For most students, the summer break is spent at a camp or on vacation. This summer, AHS students were given a rare opportunity to experience both; in China. The A-Blast is working with IREX, a Non-Governmental Organization that is dedicated to improving education around the world. Three AHS students, two AHS graduates, a student from Fairfax HS, English Department Chair Alan Weintraut and social studies teacher John Hawes worked at a week-long journalism camp at The High School Attached to Northwest Normal University in Lanzhou, China from July 17-23.

The 13 participating Chinese high schools came from all over Gansu Province to learn American style journalism. At the end of the week, each school – including AHS – was required to create a four page newspaper, which included news, editorials and other features. The program has expanded by nine schools since its first year in 2010 and this was the first year that American students participated. They served as aides to the Chinese students, many of whom were new to working on a newspaper.

“I was really excited, because I’ve gotten to know [Chinese students] my own age,” Jenna Degner-Lopez said. Degner-Lopez is a rising senior at Fairfax HS and has been studying Chinese for four years. Her family found out about the opportunity because her sister is an AHS alumunus. She believes she benefited most from learning about the Chinese culture.

“From our point-of-view, we’re a completely different culture, so we’re starting to recognize the differences,” she said.

Weintraut, who co-wrote the curriculum, served as one of the teachers at the camp. He notes that the American students have been “essential” to the camp because the Chinese students can learn faster with additional help from their peers. Hawes advised students and teachers during the week-long process. He believes that the American students benefited from this experience by learning about their Chinese counterparts. Hawes also enjoyed comparing the Chinese style of teaching with the American style.

“It’s not that [either of us] have any perfect model,” he said. “It’s also interesting to know the level of education in the Gansu Province.”

An average day consisted of lessons ranging from “How to write a lead” to “Editorial cartooning.” The students were required to write sample stories, take pictures and draw cartoons, while the American students walked around and gave advice. There were even two guest speakers, Xinhua News reporter Xiong Lei and Reader’s Founder Yaquan Hu.

The American students worked with student-translators from The High School Attached to Northwest Normal University to communicate with other students who were not as proficient in the English language. The school was one of the original participants in the program. Bowen Zhao, an 18 year-old in Grade Two, served as one of the translators. He appreciated the chance to learn “how students publish a paper in America.”

“Through [translating], we can accumulate something that will solve problems when we publish our paper and it helps us get American culture,” Bowen said. He serves at the Editor-in-Chief of his newspaper, Xiao Yuan Shi Jiao. According to Bowen, a rough translation of that is The Viewpoint of the Campus.

The idea of bringing American students came from IREX’s desire to make a partnership with AHS and Chinese schools. Clare Sheng, Program Officer for IREX, believes the opportunity is in the “spirit of exchange.”

“[American students] can benefit from this through the cultural exchange. Actually working with Chinese colleagues at this age is invaluable,” Sheng said. “This helps with your craft. When you teach something, you internalize it.”

Before returning home, the American students are following the week-long camp with a tour of Xi’an, Hong Kong and Beijing.