Yihai Education Group Supports Student Leaders Exchange Program Sending Twelve Exemplary American Teenagers to China for Two Weeks
NEW YORK, June 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Yihai Education Group announced today that for the fourth consecutive year it will serve as the exclusive funder of the U.S.-China Student Leaders Exchange (SLE), an annual initiative that sends 12 nationally recognized recent American high school graduates to China. The students were selected by the National Committee on U.S. China Relations for a two-week immersion program to learn about the country's successes and challenges.
The students are either Presidential Scholars, a program of the Department of Education to recognize 161 outstanding high school students for their academic success, leadership and service to their school and community; or Regeneron Science Talent Search finalists, a program that honors 40 graduating high school seniors who have demonstrated outstanding science talent. This fall these students will attend Harvard, Columbia, Brown, MIT, Stanford and Cooper Union, among others.
From July 12th through July 26th the students will live with Chinese families, have an opportunity to interact with their Chinese counterparts, visit universities and high schools and enjoy traditional sightseeing in Beijing, Guizhou Province (Guiyang), and Sichuan Province (Chengdu and Beichuan).
The National Committee launched the Student Leaders Exchange program in 2004. Including this year's group, it will have sent 168 superstar U.S. students from 49 states to China. "We are delighted that the Yihai Education Group has continued its sponsorship of an exchange that introduces future leaders of the United States to their Chinese counterparts, and exposes them to China's culture and history," said Jonathan Lowet, the National Committee's Senior Director of Leadership Initiatives. "We have little doubt that, down the line, these students will make use of their newfound China knowledge and network."
Among this year's students are Michael Mireles of Alton, Texas, an inspiring neurosurgeon and founder of the student-led, nonprofit South Texas Ideas Festival, who will attend Brown; Clarke Patrone of Broussard, Louisiana, class president and captain of his school's baseball team, who is enrolling at Harvard; and Adriana De La Torre from Miami, FL, a Presidential Scholar visual arts finalist, who speaks Spanish, French, and English, and plans on studying Mandarin at Cooper Union.
Under the leadership of its chairperson Linda Wong, Yihai Group has been active in China since 1990 and has four core business units: global real estate development, education, property management and fitness centers and spas. It employs more than 1,600 people. Ms. Wong is one of the first generation of Hong Kong real estate developers to enter mainland China, Europe and North America. Her global philanthropy program is embedded in the culture of her company.
Ms. Wong said: "We believe that the Students Leadership Exchange will expose the best and brightest American students to China where they will learn about our culture, education system and the challenges we face along with our willingness to foster international cooperation. It is our hope that as a result of their visit to China these students will establish future relationships with China in academia, diplomacy and business strengthening the bonds between our two countries."
In addition to supporting the Student Leaders Exchange, the Yihai Education Group has created six schools in China with more than 4,000 students including a kindergarten, primary school, junior and middle school, a training school and an adult college. It also established the Inter Academy Yihai, a soccer training program for boys and girls in China under the leadership of Argentine soccer star Zanetti.
For Further Information:
Kathy Tompkins
Yihai North America
90 Broad Street, Suite 1707
New York, NY 10004
[email protected]
Cell: 917-716-9225
Office: 646-455-0600
SOURCE Yihai Education Group
Share this article