On May 18th, Principal Hsu Hsiao-Cheng of Taipei Municipal Zhongzheng High School signed an official agreement with San Francisco School of the Arts (HSArts) to become sister schools. The principals of both schools, student representatives, a representative from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in San Francisco, and local education leaders attended the signing ceremony.
Dong Qingfeng, head of the education division at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in San Francisco, stated that HSArts and Taipei Municipal Zhongzheng High School had been in contact for two years before formalizing the agreement. He emphasized that the collaboration was a significant achievement resulting from long-term efforts by both sides. Dong added that the schools had initiated the cooperation themselves, with the Ministry of Education providing opportunities for international exchange funding applications.
Principal Sherry Zhang of San Francisco School of the Arts mentioned that Zhongzheng High School was the first overseas student group to stay on campus for several days during the semester, which was significant for the school. She expressed hope for arranging student visits to Taipei Zhongzheng High School in the future to establish a long-term cooperative relationship, allowing students from both schools more opportunities for physical visits and interaction.
Principal Hsu Hsiao-Cheng expressed his desire for deeper student interaction between the two schools through joint performances, shared courses, city exploration, and cultural experiences. After watching HSArts students perform Beethoven’s piano concerto, Hsu expressed his wish to send students to San Francisco for performances in the future and also looked forward to hosting HSArts students in Taiwan.
He mentioned that despite being a public high school in Taipei City, Zhongzheng High School has been actively promoting international education and currently has cooperative relationships with 15 sister schools in 8 countries.
Sherry Zhang emphasized the similarities between the two schools, particularly their focus on students’ holistic development and arts education rather than solely academic achievements.
Established in 2010, San Francisco School of the Arts is a school with arts at its core, where students are exposed to various art forms such as music, dance, and visual arts in addition to cultural education and enrichment.
“Every student here engages in some form of art creation, making them truly unique,” Sherry Zhang stated.
Zhongzheng High School students Cathy Tzeng and Jasmine Ma, visiting San Francisco for the first time, expressed their desire to improve their English proficiency through the exchange program and gain a deeper understanding of American high school education and arts culture.
They were keen to observe how art is integrated into daily campus life in the United States and also hoped to introduce Taiwanese culture and campus life to American students, establishing genuine friendships.
During their visit to San Francisco, Zhongzheng High School students will directly participate in HSArts classes, attend classes with American students, engage in art exchanges, group games, city exploration, and other activities to immerse themselves in American campus life.
San Francisco Police Commissioner Larry Yee expressed gratitude for Zhongzheng High School’s decision to collaborate with San Francisco School of the Arts. He stated that his presence was not only to support the partnership between the two schools but also to support the “future artists of the world.”
Yee encouraged students to strive for a balance between academics and artistic creation while maintaining confidence. He said, “You are the future of this world, and you are here to ensure a better future for generations to come because this world needs a lot of help right now. You must reflect on yourselves and think about what you can do to help all of us.”
Dr. Dennis Chew, an advisor at San Francisco School of the Arts who worked in San Francisco public schools for 33 years, stated that arts schools like HSArts could genuinely help students unleash their potential and passion.
He emphasized that once students find what they excel at, such as painting, dancing, ice skating, or music, they can gradually build confidence. “Once you believe in yourself, you can achieve anything,” he said.
“With this passion, the world belongs to you,” he added.
Led by Principal Hsu Hsiao-Cheng, a delegation of 26 students from Taipei Municipal Zhongzheng High School arrived in San Francisco on the 17th to begin a “12-day, 10-night” cultural exchange program. They will spend the first 6 days in San Francisco before heading to Portland for the remaining 4 days to interact with students at the local International Baccalaureate school, Grover Cleveland High School.
[Dajiyuan Exclusive Report]