Four young people who have studied Chinese for a short period of time sang a classic song fluently, winning enthusiastic applause with the lyrics, “Sweet honey, your smile is as sweet as flowers blooming in the spring breeze.”
These individuals are students of the Ming Hui School in Boston and the Taiwan Chinese Language and Culture Learning Center (TCML). On the afternoon of June 8, adult and children students from this Chinese cultural school, along with parents and teachers, gathered in the auditorium of the Cambridge Public Library to sing and dance, celebrating the Dragon Boat Festival and the conclusion of the 2024 academic year.
As the school year came to a successful end, Principal Liu Shanling of Ming Hui School expressed gratitude to the support from the Overseas Community Affairs Council of the Republic of China. She congratulated the students on their achievements over the past year, thanked the parents for their cooperation, and appreciated the dedication of the teachers and volunteers.
The Saturday celebration began with children reciting the “Standards for Being a Good Student and Child,” followed by performances of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” dances portraying characters like Nezha and the Lady of the Moon.
The adult students of TCML also took the stage to showcase their Chinese language learning achievements over the year. They presented puppet shows interpreting the story of the Dragon Boat Festival, participated in a Chinese riddle guessing competition, acted in a Chinese play titled “Happy to Meet Friends,” and rendered a heartfelt rendition of the classic Chinese song, “Sweet Honey.”
The event’s two hosts, Anh Cao and Adel Mansilla, are also Chinese language students at TCML. In addition, students from the adult dance interest class performed a dance piece titled “Seeking the Path.”
Following the cultural performances, Ming Hui School prepared a spread of refreshments for the participants, including traditional Dragon Boat Festival rice dumplings, tea eggs handmade by volunteers, bubble tea, and egg tarts, all of which received praises. Meanwhile, outside the auditorium, there were cultural booths featuring calligraphy by Professor Song Yongqi, origami rice dumplings by Professor Wang Mingde, and origami lotus flowers by Professor Gan Mingling.
On that day, Director Pan Zhaorong of the Overseas Chinese Education Center also attended the event, expressing gratitude on behalf of the Overseas Community Affairs Council to the Ming Hui School and offering words of encouragement to the students. He hoped that all TCML students would diligently use Chinese in their daily lives, living up to what they have learned.