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100,000 Strong Initiative Gets Boost from Chicago Ties to China

   Kane Farabaugh | Chicago  May 12, 2011

Photo: K. Farabaugh, VOA

   US students learning Chinese

   The Advisory Committee of President Barack Obama's 100,000 Strong
   Initiative, which encourages Americans to study in China, is led by
   former Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel and departing Chicago Mayor Richard
   Daly. Daly, who's been mayor for 22 years, led Chicago in engaging
   China and promoting cross-cultural programs. His efforts earned the
   Windy City the distinction of being "the most China-friendly city" when
   President Hu Jintao visited in January. That distinction is helping
   Chicago support President Obama's goal.
   It may not sound like an American classroom or look like a traditional
   American classroom.
   But students from the Walter Payton College Preparatory School in
   Chicago are getting an education on the Far East.
   'For young students, it's a very smart investment to learn Chinese I
   think,' said Wen Ya Lu, one of several language instructors at the
   school. Chinese language classes have been a regular part of the
   curriculum in the Chicago Public School system for more than a decade.
   'We believe we are one of the first, several schools, that started or
   promote Chinese language learning,' Wen Ya Lu said.
   'The mayor has initiated the largest public school Mandarin program in
   the United States. There are 42 schools in Chicago that are teaching
   Mandarin to more than 12,000 students," said William Spence,
   co-chairman of the Chicago Sister Cities China Committee. He says
   language classes are one way departing Mayor Richard Daly has engaged
   China, America's second largest trading partner. Chinese President Hu
   Jintao recognized those efforts in January. During his state visit, he
   spent time in Chicago, and visited with students and faculty at Walter
   Payton.
   'That probably had more to do with raising the level of awareness of
   Chicago in China than any other single act,' Spence said.
   The Shanghai Expo in 2010 also helped raise the level of awareness of
   America in China. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton directed the State
   Department to participate in the Expo by creating an American Pavilion.
   She says learning Chinese paid off for the Americans who worked at the
   pavilion.
   'I think part of the reason we were the second-most visited pavilion
   was because the Chinese were just thrilled to come meet these young
   Americans who were speaking their language," Clinton said. "And they
   were asking all kinds of questions, and the young Americans were asking
   about their pronunciation, and it was just a fabulous moment. And we
   need more of that.'
   Secretary Clinton asked Mayor Daly to co-chair the Advisory Committee
   to the 100,000 Strong Initiative. The Initiative is a goal set by
   President Barack Obama in 2009 to encourage 100,000 American students
   to study abroad in China. The program's success depends on more
   institutions nationwide following Chicago's lead.
   'We understand that about fifteen other American cities had picked up
   on the Chicago model for putting the Mandarin program in place in the
   public schools,' Spence said.
   Even with those language programs, the U.S. State Department says there
   are 600 times more Chinese students studying English than Americans
   studying Mandarin. The State Department also says ten times more
   Chinese students study in the United States than Americans in China.
   The 100,000 Strong initiative is intended to begin bridging that gap.

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