×
X logo

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox.

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)

You may opt-out anytime by clicking "unsubscribe" from the newsletter or from your account.

Wheeling Educator Heading To China

DAVID CRUMM

WHEELING — Bridge Street Middle School Assistant Principal David Crumm will go to China this month as part of a West Virginia mission to establish school and community relationships with the nation.

Crumm is one of 10 educators selected to travel to Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai through the West Virginia University Confucius Institute for Business West Virginia — an organization seeking to promote mutual understanding between Mountain State residents and the people of China.

All expenses will be paid by the institute, according to Crumm.

The move follows the announcement late last year by China Energy officials that their firm will invest $83.7 billion in shale gas development and chemical manufacturing projects in West Virginia.

“With a lot of business coming to us from China…. why not create some opportunities for students in Ohio County Schools?” Crumm said.

The contingent is scheduled to leave April 28, and return May 8. The airplane ride will take approximately 14 hours. While in China, the contingent will visit the Confucius Institute Headquarters and two other schools in Beijing.

In Tianjin, they will attend a special lecture and a forum on business etiquette in China at the Tianjin University of Finance and Economics, where there also will be roundtable discussions with Chinese educational administrators and a focus on creating relationship opportunities with Chinese schools and teachers.

They next will visit schools, and discuss possible exchange and cooperation between schools in West Virginia and China. A visit to a vocational school will take place in Shanghai. The group also will tour Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, the Mutianyu Great Wall, museums, Ancient Cultural Street, and other areas depicting China’s history and culture.

On March 24, Crumm attended a day-long training session at the Institute designed to instruct the educators in basic Chinese phrases they would need to know, and tell them of some of the differences in culture between the countries.

As an example, those attending a Chinese dinner should not sit down to the table until the host has been seated, Crumm said.

Crumm became aware of the program after Ohio County Schools Superintendent Kim Miller forwarded to him a superintendent’s update from the state Department of Education discussing the West Virginia University Confucius Institute, and its upcoming trip.

They were looking for educators willing to get involved and start exchanges between China and West Virginia, according to Crumm. In the end they chose five school administrators, and five from higher education to make the trip.

Crumm said he hopes to be able to make contacts that will lead to the Chinese language being taught in the school district from elementary school through high school, and opportunities for junior and senior students to go study in China.

“We always here of students from other countries come here, but how often do our students go to other countries?” he asked.

The potential also exists for Chinese educators to come visit West Virginia. Crumm said a contingent of five teachers is scheduled to visit the Mountain State next year, and this trip should result in more Chinese educators visiting West Virginia.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

Starting at $4.73/week.

Subscribe Today