We proudly co-sponsor the 2016 Why Learn Chinese Competition
Why Learn Chinese Competition
WAACE’s “Why Learn Chinese Competition” is a written/visual submission-based competition. Students all over Washington can enter for a chance to win prizes up to $200 by creatively answering the prompts:
6th-12th “When American Dream Meets Chinese Dream…”
K-5th “A famous Chinese Person Who Has Influenced you”
What does the American dream mean to you? Do you know the Chinese dream? How can both dreams come true? What our young generation can do to improve a more positive US-China relationship? Why learn Chinese?
Competition Objectives
Our goal is to generate interest in learning Chinese among American students, to give them the competitive edge and global perspective needed to succeed in the modern-day economy, and to increase Chinese language learning capacity in Washington.
President Obama, during the first state visit to Washington by China’s President Xi Jinping, announced a sweeping new nationwide initiative to see 1 million American students studying Mandarin by 2020. Inspired by President Obama’s 1 million strong” initiative, our vision for this year’s competition is to let the youth voice on building a more positive relationship between US and China be heard by US president. Through this grassroots initiative, we wish to engage and prepare students to enter the dynamic global environment of the 21st century, where we—the younger generation—will be responsible for maintaining the growing economic, political, and cultural ties between the US and China. Ultimately, we hope to spread awareness about the growing importance of learning Chinese, and provide a platform of expression for the reserve of community support for bringing Chinese into more schools.
Encouraged by China’s President Xi Jiping, and with the strong support from the Consulate General of China, we are honored to hold an even bigger competition by including elementary students this year. We hope our competition will help students put more enthusiasm in learning Chinese language and culture and participating actively in the friendly exchange between US and China.
Competition Description
Who?
Middle and high school students are welcome to submit entries to creatively address the question of “When the American Dream Meets the Chinese Dream”. What does the American dream mean to you? Do you know the Chinese dream? How can both dreams come true?What our young generation can do to improve a more positive US-China relationship? Why learn Chinese?
In order to encourage young learners, WAACE also provides a particular prompt of “Describe a Famous Chinese Person Who Has Influenced You” to K-5 students. All entries are evaluated with the same criteria.
What?
Contestants can submit either:
A written entry: an essay (450-600 words), poem (8+ stanzas) or
A video entry: a song, speech or another creative format (2- 5 minutes)
When?
Online submissions until July 31 , 2016.
Where?
Complete the registration form at http://www.waace.org/wlc.html and submit responses digitally using the entry form. Send video entries directly to president@waace.org, or upload to an online sharing service and submit the link. Limit one entry per contestant.
The entry must be original, in English or Chinese, and depict the prompts of ” When the American Dream Meets the Chinese Dream” (6-12) or “A Famous Chinese Person Who Has Influenced You” (K-5) Limit one entry per contestant.
The award ceremony will be held at the University of Washington. Date TBA.
Why?
Share ideas on the importance of China, and win cash prizes!
Grand Prize: $200
Winner’s entry will be recommended by WAACE and mailed or emailed to the White House. The grand prize winner will also be the ambassador for 2017 WLC competition.
Three categories: High School, Middle School and Elementary School
First Place: $100 (1 from each category)
Second Place: $80 (3 from each category)
Third Place: $50 (5 from each category)
Finalists (top 15%):
Certificate of Excellence
All entries will be reviewed by a judging panel composed of certified teachers and professionals with Chinese experience. They will be looking for superior ideas, message, and content rather than writing/performing skills. Our chief judges will decide the grand prize.