Two Hunting Hills High School graduates received full university scholarships straight out of high school to study at two prestigious Chinese universities.
While Hunting Hills graduates have earned Government of China Scholarships in their second year of university, this is the first time the students received the scholarships in the first year.
The Chinese government hands out 30 scholarships in Canada every year.
Chinese teacher Sandy Cai said Grade 12 students Alyson Biem, 18, and Devin Ouellette, 19, will have their university tuition and living allowances covered from day one until they finish their degrees.
Biem received a five-year scholarship to study general education at Capital Normal University in Beijing.
Ouellette received a four-year scholarship to study Chinese history at Wuhan University in the Hubei Province in central China.
“You have to have a passion to learn Chinese language and the culture,” said Cai. “These two students are involved in high school activities, Chinese New Year events and leadership. They are very passionate and active.”
There are five Hunting Hills graduates studying at Capital Normal University in Beijing.
At Hunting Hills, roughly 100 students study Chinese Mandarin.
During the spring break, a contingent of Hunting Hills students travelled to Beijing and visited the five graduates at Capital Normal University.
Cai has been at Hunting Hills for just over 11 years. Cai said over the years she has seen an increase in the number of students taking Chinese courses because of China’s strong economy and an increased interest in Chinese culture.
Zhang Fajun, the education consul at the People’s Republic of China in Vancouver, will be at Hunting Hills today to present the awards.
crhyno@www.reddeeradvocate.com