High school students learn Chinese language and culture at UTPA

EDINBURG — Cesare Riverso has always admired Eastern culture. The 17-year-old rising senior at Veterans Memorial High School in Mission collects swords and other Oriental items and hopes to visit China someday.

He's getting a head start this summer by learning Chinese culture and language.

Riverso is one of eight students enrolled in the University of Texas-Pan American's Chinese Language and Culture Summer Institute. The five-week program offers two classes to high school students: beginner Mandarin Chinese and Chinese culture. Throughout the course, which began June 8, students learned about various aspects of Chinese culture, including cooking, tea ceremonies, tai chi and calligraphy.

"It's interesting because you get to learn about another culture," said Riverso.

Riverso said he's starting to pick up the language, but it's still a challenge for him and other students because the language is tonal; each syllable can have a different meaning depending on how it's pronounced.

"One word can mean many words," he said.

This is the second year the university has offered the program, sponsored by the university's Integrated Global Knowledge and Understanding Collaboration department, said Citlalli Garcia, the department's program coordinator.

The department developed the program to encourage high school students to learn Chinese, which is the most widely spoken language in the world. China is becoming a major player in global trade and business and knowledge of the language will become essential for those seeking jobs in the future, Garcia said.

"Chinese is one of those critical languages," she said.

Students had to apply to the program; they must have had at least a 3.0 grade point average and submit two references from their school as well as a letter of intent. Some students receive concurrent enrollment if their schools allow it. The others receive a certificate of completion.

Diana Martinez said she decided to spend her summer learning Chinese because of its rising importance.

"It's going to be a very important language to learn," said Diana, a 17-year-old rising senior at Med High.

She also appreciates how her teachers, Yingching Chang Jeter and Huiqiang Zheng, help them with their pronunciation.

"They lived in China, they grew up in China," she said.

Like Cesare, Guinia Wooden said she enjoys learning a new language and culture. She was especially interested to learn about the similarities between students in China and the United States.

"We go to school (for) the same time," Guinia, a 15-year-old rising junior at IDEA Quest, said about the number of years students attend school in both countries.

On Monday, students wrapped up their language lessons before practicing fan dancing during their culture class. The students giggled as they learned to coordinate their steps while opening and closing their hand-held fans and reciting a poem, "A Little Pond" by Yang Wanli.

So far, Jeter and Zheng said the students have picked up the language quickly, despite having just a short time to learn it.

"I'm really impressed with their progress," said Jeter, who teaches music and chorus classes at BETA. "(There is) only five weeks. We're trying to teach them so many things - language, culture, festivals - it's just not enough time."

The program culminates Friday with students presenting their work during an open house.

Jennifer L. Berghom covers education and general assignments for The Monitor. She can be reached at (956) 683-4462.