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Bilingual Talks - English and CHINESE
Speaking American Celebrates 10th Anniversary
BOSTON. April 6, '08 - The year 2008 celebrated its 10th by offering its Bilingual Talks in English and CHINESE. For the occasion Ms.
Heidi Wolf, Founder and President of Speaking American donned an exquisite Chinese jacket which has an interesting history and its own cultural exchange
story.
Ms. Wolf said, I am so honored to wear this special Chinese jacket as I introduce the first speaker of our English-Chinese talks.
She explained that the first buyer of the Chinese jacket was E. E. Aldrin, father of Buzz Aldrin, second man to walk on the moon. When Mr. Aldrin Sr. was
on a work assignment in China in the 1920s, he bought the Chinese jacket as a souvenir of his travels to his sister, Phyllis Aldrin, who lived in Worcester,
MA. When Phyllis moved into a nursing home, she donated the jacket to the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR ) for a fund-raising auction.
Mrs. Alice Constant Francis Wolf, also a DAR member, won the auction. When Mrs. Wolf died in 1990, Ms. Wolf inherited the jacket.
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| PHOTO/Chloe Magner |
Ms. Wolf and Winner Alex Qian-Wang, Grade 7
of the Dover-Sherborn Middle School. |
Winner - Alex Qian-Wang
Using English and Chinese throughout, Alex have a Talk entitled My Traveling Experience as a
Chinese American
In his recitation, Alex said that in the US, kids always ask him if he is from China, Korea, or Japan. I tell them that I am a Chinese-American
he said, I was born and raised here in Massachusetts. He added, Often I have to explain to older kids the difference between heritage and nationality.
Alex received a cash prize and a Certificate of Participation suitable for framing.
English and CHINESE Talks to be an Annual Event
Ms. Wolf announced that from now Speaking American will offer English-CHINESE Talks each year as an
Option for the Bilingual Talks. As a supplement to the planned schedule of English PLUS which has English and French slated for 2009, Ms. Wolf said
that students in Grades 6-7-8 will also have the Option to speak English and CHINESE.
CHINESE - a critical need language
Noting that current US education and security policy goals have identified Chinese as a critical
need language for young generations of Americans to learn as we move forward into the 21st century, Ms. Wolf added, Spealing American
is pleased to support the implementation of these goals by providing a Public Speaking forum for students to use the skills acquired in the classroom
into another forum beyond the classroom and into yet another wider arena - a forum now to be available year after year.
Visit Bilingual Talks at www.speakingamerican.org each
year for English+Chinese Talk opportunities for Grades 6-7-8. Then see Public Speaking as part of you career path!
Thank you. XieXie.
© 2003-04 SPEAKING AMERICAN, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, all rights reserved. |
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