From May 5 to May 12, Wang Zhexian and Zhang Xiaotong, two AHS students respectively from Class 15,and Class 14, Senior 2, both included in Jinan “Young Messenger of Peace” exchange group, paid a visit to the United States, over which they attended the award ceremony held by the World Peace Rosarium Association, and now have returned to school.

As a friendship city ofSacramento, capital ofCalifornia,Jinan, known asSpringCity, was invited toSacramentoas the only representative city ofChinato arrange students to attend series of activities held there. The exchange group consisted of 10 members, including Mr. Xu Handong, a teaching and research instructor of Jinan City Teaching Research, and Miss Wang Hongmei, a teacher from Jinan Foreign Language School, and 8 student winners who showed their outstanding talent in “the Young Messenger of Peace” English Poem Contest organized by National Park Service of the United States, Martin Luther King National Historic Site Service and World Peace Rosarium Association.

Over the friendship exchange, students fromJinanvisited California State Government and Municipal Government of Sacramento,SportPrimary School,Mira Loma High School,CaliforniaUniversity, and other schools. They also had a tour in the former residence of Martin Luther King andIndependenceNationalHistoricPark, made a visit to CNN Center Atlanta, and had a get-together party with overseas Chinese inAmerica. Aimed at providing teachers and students a chance of experiencing local customs and practices and multi-culture and appreciating its historical development and the process of its modern civilization, this visit surely promoted the exchanges between Jinan and Sacramento as friendship cities in various aspects and help build up Sino-American friendship and cultural communication. Representing the visiting group, when communicating with California State Governor, Wang Zhexian staged her poemEverlasting Memorybefore State Governor, winning appreciation from him and accompanying officials.

At 1:30 PM, May 11, the awarding ceremony of “Peace Messenger English Poem Contest in Memory of Martin Luther King” was held in National Historic Landmark inAtlanta, capital ofGeorgia. Wang Zhexian, Zhang Xiaotong and the other 6 students fromJinanrespectively recited the poems they composed, as a form of commemorating Martin Luther King for his great contributions to world peace and expressing their keen expectation for love and peace together with those teenagers from American states andMexico.Georgiasenators and organizers of this activity awarded students prizes, following which the unveiling ceremony for poem monuments was held in National Historic Landmark. Poems by Wang Zhexian and other two students fromJinanwere carved on the monuments and everlastingly preserved in the park. Atlanta TV and newspapers gave a special report on this activity.

Through the 8-day visit toAmerica, teenagers spread their voices of love and peace, harvested knowledge and friendship, broadened their vision, and exercised their ability via diversified cultural communication. As outstanding representatives of AHS students, Wang Zhexian and Zhang Xiaotong displayed via their spiritual enthusiasm and well-educated manners and behaviors the good teachings of modern Chinese high school students, thus winning great honor for AHS and bringing opportunities and motivation for AHS’s international communication in the following days.

Written by Wang Zhexian Yang Yang

Translated by Feng Zhao

Revised by Tsung Peiying

Photographed by Wang Zhexian

Edited by Liu Shuguang

Internet Editor: Yang Xiaoyan

Wang Zhexian (left) and Zhang Xiaotong (right)

Wang Zhexian and Zhang Xiaotong giving their self-introduction in AP class

A photo of Zhang Xiaotong before CocaCola Company

Zhang Xiaotong on the beach of San Francisco

Prize-winners’ poems carved on the monuments

Zhang Zhexian and Mr. Xu Handong on the Awarding Ceremony