Shasta school delegation en route to China
EUGENE, Ore. - Spring break is coming up, but it won't be your typical trip for some 6th graders from Shasta Middle School in Eugene.
Their: destination: Beijing, for the first student-teacher exchange trip from the Bethel School District to China.
"All of us consider it an honor and a trip of a lifetime," said Ginny Weil, co-principal at Shasta.
Weil, two teachers and two Shasta students are taking off Thursday for the 9-day trip at the invitation of the schools in China, your new ambassadors to China.
"I can't believe it," said Suzanne Robbins, 6th grade math and science teacher and part of the delegation. "I'm still pinching myself."
Choir members from China were here just two years ago to visit.
"For me to be the principal of a middle school, to have a sister city relationship in Beijing is a real honor," Weil said, "especially since my father was born in Beijing."
The Bethel teachers will teach in China, including a very Oregon topic: the life cycle of a salmon.
"It's very unique to Oregon," said 6th grade teacher Kristy McElravy, "and so we're very excited to share that with the Chinese and share part of Oregon with them."
"It's like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that you can't say no to," said Shasta 6th grader Alondra Duran.
Duran and Madison Mlynczyk are the students on the trip, chosen for their high grades and leadership skills.
"We made a PowerPoint about Shasta that we're bringing there," Mlynczyk said, "and we're going to be teaching them about Shasta and American culture."
Of course, there will be time to see the many sights of China and these girls say they are ready.
"We'll take two cameras in case one breaks," Alondra said.
Weil points out the schools in China are covering most of the cost of the trip, though the group had to raise $5,000 to cover the rest of the expenses.
She said Eugene can support the Shasta Middle School China trip by becoming a host family. A student group from China is scheduled for a visit to Eugene this summer.
The sponsoring group is Global Perspectives for Youth. Learn more.
