The Summer Institute in Tianjin & Yunan is a four-week program in the summer!

For starters, the SIY will be tied to the 11th grade course and 12th grade capstone

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How many high school students in the U.S. have the opportunity to live with a Chinese family in three different traditional villages, explore ancient towns, AND use their Chinese skills to engage in meaningful volunteer work, all in one program?  The SummerInstitute in Yunnan (SIY) aims to provide high school students with rigorous, appropriate, and intensive language instruction and meaningful, structured, comprehensive, and potentially life-changing cultural interaction to attain advanced language proficiency in Mandarin and advanced cultural competency.  

 

Program Highlights:

• Two-weeks of intensive study, experiential learning, and home stay in Tianjin

• Community Service with autistic children or at a school for migrant children

• Horse-back ride to 700 year-old village

• Village Homestays and service projects in ethnic Bai and Yi villages/towns

 

Village/Town Home Stays:

Students will stay with families in three different minority villages/towns:

1. Shilong Village – a Bai village near Shaxi, Yunnan – for 4 days

2. Maping Guan – 700 year old village on the ancient tea-horse trail

3. Weishan, ancient walled Yi Town, Yunnan.

 

Capstone Research Projects:

Students will collect data and conduct interviews for research projects designed in their 11th grade class.