Think China The Northern California Delegation of the China-U.S. Study Exchange Program
July 13 – 27, 2013
Think China 2013 @thinkchina2013 @thinkchina2013 #thinkChina13
思 想 中 國
“Ten times more Chinese students come to the United States for educational programs than Americans who study in China, and 600 times more Chinese study the English language than Americans study Mandarin. This imbalance in knowledge can undermine strategic trust between the two countries. Redressing this imbalance in knowledge is essential to ensuring that Americans have the cultural understanding and language skills that underpin effective diplomacy and foreign policy. It will also enhance our students’ ability to succeed academically and professionally in the global economy.” U.S. Department of State President Barack Obama’s 100,000 Strong Initiative
思 想 中 國
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Donec Vitae Sem “I have read about China in the newspaper.” – Lakeisha Harris B
“I would like to learn about the lifestyle of high school students in China… and what college life is like.” - Brandon Vonderwerth
“China has more high-level teachings than we do, so they are more academically aware.” – Anthony Gallon C 4
Table of Contents I.
Introduction
II.
Letters of Support
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• Congresswoman Barbara Lee
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• Marc Morial, National Urban League
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• Jean Quan, Mayor of Oakland, CA
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• Deborah Ale Flint, Port of Oakland
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III.
Delegation Chaperones
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IV.
Delegates
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V.
Pre-Travel Leadership Training
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VI.
China Curriculum and Program Platform
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VII.
Travel Itinerary
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VIII.
Learning Outcomes
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XI.
Acknowledgements
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XII.
Contact
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“For the first time, in my 18 years of living, I have been to the Port of Oakland! Who would have thought so many trucks and boats came in and out of the Port? You could tell from our faces that we didn’t know any of this.” – Taylor Wheeler 5
Introduction On July 13, 2013, 13 African American high school students left the Bay Area on an adventure of a lifetime; a two week, cross-cultural academic study to China. This trip was sponsored by the China-United States Exchange Foundation (CUSEF), a non-profit organization in China whose mission is to enhance relationships between China and the United States. Through various initiatives, the National Urban League (NUL) and CUSEF have facilitated African American-focused visits to experience China and Chinese people. This trip builds upon the NUL experiences as an empowerment tool for both business and education focused on a new audience-the high school student. The Northern California Delegation of the China-U.S. Study Exchange Program for high school students (Think China) facilitated student travel to Beijing and Shanghai, China, in order to experience Chinese culture, and interact with Chinese student counterparts. This collaboration is attributable to a focus on building and enhancing relationships with students from African American communities and China. There was a focus on manufacturing, technology and finance. The delegation is comprised of school district and community organization participation. Lead Chaperone of the delegation is Regina Jackson, President and CEO, East Oakland Youth Development Center (EOYDC).
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Think China 2013 Delegation Chaperones Regina Jackson, Lead Chaperone Regina is the President & CEO of the East Oakland Youth Development Center (EOYDC). A national model, EOYDC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to building the social and leadership capacities of youth and young adults ages 6 – 24, so that they are prepared for employment, higher education, and leadership opportunities. A lifelong change agent, Regina has served as an advisor to a host of entities; including, but not limited to: The City of Oakland, and The International Diplomacy Council. A
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Nicka Smith, Chaperone and Photographer Nicka is a professional photographer, speaker, and documentarian with more than 14 years of experience as a genealogist. As principal of NS2 Photography, her work has been featured on The Africa Channel, Scrubs Magazine, The Bride’s Café, Munaluchi Bride, and The Oakland Post. Additionally, Nicka is the chair of the Outreach and Education Committee for the African American Genealogical Soctiety of Northern California, and board member of the California Genealogical Society, and is the project manager for the Alameda County, CA Youth Ancestral Project.
Nola Turnage, Chaperone “Coach Nola” has been a mentor and coach of youth for the past 11 years. She has coached: Youth-Movement – Tommie Smith Youth Athletics Track and Field Program sponsored by the 100 Black Men of the Bay Area, Team Velocity track team, 100 Black Wings track team, and Team Oakland track team for international travel. She was featured as one of the Coaches of the Program in the documentary, “Runner’s High ”. In addition, Nola is a Legal Analyst, for Chevron Corporation working in the Intellectual Property and Trademark Law Group of the Corporate Law Department.
“I will continue to look for my ancestors with my family. Great activity!!! We should do this again, and also remember this: you will never know who your family is.” – Lakeisha Harris
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Think China 2013 Delegates
Kahmaria Adams
Khristan Antoine
Bryce Bell
Age: 15 Grade: 10th School: Piedmont High School
Age: 16 Grade: 11th School: McClymonds High School
Age: 17 Grade: 11th School: Berkeley High School
Anthony Gallon
Lakeisha Harris
Rahni Johnson
Age: 15 Grade: 10th School: Castlemont High School
Age: 15 Grade: 10th School: San Lorenzo High School
Age: 17 Grade: 12th School: Alameda Science & Technology Institute
Marisa Jolivette
Ibrahima Mobley
Isaiah Mobley
Age: 16 Grade: 11th School: San Lorenzo High School
Age: 15 Grade: 10th School: Abraham Lincoln High School
Age: 15 Grade: 10th School: Making Waves Academy
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Think China 2013 Delegates “When we first started making crab fried rice, I stuck my nose up… like, did they really want me to open raw Umiika Rose
Brandon Vonderwerth
Age: 16 Grade: 10th School: McClymonds High School
Age: 17 Grade: 12th School: McClymonds High School
crab, or even cook? But after a while, I started to have fun. As a group, we all became very close after this experience. We learned how to work as a team,
Taylor Wheeler
Jordan Williams
and have fun at the
Age: 18 Grade: 12th School: Hayward High School
Age: 15 Grade: 9th School: Arroyo High School
same time.” - Taylor Wheeler
School District
Gender
Alameda Berkeley Hayward Oakland Piedmont San Francisco San Lorenzo West Contra Costa
Male Female 0
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Oakland Residents: Student Athletes: Average Age: 13
77% 8 16
Pre-Travel Leadership Training In preparation of the trip to China, the delegation participated in a series of pre-travel leadership training activities. The objectives of these experiences were: to introduce participants to Chinese history and culture; engage them in the local, state, and national political landscape; allow the students to deeply reflect upon their own heritage and other aspects of the African Diaspora; acquire professional development; meet with civic and business leaders; as well as to provide team building and other bonding opportunities for the youth. The pre-travel leadership training components include, but are not limited to: • Orientation and introduction to the People’s Republic of China by Professor Mark Harris, JD (University of California Merced, University of Southern California, and Shanghai Normal University) • Culinary Arts instruction at the East Oakland Youth Development Center • Engagement with Chinese Exchange Students at Bishop O’Dowd High School • Congresswoman Barbara Lee & Elihu M. Harris’ Civil Rights Lecture Series featuring San Antonio, TX Mayor Julian Castro • Port of Oakland tour and engagement with civic leaders • Genealogy Workshop led by Alameda County, CA Youth Ancestral Project • Education Voices Youth Media Training facilitated by Oakland Local • U.S. Mission to United Nations Briefing on Think China and EOYDC Pathway to College University Tour* • Asian Art Museum tour of Terracotta Warriors exhibit
* A few of the delegates were selected to participate in this opportunity 14
Pre-Travel Leadership Training
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China Curriculum and Program Platform
In accordance with the objectives of the China-U.S. Exchange Foundation, and the 100,000 Strong Initiative, The Northern California Delegation was given the tools to act as a change agent in strengthening China-U.S. relations via a comprehensive curriculum*: Academics • 6 hours daily of rigorous study • Fudan University, and Beijing University tours Civic Engagement • Meetings with civic leaders Cult ural Immersion Tours • The Great Wall of China • Terracotta Warriors and Horses Business and Industry Tours • American Express • The Coca-Cola Company • Toyota Communit y Service Project
Upon return from China, the delegation has begun to share its experience – in the form of town hall meetings, reports, presentations, and a multimedia space – with school districts, churches and local officials, and ultimately a much larger, global audience. A braintrust led by the delegation at the 2013 Congressional Black Caucus has been proposed.
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Travel Itinerary Durat ion: Visiting Cities: Students from Delegation: Chaperones from Delegation: Staff from CUSEF/CUSEF (Beijing):
15:15 17:00 19:00 20:00
July 13 - July 27, 2013 Beijing, Shanghai 13 3 2
July 13 (SAT) Arrive in Beijing from San Francisco Proceed to hotel Check in Beijing 7 Days Inn Dinner July 14 (SUN)
07:00 08:00 09:00 10:40 12:00 14:00 15:20 15:40 17:30 21:00
Morning call Breakfast on Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) campus Orientation and opening ceremony Campus tour Lunch Lecture on China’s Foreign Relations and China-US Relations Tea break Lecture on Learning Chinese Language (1) Welcome dinner hosted by BFSU Back to hotel July 15 (MON)
07:00 08:00 09:00 10:20 10:40 12:00 13:00 17:30 21:00 Â
Morning call Breakfast at BSFU campus Lecture on China in Brief: History and Culture (1) Tea break Lecture on China in Brief: History and Culture (2) Lunch Study tour: Tiananmen Square & the Forbidden City Dinner downtown (Beijing dumpling-making) Back to hotel 17 17
Travel Itinerary July 16 (TUE) 05:00 06:30 10:00 10:15 10:45 11:30 12:00 14:00 17:30 19:00 21:00
Morning call Leave for Tianjin Toyota Plant (Tianjin Faw Toyota Motor Co., Ltd.) Arrive at Tianjin Toyota Plant Greetings, presentation about TFTM, and plant tour briefing Plant tour (Corolla and RAV4 production line) Questions and Answers Leave Tianjin Toyota Plant for lunch Leave Tianjin for Beijing Back to Beijing Dinner Back to hotel July 17 (WED)
07:00 08:00 09:00 10:20 10:40 12:00 14:00 16:00 17:00 18:30 21:00
Morning call Breakfast at BSFU campus Lecture on China’s Social and Economic Development (1) Tea break Lecture on China’s Social and Economic Development (2) Lunch break Lecture on Learning Chinese Language (2) Back to hotel for change Leave hotel for Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries Dinner hosted by Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (interaction with Beijing high school buddies) Back to hotel
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Travel Itinerary July 18 (THUR) 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:20 10:40 12:00 14:00 17:30 21:00
Morning call Breakfast at BSFU campus Lecture on China’s 12th 5-Year Plan Tea break Lecture on Learning Chinese Language (3) Lunch break Field study: Department of Environmental Protection Beijing Dinner Back to hotel July 19 (FRI)
06:00 07:00 08:00 10:00 13:00 15:00 19:00 21:30
Morning call Breakfast at BSFU campus Leave for the Great Wall Study tour: the Great Wall Lunch Shopping Cultural show and dinner at tea house Back to hotel July 20 (SAT)
07:00 08:00 09:00 10:20 10:40 12:00 14:00 18:00 21:00
Morning call Breakfast at BSFU campus Lecture on China’s Anti-Poverty Initiative Tea break Lecture on Learning Chinese Language (4) Lunch Field study: New Settlement in Beijing Dinner Back to hotel
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Travel Itinerary July 21 (S UN) 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:20 10:40 12:00 14:00 17:00 21:00
Morning call Breakfast at BSFU campus Lecture on China’s Education System Tea break Lecture on Learning Chinese Language (5) Lunch Field study: Hope Community Dinner Back to hotel July 22 (MON)
07:00 08:00 09:00 11:00 12:00 14:00 15:30 18:00 21:00
Morning call Breakfast at BSFU campus Lecture on Chinese Minority and Their Development Lunch Leave for Coca-Cola Plant Jay Yang, Sustainability Manager Arrive and tour the Coca-Cola Plant Leave Coca-Cola Plant for downtown Arrive downtown Beijing and dinner Back to hotel July 23 (TUE)
07:00 08:00 09:00 10:20 10:40 12:00 14:00 17:00 19:00 21:30
Morning call Breakfast at BSFU campus Lecture on China’s Government Structure Tea break Lecture on Learning Chinese Language (6) Lunch break Interaction with Beijing college students Dinner downtown Cultural show (acrobatics/martial arts) Back to hotel and pack
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Travel Itinerary July 24 (WED) 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:20 10:40 12:00 14:00 16:00 19:00 21:00
10:00 11:00 12:00 14:00 14:00 14:20 14:50 15:20 17:00 19:00 22:00
Morning call Breakfast at BSFU campus Lecture on Teaching of Ancient Chinese Philosophers (1) Tea break Lecture on Teaching of Ancient Chinese Philosophers (2) Closing ceremony and lunch Program evaluation Check out and leave for Beijing South Railway Station Dinner downtown Overnight Express to Shanghai July 25 (THUR) Arrive at Shanghai Railway Station Check in Lan Tian (Blue Sky) Hotel Lunch Visit Shanghai American Express Benny Wang, China Head of New Product Development Intro to CITS Amex Travel Overview of operating in China environment Open Discussion Q&A Office tour Dinner Cruise on Huangpu River Back to hotel July 26 (FRI)
07:00 08:00 09:00 12:00 14:00 17:00 19:00 21:00
Morning call Breakfast at hotel Study tour: Oriental Pearl TV Tower & Shanghai History Museum Lunch Study tour: Yu Yuan Garden and shopping Dinner Study tour: The Bund Back to hotel and pack 2121
Travel Itinerary July 27 (S AT) 07:00 08:00 08:45 10:00 12:10
Morning call Breakfast at hotel Check out and leave for airport Arrive at Shanghai Pudong International Airport Depart Shanghai for San Francisco
Learning Outcomes 100% of delegates wish to continue international studies 25% of delegates plan to continue studying Mandarin 15% of delegates plan to return to China for further studies 15% of delegates maintain regular communication with CUSEF contacts 92% of delegates’ perception of Chinese culture changed post-travel 100% of delegates recognized relationship between the rigorous nature of China’s
educational system, and the high number of Chinese who study and work internationally (400,000 in 2012) 77% of delegates named service project at Hope Center as the highlight of their travel abroad
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Study Exchange Tour
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Acknowledgements Sincere and heartfelt gratitude is extended to Think China’s program sponsors and partners: • 100 Black Men of the Bay Area • African American Male Achievement • Alameda County, CA Supervisor Keith Carson, and the Alameda County, CA Youth Ancestral Project • American Express • Asian Art Museum • Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) • Bishop O’Dowd High School • China-U.S. Exchange Foundation • Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries • Christine Phipps, Graphic Design • The Coca-Cola Company • The Honorable Congresswoman Barbara Lee, U.S. Congress, Ninth District • Department of Environmental Protection Beijing • • • • • • • • • • • •
East Oakland Youth Development Center Kaiser Permanente Toyota Marc Morial, National Urban League Martin Luther King, Jr. Freedom Center Mayor Jean Quan, City of Oakland NS2 Photography Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce Oakland Local Port of Oakland U.S. Department of the State, President Obama’s 100,000 Strong Initiative U.S. Mission to the United Nations
Thank you for contributing to global education exchange!
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Contact The Northern California Delegation of the China-U.S. Study Exchange Program is forever changed by this priceless opportunity of global education. You can follow the delegation’s activities via our social media pages:
Think China 2013 @thinkchina2013 @thinkchina2013 #thinkChina13 For additional information regarding partnership opportunities with Think China, or mediarelated inquiries, please contact the following: PARTNERSHIP INQUIRIES Regina Jackson President & CEO, EOYDC | Lead Chaperone, Think China • cell: (510) 912-1377 • email: regina@eoydc.org MEDIA INQUIRIES Dania W. Frink Communications Director, EOYDC • cell: (510) 501-0755 • email: dania.eoydc@gmail.com
“When you think about it, you start to realize that China is not really different from Oakland because we have the same amount of problems as they do, like a lot of people being poor in their community and the rich have more advantages over them.” – Anthony Gallon
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