Overview and Criteria

The Delaware Department of Education has received a grant from the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce and the Wanxiang America Cooperation under President Obama’s 100,000 Strong Initiative aimed at encouraging more Americans to study abroad in China.  At least 30 Delaware high school students will be selected to participate in this competitive, four-week summer language, culture and STEM immersion initiative held in Hangzhou, China, tentatively scheduled for July 5-August 2.  Selected students will receive a complete scholarship that will cover costs to participate in the initiative, including roundtrip airfare from Philadelphia, visa fees, housing and meals in Hangzhou, Chinese language lessons, cultural presentations and fieldtrips, presentations on Chinese clean energy solutions, STEM-related field experiences and a cultural excursion to Beijing and Shanghai.  

MINIMUM QUALIFYING CRITERIA
Students must meet the following minimum criteria to be considered for participation in this initiative:

1.       Students must currently be enrolled in Chinese Level II or higher in a Delaware high school
          and enroll in the next higher level of Chinese during the 2017-18 academic year (i.e, Chinese
          III, IV or AP). 
2.       Students must have at least a B average in the Chinese course, at least a B average in all
          STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) coursework, and an overall GPA of
          3.0 or higher.
3.       Students must have missed no more than 5 days during the 2016-17 academic year at the
          time of application.This must  be confirmed by the guidance counselor.
4.       Students must be recommended by BOTH their Chinese language teacher and their school
          counselor.
5.       Students must complete the application and have their parent/guardian sign the completed
          documents.
6.       Students must be 14-18 years old at the time of application. 
7.       Students must agree to participate in all interview, orientation, evaluation and pre and post-
          travel activities related to the initiative. 
8.       If selected, students must provide all required medical information and prove that they are
          physically able to travel and have no serious medical conditions which may jeopardize their
          health while traveling to and studying in China. Students’ parent/guardian must also sign off on
          all health forms.
9.       If selected, students and parents/guardians must agree, in writing, to abide by the students’
          district uniform discipline code and all program related rules and guidelines.  Students and
          parents/guardians understand that students are held to the Delaware school districts’ rules
          AND the Chinese rules and laws while participating in this initiative. Any indiscretions will be
          handled the same way as such during school and/or by local Chinese authorities (if in violation of Chinese
          law). 
10.   Upon return, students will make presentations to State and business leaders regarding their experiences in
        China and a particular clean energy solution they have studies. Students will also be a part<

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