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今年5月，在春雨润物、百花争艳的傍晚，来自大纽约地区三个州的400多名华人欢聚在新泽西州北部的帝国酒家，庆祝一个值得自豪的日子——美国华夏中文学校十周年校庆。
在白手起家中起步
十年前，随着中国的改革开放，越来越多的中国大陆学生留美创业，其中有不少人携儿带女来美国定居。面对孩子们的成长，学中文成了一桩难事。当时只有少数的周末中文学校，那是由台湾同胞主办的，教的是注音符号和繁体字。许多孩子不愿学，成人也嫌难。能否为自己的孩子们开办一所学拼音和简体字的中文学校?武小英、蔡斐斐、张雪珊、陈小平等几个人谈及此事志同道合，一拍即合。他们为中文学校取名华夏，即炎黄子孙华夏人之意，旨在弘扬中华文化。
学校创建初期，常常入不敷出，于是朋友们八仙过海，各显神通。有的回北京自掏腰包从国务院侨办那儿买来了中国语文教材赠予华夏；有的借到了校舍；一道道困难被克服之后，华夏中文学校终于正式成立，由武小英担当校长。
建校初期，只有50名学生报名，老师才7人。但是当地华人听说有这样一所教简体字的中文学校，消息一传十，十传百，开学当天又有25名学生报名，到学期结束时已经有学生105名。到了秋季班开学，学生人数已经翻倍到220人，其中不少人驱车上百公里送孩子上中文学校，因而要求增设分校的呼声很高。华夏为顺应形势，于第二年同时开办了两所分校，学生人数一下子增加到700多。经过10年时间，美国华夏中文学校已经成功开设了15所，在校学生人数超过5000名，在编教师450名，成了海外发展最快，学生最多的中文学校。
旅美精英传播中华文化
华夏中文学校属非经营性组织，其宗旨为弘扬中华文化，促使中华文化融入美国多元文化并为其做出贡献。学校自建校初期就制定了规章制度，校务人员以义务奉献为主，由家长理事会监督，校长由民主选举产生，实行隔年轮换制，华夏中文学校招聘教师由校务人员对应聘者进行面试。学校经常举办各种类型的教师培训班和专家讲座，以不断地提高教师水平。中国留美人员中人才济济，许多人有博士，硕士学位，他们工作都很忙，但是他们放弃休息时间来到中文学校教中文。华夏中文学校的成功也促进了美国人学中文的热潮，目前美国已经把中文正式列入中学生的第二外语，不少华人居住比较集中的中学，已经安排中文课程，并指定中文为学校学生的外语选修课程。美国教育考试中心也为中文测试增设了考题，华裔子弟们可以堂而皇之地用中文参试。随着祖国国际地位的不断提高，东方巨龙擎天而立，于是许多外国人加入了学中文的行列。
“到这里有回家的感觉”
以前华人家庭在美国的生活是紧张而单调的，自从附近有了中文学校以后，华人家庭常常在周末举家出动，在送孩子上中文学校的同时，大人们也可以在学校会会老朋友，结交新朋友，家长们还自发地组织起各种兴趣班：爱好唱歌的参加合唱团亮嗓子；成人舞蹈班不仅锻炼了身体，还学会了中国传统的民族舞；男士们组成的篮球、排球、足球队除了练球外，还与其他分校进行对抗赛；对投资有兴趣的人们聚集一堂探讨房地产或股票的投资问题；特别闲暇的人在这里还可以摸麻将、打扑克或找个对手下围棋象棋；那些闲不住的人可以去上绘画班学国画，也可以上工艺班。中文学校还经常举办各种讲座，如如何帮孩子进入美国顶尖大学、如何管理自己的退休基金、工作面试的技巧、怎样在美国做生意等等。许多留美人士说，到这里有回家的感觉。几年前，新州华人王延萍，因为医疗手术失败，做了手脚截肢手术，成了终生残疾。华夏中文学校不仅自动发起了捐款，还有许多人主动报名去轮流看护她、照顾她。去年年底，东南亚发生了世纪海啸，华夏的孩子们学着大人，把自己平时积攒的零用钱都掏出来了，不久，华夏中文学校将14700多元海啸捐款转交国际红十字会。
明星大腕与华夏游子心相连
如今的华夏已经不再是单纯的中文学校，它那丰富多彩的活动像磁铁一样吸引着每一个华人家庭。春天有春游，夏天有夏令营，秋天有赏枫活动，冬天还组织滑雪。华夏中文学校还有自己的校刊《华夏园》以及网站和网页；华夏通讯录更是深入到众多的华人家庭；华夏的《小语世界》则由孩子们自己组稿，自己编辑。华夏经常为孩子们组织各种知识竞赛，如“查字典比赛”、“场景对话比赛”等。华夏每年还举办全校运动会，运动项目有田径、球类、武术、射箭、拔河等，届时总有上千人到场，气氛热烈，场面火爆。特别是一年一度的“华夏之夜”，那是华夏人的重大节日，洋溢着浓浓的年味。美国华人中藏龙卧虎，国家级的文艺精英不乏其人，随便一凑就是一台高质量的晚会。华夏的孩子们稚嫩的小脸在舞台上笑开了花；华夏的妈妈时装表演队队员们个个身材姣好，她们穿着典雅的旗袍，走着猫步，变着队列，羡煞老美们；台上高亢激昂的传统京剧，引起了台下票友们的强烈共鸣；热烈的红绸舞踏着鼓点，优美的孔雀舞开屏争艳；“夕阳红老年合唱团”的银发族前辈们在上海交响乐团退休指挥家的指挥下，发挥出意想不到的最佳混声合唱效果；这个庞大的数百人的团体，团长由原中国东方歌舞团著名女高音歌唱家郑绪岚的哥哥郑绪岫担任；孩子们的集体功夫更是个个如猛虎下山，更有杂技、相声、小品等精彩表演，令人目不暇接。除了华夏人自己的表演，每年的“华夏之夜”必定还邀请中国大陆知名度很高的明星来献艺。华夏曾邀请到王昆、郑绪岚、郭达、姜昆、才旦卓玛、黄莺、郭颂等著名艺人与华夏人同台演出。今年的当红歌星韩红、沙宝亮在北京中央电视台的春节晚会演出后，没来得及洗净铅华就登机赴美，出现在华夏之夜的舞台上高歌数曲，与热情到沸点的华夏人共度良宵。
10th Anniversary of Huaxia Chinese School
By Qin Feng, our special reporter in United States
In this May, some 500 Chinese met at the Empire Restaurant in the northern New Jersey in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Huaxia Chinese School.
As China gradually opened up to the outside world, more and more Chinese students came to the United States. Many brought their families over and made homes in the new land. At that time, there were a few weekend Chinese schools sponsored by people from Taiwan. These schools offered courses in the Chinese in the ancient form and the phonetic notation system using symbols, which the Chinese kids found impossible. Their parents also balked. Some parents met and tried to find a solution to the problem. Why not set up a school where the simplified Chinese could be taught for children?
A Chinese school came into being bearing the name Huaxia, an ancient term for China. In the initial period, the school couldn誸 make the ends meet. Parents and friends helped. Some bought textbooks out of their own pockets from the overseas affairs office of the State Council back home, and donated them to the school. Some managed to find classrooms for the school free of charge.
Before the first term started, there were 50 pupils enrolled and 7 teachers engaged. When the local residents of Chinese origin heard of the school, the news spread. On the day the new term started official, 25 more students signed up. When the first semester came to end, there were 105 pupils. A right-wing man from Taiwan wrote a story in a local Chinese newspaper blaming the Chinese school for wanting to promote the simplified Chinese in America. The detractor’s story turned out to be a plus for local residents of Chinese origin. More parents sent their kids to the school. When the autumn semester started, there were 220 students. Some parents even drove their kids more than 100 miles to the weekend language course. There were calls for branch schools. So in the second year, two branches were founded. And the student population grew to 1,000. After 10 years, now Huaxia Chinese School has 10 branch schools with 5,000 students and 450 teachers across America. It is the fastest growing Chinese school overseas.
The school is a non-profit organization for the purpose of making contribution to the assimilation of the Chinese culture into the American culture.Most teachers and other staff workers are volunteers. The school board is composed of parents and supervises the school administration. The principal is elected by voters every two years. The school decides whom to employ as teachers. It also holds lectures and forums to enhance the teachers?quality. There are many qualified teaching talents to work as volunteers. Though they are busy they always manage to find time to teach at Huaxia. Thanks partly to the achievements of the Huaxia Chinese School, Chinese has been officially chosen as a foreign language for middle school students in the United States.
Huaxia provides opportunities for the local Chinese families to form closer ties. When a Huaxia school appears in a neighborhood, Chinese families meet when their kids study in classrooms. Parents make friends and form clubs for entertainments and recreations. There are organized activities for enthusiasts for singing and dancing, and sports. Parents meet to play pokers and mahjong, or play chess. Investors meet to do homework together on stocks and securities. Huaxia also offers lectures for parents on important subjects: how to help kids get into the best American universities, how to manage the pension, how to do well in job interviews, and how to start business in America.
Huaxia Chinese School today is more than a language training organization. It brings the Chinese communities together. In addition to a large number of after-class activities for children around the year, Huaxia holds an annual gala in celebration of the Chinese culture. It is a big occasion for the local Chinese community. It’s easy to attract the talented Chinese and former celebrities to appear. Huaxia also invites celebrated performers from China to the gala.
(Translated by David)
在白手起家中起步
十年前，随着中国的改革开放，越来越多的中国大陆学生留美创业，其中有不少人携儿带女来美国定居。面对孩子们的成长，学中文成了一桩难事。当时只有少数的周末中文学校，那是由台湾同胞主办的，教的是注音符号和繁体字。许多孩子不愿学，成人也嫌难。能否为自己的孩子们开办一所学拼音和简体字的中文学校?武小英、蔡斐斐、张雪珊、陈小平等几个人谈及此事志同道合，一拍即合。他们为中文学校取名华夏，即炎黄子孙华夏人之意，旨在弘扬中华文化。
学校创建初期，常常入不敷出，于是朋友们八仙过海，各显神通。有的回北京自掏腰包从国务院侨办那儿买来了中国语文教材赠予华夏；有的借到了校舍；一道道困难被克服之后，华夏中文学校终于正式成立，由武小英担当校长。
建校初期，只有50名学生报名，老师才7人。但是当地华人听说有这样一所教简体字的中文学校，消息一传十，十传百，开学当天又有25名学生报名，到学期结束时已经有学生105名。到了秋季班开学，学生人数已经翻倍到220人，其中不少人驱车上百公里送孩子上中文学校，因而要求增设分校的呼声很高。华夏为顺应形势，于第二年同时开办了两所分校，学生人数一下子增加到700多。经过10年时间，美国华夏中文学校已经成功开设了15所，在校学生人数超过5000名，在编教师450名，成了海外发展最快，学生最多的中文学校。
旅美精英传播中华文化
华夏中文学校属非经营性组织，其宗旨为弘扬中华文化，促使中华文化融入美国多元文化并为其做出贡献。学校自建校初期就制定了规章制度，校务人员以义务奉献为主，由家长理事会监督，校长由民主选举产生，实行隔年轮换制，华夏中文学校招聘教师由校务人员对应聘者进行面试。学校经常举办各种类型的教师培训班和专家讲座，以不断地提高教师水平。中国留美人员中人才济济，许多人有博士，硕士学位，他们工作都很忙，但是他们放弃休息时间来到中文学校教中文。华夏中文学校的成功也促进了美国人学中文的热潮，目前美国已经把中文正式列入中学生的第二外语，不少华人居住比较集中的中学，已经安排中文课程，并指定中文为学校学生的外语选修课程。美国教育考试中心也为中文测试增设了考题，华裔子弟们可以堂而皇之地用中文参试。随着祖国国际地位的不断提高，东方巨龙擎天而立，于是许多外国人加入了学中文的行列。
“到这里有回家的感觉”
以前华人家庭在美国的生活是紧张而单调的，自从附近有了中文学校以后，华人家庭常常在周末举家出动，在送孩子上中文学校的同时，大人们也可以在学校会会老朋友，结交新朋友，家长们还自发地组织起各种兴趣班：爱好唱歌的参加合唱团亮嗓子；成人舞蹈班不仅锻炼了身体，还学会了中国传统的民族舞；男士们组成的篮球、排球、足球队除了练球外，还与其他分校进行对抗赛；对投资有兴趣的人们聚集一堂探讨房地产或股票的投资问题；特别闲暇的人在这里还可以摸麻将、打扑克或找个对手下围棋象棋；那些闲不住的人可以去上绘画班学国画，也可以上工艺班。中文学校还经常举办各种讲座，如如何帮孩子进入美国顶尖大学、如何管理自己的退休基金、工作面试的技巧、怎样在美国做生意等等。许多留美人士说，到这里有回家的感觉。几年前，新州华人王延萍，因为医疗手术失败，做了手脚截肢手术，成了终生残疾。华夏中文学校不仅自动发起了捐款，还有许多人主动报名去轮流看护她、照顾她。去年年底，东南亚发生了世纪海啸，华夏的孩子们学着大人，把自己平时积攒的零用钱都掏出来了，不久，华夏中文学校将14700多元海啸捐款转交国际红十字会。
明星大腕与华夏游子心相连
如今的华夏已经不再是单纯的中文学校，它那丰富多彩的活动像磁铁一样吸引着每一个华人家庭。春天有春游，夏天有夏令营，秋天有赏枫活动，冬天还组织滑雪。华夏中文学校还有自己的校刊《华夏园》以及网站和网页；华夏通讯录更是深入到众多的华人家庭；华夏的《小语世界》则由孩子们自己组稿，自己编辑。华夏经常为孩子们组织各种知识竞赛，如“查字典比赛”、“场景对话比赛”等。华夏每年还举办全校运动会，运动项目有田径、球类、武术、射箭、拔河等，届时总有上千人到场，气氛热烈，场面火爆。特别是一年一度的“华夏之夜”，那是华夏人的重大节日，洋溢着浓浓的年味。美国华人中藏龙卧虎，国家级的文艺精英不乏其人，随便一凑就是一台高质量的晚会。华夏的孩子们稚嫩的小脸在舞台上笑开了花；华夏的妈妈时装表演队队员们个个身材姣好，她们穿着典雅的旗袍，走着猫步，变着队列，羡煞老美们；台上高亢激昂的传统京剧，引起了台下票友们的强烈共鸣；热烈的红绸舞踏着鼓点，优美的孔雀舞开屏争艳；“夕阳红老年合唱团”的银发族前辈们在上海交响乐团退休指挥家的指挥下，发挥出意想不到的最佳混声合唱效果；这个庞大的数百人的团体，团长由原中国东方歌舞团著名女高音歌唱家郑绪岚的哥哥郑绪岫担任；孩子们的集体功夫更是个个如猛虎下山，更有杂技、相声、小品等精彩表演，令人目不暇接。除了华夏人自己的表演，每年的“华夏之夜”必定还邀请中国大陆知名度很高的明星来献艺。华夏曾邀请到王昆、郑绪岚、郭达、姜昆、才旦卓玛、黄莺、郭颂等著名艺人与华夏人同台演出。今年的当红歌星韩红、沙宝亮在北京中央电视台的春节晚会演出后，没来得及洗净铅华就登机赴美，出现在华夏之夜的舞台上高歌数曲，与热情到沸点的华夏人共度良宵。
10th Anniversary of Huaxia Chinese School
By Qin Feng, our special reporter in United States
In this May, some 500 Chinese met at the Empire Restaurant in the northern New Jersey in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Huaxia Chinese School.
As China gradually opened up to the outside world, more and more Chinese students came to the United States. Many brought their families over and made homes in the new land. At that time, there were a few weekend Chinese schools sponsored by people from Taiwan. These schools offered courses in the Chinese in the ancient form and the phonetic notation system using symbols, which the Chinese kids found impossible. Their parents also balked. Some parents met and tried to find a solution to the problem. Why not set up a school where the simplified Chinese could be taught for children?
A Chinese school came into being bearing the name Huaxia, an ancient term for China. In the initial period, the school couldn誸 make the ends meet. Parents and friends helped. Some bought textbooks out of their own pockets from the overseas affairs office of the State Council back home, and donated them to the school. Some managed to find classrooms for the school free of charge.
Before the first term started, there were 50 pupils enrolled and 7 teachers engaged. When the local residents of Chinese origin heard of the school, the news spread. On the day the new term started official, 25 more students signed up. When the first semester came to end, there were 105 pupils. A right-wing man from Taiwan wrote a story in a local Chinese newspaper blaming the Chinese school for wanting to promote the simplified Chinese in America. The detractor’s story turned out to be a plus for local residents of Chinese origin. More parents sent their kids to the school. When the autumn semester started, there were 220 students. Some parents even drove their kids more than 100 miles to the weekend language course. There were calls for branch schools. So in the second year, two branches were founded. And the student population grew to 1,000. After 10 years, now Huaxia Chinese School has 10 branch schools with 5,000 students and 450 teachers across America. It is the fastest growing Chinese school overseas.
The school is a non-profit organization for the purpose of making contribution to the assimilation of the Chinese culture into the American culture.Most teachers and other staff workers are volunteers. The school board is composed of parents and supervises the school administration. The principal is elected by voters every two years. The school decides whom to employ as teachers. It also holds lectures and forums to enhance the teachers?quality. There are many qualified teaching talents to work as volunteers. Though they are busy they always manage to find time to teach at Huaxia. Thanks partly to the achievements of the Huaxia Chinese School, Chinese has been officially chosen as a foreign language for middle school students in the United States.
Huaxia provides opportunities for the local Chinese families to form closer ties. When a Huaxia school appears in a neighborhood, Chinese families meet when their kids study in classrooms. Parents make friends and form clubs for entertainments and recreations. There are organized activities for enthusiasts for singing and dancing, and sports. Parents meet to play pokers and mahjong, or play chess. Investors meet to do homework together on stocks and securities. Huaxia also offers lectures for parents on important subjects: how to help kids get into the best American universities, how to manage the pension, how to do well in job interviews, and how to start business in America.
Huaxia Chinese School today is more than a language training organization. It brings the Chinese communities together. In addition to a large number of after-class activities for children around the year, Huaxia holds an annual gala in celebration of the Chinese culture. It is a big occasion for the local Chinese community. It’s easy to attract the talented Chinese and former celebrities to appear. Huaxia also invites celebrated performers from China to the gala.
(Translated by David)