Zusun Chinese School in Tucson held a celebration for its 65th anniversary

Zusun Chinese School in Tucson held a celebration for its 65th anniversary. Sixty-five years of educating descendants, inheriting innovation and building the future …

Sixty-five years of cultivating descendants, inheriting innovation and building the future

Some old principals and old directors returned to school to participate in activities

Li Jian, chairman of Phoenix Hope Chinese School, Liao Ying, chairman of the Chinese Association, Chen Weiheng, consul of the Consulate General in Los Angeles, Liang Zhengqiang, an outstanding figure in Chinese education, and Kit, the old chairman of Zusun Chinese School Lam at the celebration

September 27 is the 65th anniversary of the founding of Zusun Chinese School. Red palace lanterns are hung in the front hall of the Zusun Chinese Cultural Center, and pictures reviewing the history of the Chinese school and showing its current style are displayed, as well as students' exercises. A pair of red lanterns hang on the rostrum of the hall, and thirty large round tables are lined up in the hall. There are also red auspicious Chinese knots and colorful Chinese dragons. The atmosphere was warm and peaceful. The school holds a grand celebration here. Chen Weiheng, Consul of the Education Section of the Consulate General in Los Angeles, Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild, Tucson Assembly Member SHIRLEY Scott, and Pima County Pima College President Lee Lambert, Tucson Chinese Association Chairman Liao Ying, Zusun Chinese School Chairman Chen Boqiang, Director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Arizona Chen Zhao, Phoenix Hope Chinese School Chairman Li Jian and former principal Zhao Caihong, special guests educationist Dr. Chen Pu and historian Dr. Yang Li, Zusun Chinese School Principal Chen Rongji, six old school principals represented by Bonnie Lam, Zhao Ping, Kit Lam, more than ten old directors represented by Liang Zhengqiang, many old teachers represented by Jiang Qihai and Yin Shidian, and nearly 300 teachers, students and parents gathered together to participate in the grand ceremony.

Students' paintings

Sixty-five years of hard work and continuous improvement. Zusun Chinese School was founded in 1950. With the joint efforts of generations of Chinese, it has retained the roots of the nation with the splendid language and culture of the Chinese nation. It has grown from a Chinese cram school to an important base of Chinese education in Southern Arizona. In the past 20 years, Zusun Chinese School has achieved remarkable results and has been praised by the local people in Tucson. In the past 10 years, more and more non-Chinese families have sent their children to school to learn Chinese, and more and more Chinese school teachers have entered full-time schools to teach and are active on the stage of Chinese courses everywhere. Now, Zusun Chinese School has become a banner for Chinese education and the spread of Chinese culture in Arizona. The courses offered by the school include Chinese classes for Chinese-Americans (classes using the "Chinese" textbook compiled by Jinan University and classes using the "Chinese" textbook compiled by Ma Liping) and Chinese classes for non-Chinese-Americans. There are also cultural courses such as Chinese calligraphy, Chinese painting, Chinese martial arts, Chinese dance, YOYO, table tennis, badminton, chess, and Chinese conversation. There are currently 149 students at the school, and activities organized throughout the year include calligraphy competitions, composition competitions, recitation competitions, and literacy tests. Since 2005, Zusun Chinese School has had hundreds of student essays win awards in worldwide essay competitions.

Sixty-five years of overcoming obstacles and reforming the old. The "Chinese School Teaching Concepts and Teaching Methods Seminar" held at 9 a.m. kicked off the celebration. Current teachers from two Chinese schools in Tucson, former principals of Zusun Chinese School, historian Yang Li and educationist Chen Pu who came all the way from Phoenix attended the seminar. Accompanied by Ms. Liao Ying, Chairman of the Zusun Chinese Association, Chen Weiheng, Education Consul of the Consulate General in Los Angeles, attended the meeting to meet with the teachers and spoke. The jasmine tea he brought from his motherland aroused everyone's homesickness. He said that Americans are now very interested in learning Chinese and have high motivation to learn. He also pointed out that Chinese schools are facing new tasks under the new situation and hoped that Chinese schools would make a difference in this regard. Ms. Liao Ying also spoke. She fully affirmed the selfless dedication and outstanding work of the teachers in the Chinese school, and expressed her gratitude to the teachers on behalf of the Zusun Chinese Association!

Consul Chen Weiheng talks with teachers participating in the seminar

Doctors Yang Li and Chen Pu and several principals of Zusun Chinese School spoke at the seminar. Yang Li used detailed historical information to show everyone the history of Chinese schools run by Chinese Americans. The history of Zusun Chinese School was reviewed with precious pictures and specific data, highlighting the historical achievements of the Tucson Chinese who overcame difficulties and persevered in establishing Chinese education. Dr. Chen Pu prepared a large amount of materials for this seminar, but based on the atmosphere of the seminar and the specific situation of the teachers attending the seminar, he decided to break away from the originally prepared lecture notes and focus on discussing the issue of cultivating people in Chinese schools. The teaching philosophy that he vividly put forward in Chinese schools is "just don't teach the students enough." This is refreshing. The originally scheduled three-hour seminar was extended by more than an hour, and it was not until the afternoon celebration meeting was about to begin that the seminar ended without satisfaction. (The seminar has been reported separately)

Opening lion dance

Sixty-five years of riding the wind and waves, making progress with each passing day. That afternoon, the grand 65th anniversary celebration was packed with people. At two o'clock in the afternoon, the celebration started with the sound of lion dance gongs and drums. The children's lively opening lion dance attracted bursts of applause from the audience. Mr. Chen Boqiang, Chairman of the School Board, presided over the meeting. Ms. Liao Ying, President of the Chinese Association, spoke. She fully affirmed the historical achievements of the predecessors of the Chinese school in establishing the Chinese school, and highly praised the contributions made by generations of teachers and school administrators in Tucson to the Chinese school. Mr. Chen Weiheng, Education Consul of the Los Angeles Consulate General, delivered a speech. He brought special congratulations from the Los Angeles Consulate General, and on behalf of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council, he awarded the license to Zusun Chinese School, which won the title of "Huaxing Bookstore", and presented the award to Mr. Liang Zhengqiang, who won the title of "Outstanding Chinese Education Person" in 2014. Ms. Li Qiongyao, a student of Zusun Chinese School in the late 1950s and former president of the Chinese Association, showed photos of her studies at the Chinese school and reviewed the scenes of her studies at that time. And as old alumni, awards were given to four students who passed the AP Chinese Language and Culture exam.

Consul Chen Weiheng awarded the plaque to "Hua Xing Bookstore" and presented awards to "Outstanding Chinese Education Personnel"

Early student and former Chinese Association Chairman Li Qiongyao delivered a speech

Early student and former Chinese Association Chairman Li Qiong Yao presented awards to students who achieved excellent results in the AP Chinese exam

Old teachers Du Dongyuzhen, Jiang Qihai, and Yin Shidian who have worked at Zusun Chinese School for more than 20 years

The growth and development of Zusun Chinese School is inseparable from the volunteers who have contributed to it. From the school directors, teachers, and “weekend boys” in the early days of the school to the current volunteers in front of and behind the scenes, they have made indelible contributions to the development of Zusun Chinese School. Former principal Lei Hong fully affirmed the contributions of these volunteers in his speech, and on behalf of the school, awarded the Outstanding Volunteer Award to the outstanding representatives of these volunteers, the eight behind-the-scenes volunteers who have reviewed the compositions of our school students since 2010. They are Yang Li, Shuai Zhiruo, Shang Huiming, Chen Pu, Zhao Ping, Xie Chengyan, Deng Lin, and Zhang Qiuhong.

>Yang Li, Shang Huiming, Zhao Ping, Chen Pu, and Deng Lin who won the Outstanding Volunteer Award

The celebration of the 65th anniversary of Zusun Chinese School also received congratulatory letters and telegrams from the National Association of Chinese Schools, the Confucius Institute at the University of Arizona, Phoenix Hope Chinese School, Phoenix Modern Chinese School, and Tucson Chinese Language Church Chinese School. Li Jian, chairman of the Hope Chinese School in Phoenix, and Zhao Caihong, the former principal, made a special trip from Phoenix to attend the celebration. Although the two Chinese schools in Tucson held classes at the same time, Tucson Mandarin Chinese School sent representatives to participate in the celebration. Dr. Chen Zhao, Director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Arizona, made time to attend the celebration and delivered a speech at the meeting as a representative of the congratulatory unit. She enthusiastically praised Zusun Chinese School for its positive role in the community and presented a specially made greeting card to the Chinese school. Then she changed the subject and changed her identity from a guest to a student parent. She said that her two daughters used to study Chinese at Zusun Chinese School and achieved good results. She was very grateful to the teachers who worked hard to cultivate students and inherit Chinese culture.

Dr. Chen Zhao, Director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Arizona, sent a specially made greeting card to the Chinese school.

From the 1960s to the beginning of this century, Mr. Lin Chengbo, the old chairman who worked at Zusun Chinese School for 39 years, fondly reviewed the development history of Zusun Chinese School. He walked up to the podium carrying a box, ignored the host's hint that the time had expired, and spoke for more than 20 minutes in one breath. In his box were books introducing Tan Chengbo, the founder of Zusun Chinese School, a special issue of Zusun Chinese School published in the 1960s, school documents, newspaper reports on the school from different periods, and very precious old photos. In the process of displaying these treasures, Mr. Lin told the stories behind the treasures and took everyone into the time tunnel of Zusun Chinese School along with the school’s daily routine. Coming out of this time tunnel, what people feel is the persistent pursuit and efforts made by the Chinese in Tucson from generation to generation to retain the roots of their Chinese culture.

Mr. Lin Chengbo, the old chairman who has worked at Zusun Chinese School for thirty-nine years, looked back fondly on the development history of Zusun Chinese School.

The celebration was interspersed with carefully prepared programs by teachers and students, and the children's wonderful performances occasionally won warm applause from the audience. The children in the three dance classes used dances full of strong Chinese charm to report their years of teaching results to the guests. The students in the YOYO class used the funny and exciting diabolo dance (YOYO) to show the lively, cheerful and joyful spirit of the children. Two short plays performed by students in the second and fourth grades of primary school reproduced the scenes of classroom teaching activities and showed the current teaching situation in the school. Wu Lingling, a graduated student, recited the poem "Tucson, Where I grew up" that she wrote when she was in Chinese school. The poem expresses her love for Tucson and describes her attachment to the Chinese school. With her sweet voice, she unfolded pictures of the daily lives of her classmates. She used the emotion in her beautiful voice to express her reluctance to leave the Chinese school. Her soulful voice entered everyone's heart. In the thunderous applause given to her by the audience, we have reason to believe that Zusun Chinese School will definitely achieve the overall goal of the Chinese school put forward by Principal Chen Rongji: "We must make the joint efforts of schools and families to allow students to learn and understand Chinese culture while learning Chinese language knowledge, and ultimately form Chinese abilities that can be used throughout their lives."

Children's performance Short drama and dance

Wu Lingling recited her poem "Tucson, Where I Grew Up" (left), and performed diabolo (YOYO) (right)

After the celebration, the kitchen staff led by Li Qiongyao, former president of the Tucson Chinese Association, and Tang Guoquan, the school director, served everyone a Chinese-style dinner. This is specially funded by the Tucson Chinese Association to celebrate the 65th anniversary of Zusun Chinese School.

Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild attended the meeting to congratulate (left), and Chairman Chen Boqiang presided over the celebration (right).

Taking a group photo, from left, Principal Chen Rongji, Chinese Association President Liao Ying, Consul of the Consulate General of Los Angeles Chen Weiheng, Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild, Tucson Assembly Member Shirley Scott, Vice President Cao Peiqin

Sixty-five years of cultivating descendants, inheriting innovation and building the future. Connect the past and the future, learn from the past to understand the present, and face the future. I believe that under the background of the increasingly powerful motherland and with the strong support of all parties, Zusun Chinese School will move to a higher level and make outstanding contributions to Tucson Chinese education and the spread of Chinese culture.

Written by: Ouyang Jing, Chen Rongji; Photography: Zhang Jian, Ouyang Jing, Chen Rongji, Lei Hong