Lake Shore Welcomes Chinese Students for Summer Program

Squeals of joy filled Monday as students participating in a unique summer camp ran from classroom to classroom, and into the courtyard, for a scavenger hunt.

While this is a traditional camp activity, the students who were participating came from different sides of the Earth.

Forty-fifth and sixth grade students from Beijing Haidian Foreign Language Shi Yan School joined 40 Lake Shore host students in participating in the first day of activities during the three-week Summer Foreign Culture Camp.

"(The Chinese students will) enhance their English speaking skills and give them a little more information on the United States," said Donald Kling, Lake Shore director of facilities and transportation. "The American students will be learning about China and the cultural differences."

The program is an extension of the current exchange program with Lake Shore's sister school in Beijing.

Students from China will be staying in the through Friday, and then will stay with host families through Aug. 4.

During the week, students will attend class between 8:30-11:30 a.m., and then they will eat lunch together.

In the afternoon, both Chinese and American students will take part in activities, field trips and games.

The program is funded through the Chinese program at Lake Shore, with students from China paying for their travel, classes, room and board, and the Lake Shore students are attending for free.

"It is a good way to learn good manners, learn how to be polite to someone else, and (learn) American culture, history and English speaking skills," said Zhan Wei, vice-principal at the Beijing school.

Additionally, the Lake Shore students will have the opportunity to make connections with their Chinese peers if they when they reach high school-age, or if they travel from St. Clair Shores to China.

"They are building a relationship with these students," Kling added. "When our students go to China, they will see a familiar face and a friend in China."

The visitors from China also are finding friends in St. Clair Shores.

"I want to thank the Lake Shore Public Schools, and all the people in the neighborhood, they are very kind," Zhan said. "Sunday we walked to Memorial Park, and they were very friendly to us. It feels just like home."