Chinese Students to Visit Valley Under Sister School Program

Nineteen students from China’s Shijiazhuang Foreign Language School will visit Valley High School and Valley Freshman High School Oct. 21-24 under a long-standing “Sister School” relationship.

The partnership gives West Des Moines students enrolled in Mandarin classes a chance to use the language in conversation, as well as introduce their guests to American culture, the Des Moines Register reports.

“It makes what they learn in the class (a part of) real life; this gives them a chance to speak and use Chinese here in West Des Moines,” said Na Pan, the district’s Mandarin language instructor. “With this exchange program, every time after we meet a group of (Chinese) students, you can see the excitement from our side. When they see they can communicate, it shows them they have learned a lot.”

The overseas guests will stay in homes of students enrolled in Mandarin classes. Some of the special events will include a concert in which the Chinese students, who are ages 11 and 12, will perform with West Des Moines junior high orchestra members.