Since 2010, Franklin’s Chinese program has grown from 16 students to nearly 100, making it one of the most successful Chinese programs in Louisiana. Beyond simple growth in student enrollment, Franklin’s Chinese program also boasts the only AP Chinese class in the city of New Orleans. This AP class centers around language and culture, which Ms. Maria Qin, architect behind Chinese at Franklin, hopes to inspire her students through travel as well.
Last summer, Ms. Qin took students on a 27-day tour of China. Students conquered the Zhangjiajie glass bridge, mastered Lishui’s tea arts, rode 349 km/h high-speed rail and explored bio labs at Xi’an Jiaotong University. This cultural immersion gave our students the chance to master the world’s most spoken language.
The program’s center is at Lishui University, which provided Franklin’s travelers with an in-depth experience. Students learned the art of tea, going beyond simply drinking tea and instead taking part in traditional tea ceremonies, visiting plantations where tea leaves are harvested, and even mastering milk tea design. They also spent time in Longquan, where they were able to explore the kilns and workshops famous for celadon porcelain and assemble Longsquan swords. They got exposure to regional industries, such as wooden toy making, batik dying, and herbal medicine. Each morning, they’d start their day with a kung fu lesson. They visited the Zhangjiajie glass bridge and traveled 999 steps at Heaven’s Gate Mountain.
Outside of these learning experiences, students toured China on the high-speed rail, visited drone delivery stations in Meitua, and got to explore an electric vehicle showroom. The Xi’an Jiaotong University bio lab and College of Artificial Intelligence, seeing firsthand that their Mandarin skills are a key to the world’s most advanced research facilities. These activities took them right to the cutting edge of global technology.
Over 25 Franklin alumni are continuing their Chinese studies in college, many with full scholarships. We can’t wait to see how this program keeps thriving!