Interest Meeting for China TripOctober 28, 2014
Laurel International Corp.
Meeting Objectives
• Introduce Laurel International Corp.
• A quick look at BJ #22 HS
• Review milestones of sister school partnership
• Explain why visiting China by high school students
• Share China visit itinerary
• Timeline for trip participants
• Q & A
Laurel International Corp.
• Founded in 1992
• Mission: To promote educational and culture exchanges between US and China
• Offices in Rockville, MD & Beijing, China
• Scope of business- Educational exchange programs
- Sister school partnership
- Summer programs (Model UN, volunteering, internship)
- American public high school diploma program
- Executive training programs for Chinese government- Agriculture
- Law
- Public administration
- Finance
Our Partners
• K-12 public schools - VA: Loudoun County, Fairfax County
- MD: Montgomery County, Howard County
- Kansas & Wisconsin
• Vocational schools & special education schools
• Public/private universities- MD, VA, FL, MO, SD, CA
• Others- International Judicial Academy
- American Councils for International Education
- Disney
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Beijing #22 HS
• A top public school in Dongcheng District, BJ
• Founded in 1924
• 2,400 students
• Grades 7-12
2012/06Former Principal Mr. Anderson visited China
2012/10BJ #22 HS Principal Mr. Gao and students visited U.S.
2014/04BRHS Former Assistant Principal Mr. Tyson and students visited BJ #22 HS
Milestones of Sister School Partnership
Why Visiting China
• The world’s most populous country, with 1.3 billion officially
• 21 cities with population over 5 million (compared to 2 in the US)
• The world’s fastest growing economy, annual average growth rate of over 9.5% for 28 years in a row
• The world’s second-largest economy in Q2 2010
• Just overtook US as world's largest economy according to IMF
• China has the longest, continuous civilization in the world - some 5,000 years
• “During the 21st century, the only solution to our social problems greatly relies on both the doctrines of Confucius and Mencius.” - Dr. Arnold Toynbee, a British historian, philosopher of history
• Incredible food, varying across province and landscape
Why Exchange Visits by High School Students
• To understand the Chinese culture and Chinese people’s daily life
• To enhance cross-cultural communication skills
• To gain another perspective
• To become more tolerant of differences
• To be more adaptive and creative
• To grow up as a global citizen
• To contribute to the world peace and development
Trip Basics
• Nature: Educational trip
• Guiding principles: safety is the first priority, students centered
• Dates: Leave on Fri, Mar 27 and return to U.S. on Sun, Apr 5
• Cities: Beijing 6 days, Xi’an 1 day, Shanghai 1 day
• Activities: Shadow host students and attend Chinese culture classes, sightseeing
• Meals: all included, host family, school cafeteria and restaurants
• Lodging: host family condos and hotels (similar to Holiday Inn)
• Transportation: Host parents drop off/pick up kids at school, private shuttle bus
D.C.
Traveling Route
Xi’anShanghai
Beijing
Tentative Itinerary
Day # Date Time City Activity
1 Fri, 3/27 AM D.C. D.C. Beijing
2 Sat, 3/28 Day time BJArrive at BJ; welcoming ceremony at school; guest students are picked up by host families, chaperons check into hotel
3 Sun, 3/29Day time
BJGuest and host students tour Great Wall & Olympic Village
Evening See an acrobatics show
4 Mon, 3/30 Whole dayBJ Guest students shadow host students at school
5 Tue, 3/31 Whole dayBJ Guest students take Chinese culture classes at school
6 Wed, 4/1 Whole dayBJ Guest students tour Tiananmen Square & Forbidden City
7 Thu, 4/2
AMBJ
Guest students take Chinese culture classes at school
Noon Farewell Party
PM Travel BJ (high speed) Xi’an
8 Fri, 4/3Day time
Xi’anTour Terra-cotta Warriors Museum & City Wall
Evening Dumpling Feast & Tang Dynasty’s music and dance show
9 Sat, 4/4
AM Travel Xi’an Shanghai
PMShanghai
Visit Silk Factory & Chenghuang Temple
Night Huangpu River cruise
10 Sun, 4/5
AM Shanghai Visit Pudong Business Development District
PM Travel Shanghai D.C.
Evening D.C. Arrive at D.C.
Timeline for Trip Participants
• Submit completed information sheet by end of November
• Submit $500 deposit by winter break
• Turn in remaining balance due ($2,500), get int’l air ticket, submit visa application materials by Jan, 2015
• Attend the pre-trip meeting in Mar, 2015
- Pack-up checklist
- Medical emergency
- Present exchange
- Reminders for students
Cultural Exchange is about SHARING & LEARNING
