Students from Nanjing, China Welcomed At Satz School

Twenty four schoolchildren visiting from Nanjing, China arrived at the William R. Satz Intermediate School on Tuesday, and were welcomed with a chorus and jazz band concert.

The students will be visiting the school campus through  Thursday at noon, Feb. 10. 

"We want to learn about junior high school activities, because there are more curriculum options here -- especially at this school -- and more freedoms for students in choosing classes than in China, where there is only one curriculum," Ma Hai Bo said Tuesday, the vice principal of the Middle School Affiliate to Nanjing University of Technology.

The Nanjing School requested the visit through a cultural exchange program, and the Board sent them a formal invitation,  said Satz Principal Arthur Howard.

The students come from the Jiang Su Province in eastern China.

Chinese students were then taken to the library for a Powerpoint orientation given by student ambassadors, lead by Guidance Counselor James Bruce.

The ambassadors volunteer and meet all year to learn to help new students get acclimated to the school, aid incoming sixth graders, and now host international students, according to Bruce.

The Nanjing students asked their ambassadors questions about their school's grading policies, the classes available to them, and whether or not they too had to wear school uniforms.

Questions were asked through translators,  but the students have actually been taught English since first grade, according to Ma Hai Bo.

"We are hoping as they become more comfortable they will become less shy about speaking in English," Bruce said.

The Nanjing students will follow their Satz ambassadors through a typical school day and then have their choice of afterschool activities to attend, such as basketball, wrestling, Science Olympiad, Student Council, and Builder's Club, said the principal.

"Often we don't know how much we don't know about our brothers and sisters across the world," said Howard. "This is an exciting opportunity for our students to learn about their culture while teaching them about our culture as well." 

Howard expects to sit down with Ma Hai Bo this week to exchange ideas and possibly arrange for some Satz students to visit the Nanjing school.