Beverly Chien Graham Memorial Scholarships.
Hanjiaping School: This is an elementary school in an isolated mountaintop village near Xi'an. It's students had poor classroom conditions and there wasn't much pride or interest in the school. In association with the Kansas City-Xi'an Sister Cities Committee, the Jim Lloyd Learning Center was built and equipped.
Interest and pride in the school and community soared and the community improved the classrooms and equipped the school with computers. The Society has continued to help the school funds for additional equipment and supplies.
Yu Kou School: The Center for East Asia Studies at the University of Kansas under the direction of Nancy Hope and The Society for Friendship with China have partnered for the last two years in providing financial assistance and visiting teachers to this school in a poor rural Chinese community near Xi'an
An Shang School: Our liaison in China, An Wei, grew up in An Shang village, near Xi'an, but had to go to Fu Feng to a boarding school for his elementary education. Under his leadership, the Sino-American Society built the very first school in An Shang at the beginning of the new century. They asked for help from many sources and the Kansas City-Xi'an Sister Cities Committee and The Society for Friendship with China raised funds to furnish student desks for the entire school. Each student has his/her own desk, adjustable in size, all the way through elementary and middle school. There is a plate on each desk naming the person who donated the funds for it.
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In July, five teachers from the Kansas City area, Mary Lee Sturdervant, Kathie Black, Mary Jo Gould, Judy Everly and Sue Rosecrans, were teaching at Bo'ai School in Xi'an and visited these schools in order to deliver the funds for the scholarships and visit with the students and teachers in the summer program. They saw the desks purchased by Kansas Citians for the new school at An Shang. In January, Linda Hanley, the official photographer of The Society for Friendship with China and Joyce Cox, The Society's Secretary of The Society will be teaching in the Xi'an area including An Shang School. |
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| SHAANXI NORMAL UNIVERSITY DELEGATION VISITS KANSAS CITY |
| A delegation of officials and teachers from Shaanxi Normal University in Xi'an, China visited UMKC early this year and met with representatives of The Society for Friendship with China and the Kansas City-Xian Sister Cities Committee plus representatives from the Lee's Summit School District and Center School District The purpose was to establish exchange and interaction between the university and the Kansas City area. Ideas and suggested programs were discussed and planned with much excitement; scholarships, pen/e-mail pal programs, student/teacher exchanges, and sister school programs. |
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| SHAANXI NORMAL UNIVERSITY/ SOCIETY SCHOLARSHIP GOES TO RONG RONG |
One of the major topics of conversation in the meeting with the Shaanxi Normal University delegation was scholarships, for both Kansas City students and Chinese students at the University.
The Beverly Chien Graham Scholarship provided the funds for a three year scholarship to see a sophomore through to graduation. The Society hopes to add a new scholarship every other year and requested that the student be a young lady who has financial need and is an academic achiever. Officials at the university nominated Rong Rong who presently ranks 9th in her class but is working hard to bring it even higher. Rong Rong's mother disappeared when she was 8 months old and her father is disabled. Her extended family is in no position to help her, either. She is in her second year at Shaanxi Normal University and we hope to continue her scholarship until graduation. She is majoring in Food Science but the study of English is very important to her. She, as most Chinese students, is very dedicated to her studies and works hard. She has recently assumed the presidency of an extra-curricular Food Club at the university and is very excited about the response to her leadership and accomplishments in the club. We will tell you more about Rong Rong as we hear more from her.
AMERICAN MOM STORY
The Society for Friendship with China proposed to Shaanxi Normal University that some of our members provide additional funds to Rong Rong for her to help her family plus exchange letters with her. The university authorities were concerned that this would conflict with the Chinese value of hard work, responsibility for self, and focus on her studies. However, we do have one "American Mom" for her. Rong Rong will write to Joyce Cox who will correspond with her and help improve her English by correcting and offering suggestions about Rong Rong's letter. Joyce will share the news from Rong Rong.
THE BIG NEWS: SHAANXI NORMAL UNIVERSITY'S MUSIC AND DANCE TROUPE IS COMING TO KANSAS CITY FOR CHINESE NEW YEAR!
Negotiations for Shaanxi Normal University's Music and Dance Troupe to come to Kansas City for The Society's Chinese New Year Celebration started at the meeting described above. Faxes and e-mails have gone back and forth and arrangements have been made with Paseo High School for them to interact with the Chinese students and host them for various activities. There will be a Master Class in Dance and another in Music taught by members of the Troupe. The Troupe will provide big shows at the Paseo High School Center for the Performing Arts on Friday and Saturday nights, February 16 and 17th plus the entertainment for The Society's New Year Party on Sunday, February 18, Lunar New Year's Day, at the Intercontinental Hotel on the Plaza. Plan now to attend one of the shows and come to the big party on Sunday. Go to the New Year page on this web site for all the details that will be available there as everything is finalized. |
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| If you are interested in participating in any of these programs, please click here to contact us. All contributions to the Society for Friendship with China, Inc. a 501 (c) (3) are tax-deductible. |
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