1:35 p.m., Dec. 21, 2007--High school students from throughout the First State are being sought for the 2008 Governor's School for Excellence in China, which will run this summer from June 15-July 27 at the Number Two High School of Beijing Normal University.

Sponsored by the Office of the Governor, the Delaware Department of Education and the University of Delaware, and made possible by a grant from the U.S. Department of State, the experience, now in its second year, is geared for high school students 14-18 who are interested in living and studying in a foreign country while learning about its culture, language and history.

A new twist on the Delaware Governor's School for Excellence, which has been hosted by UD for the past 28 years, the Delaware Governor's School in China gives college-bound students the opportunity to study abroad in a structured academic environment while living with a host family. The theme of this year's program is “Understanding Modern China: Tradition and Transformation,” with emphasis on China's hosting of the 2008 Olympic Games.

Twenty to 30 Delaware high school students who have taken one academic year of structured Chinese (Mandarin) language instruction will be selected for the program. Coursework will include five weeks of structured Chinese language instruction and cultural studies, and participants will live with host families or in dormitories. Additionally, students will take a 10-day study tour to Xian and Shanghai.

“This program is one of many efforts in Delaware to enhance the learning experience of our high-school students while also helping to provide them with the resources and opportunities they will need to succeed in college and the workplace,” said Gov. Ruth Ann Minner. “This is a tremendous opportunity for those students who are selected for the program.”

Jianguo Chen, assistant professor of Chinese and Chinese literature in UD's Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, is this year's academic director of the Governor's School in China. A native of mainland China, he teaches courses in Chinese language, literature, culture and film at UD.

“As China is emerging as an important player in the world, there is a growing need for a better understanding of this ancient yet increasingly vibrant country,” Chen said. “The Governor's School for Excellence in Chinese Language and Culture will provide Delaware high-school students with a good opportunity to experience China on a firsthand basis. We are very pleased and very fortunate to be awarded the grant that has made this possible.”

Upon their return from China, students will serve as cultural ambassadors, sharing their experiences with peers and community groups through structured follow-up activities in their high schools, communities and the UD campus, Chen said.

Four chaperone-leaders, including three faculty and administrators from UD and a Delaware high school teacher, will accompany the students and oversee the program. In addition to Chen, the UD team will include Maria Tu, assistant professor of Chinese, modern Chinese women's literature and world literature; and Marion Bernard-Amos, assistant director of UD's Center for International Studies. Tu will serve as the faculty coordinator of Mandarin Chinese instruction. Bernard-Amos will serve as the student life coordinator.

The Governor's School for Excellence in Chinese Language and Culture is financially assisted by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States Department of State, under the authority of the Fulbright-Hays Act of 1961. The program is carefully assessed to ensure academic quality by UD's Office of Educational Assessment.

To learn more about the program in China and the application process, go to [www.udel.edu/govschool/china].

In November, Minner met with those who had participated in the 2007 Governor's School for Excellence in Chinese Language and Culture, including Chen, George Irvine, administrative director of the program, and the 24 Delaware high school students who had studied and traveled in China from June 16-Aug. 5. The governor encouraged the students to share their experiences with peers at school and in their communities.

Funded by a $217,000 grant from the U.S. Department of State. the program included of five weeks of intensive Chinese language instruction and cultural studies and four weeks of home stay with host Chinese families. Additionally, the students visited important cultural and historical landmarks such as the Great Wall, the Forbidden Palace, the Terra-Cotta Warriors, the Mausoleum of China's first emperor, the garden city of Suzhou and the metropolis of Shanghai.

As part of their course work, the students also met Chinese writers, filmmakers, painters, calligraphers, martial arts experts and musicians. The students recorded their experiences in e-journals posted at [www.udel.edu/govschool/china].