Western Academy of Beijing students helped celebrate a Chinese harvest festival in Beijing’s suburbs.

All of Grade 6 took part in the festival, visiting the ecological farm in Jinpoluo Village to harvest sweet potatoes, make dumplings, and perform traditional Chinese dances. It was an opportunity for our more than 100 students to learn through experience with the rich agricultural and cultural resources of the village.

Click the images on the right to see a slideshow of the day's activities.

"We have established a close connection with Jinpoluo Village, where we are going to have lots of opportunities for cultural exchange and projects in the future," Middle School Vice Principal Huiman Cheng said. "I think the connections we are establishing with the local village will provide an authentic cultural exchange to our students, and, more importantly, we will also be able to bring farming, nature, and service to enrich our students' learning experiences."

Several members of the WAB Leadership Team joined the trip, as well including Head of School Dr. Marta Medved Krajonovic and WAB Founder Michael Crook.

Michael said the festival was a chance for the students to have authentic interactions and learn in the context of WAB’s host country.

“I enjoyed it so much,” Michael said. “Just to see the kids in an authentic Chinese setting, doing authentic Chinese activities - it made my day!” 

To learn more about how WAB students engage with our host country, China, visit our China Connection page.