With the winter vacation approaching, the 6th Scholarly Ambassador Activity was held in Wuhan University. Many students took part in the activity, recommending books to children in their hometowns. Chen Simeng, a freshman from the School of Journalism and Communication is one of them. She formed a team with her roommates, and they went back to Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region to start their program.
Baima Primary School was their destination. It is a typical rural school in Gongcheng County of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. When Chen Simeng first came here, she was struck by its harsh conditions. “There is only a cement playground, a small canteen, and a three-storey tall teaching building. Every grade has only 10-20 students, and the teaching equipment is out of date.” Due to the limited conditions, students there do not have enough access to books. “Reading is necessary for children’s growth, we want them to realize the importance of reading and develop reading habits, and grow with the nourishment books provide. That’s why we came here to hold this activity,” Chen explained.
Baima Primary School
Before the activity, the team chose some books and sent them to the students of grade 4. Chen designed some questions concerning the content and put them in the books. On January 14, Chen and her teammate Zeng Xi came to the school and taught a class. They invited the children to answer the questions they had set before, and sent gifts to students who got the correct answers. Besides the game, the other two team members, Wang Xinyao and Li Tong recorded a video, sharing a book and a poem with the kids online. “The students were very enthusiastic. They listened to us carefully and some even took notes. After class, they surrounded us with their radiant smiles, which impressed us deeply,” Chen added.
Children are active during the class
Students listening carefully to the team members
When referring to the most impressive thing, Chen shares a note written by a little girl from the class. “I like your class, and like the book you gave me. Can I know where you live? Wish everything goes well with your work!” When Chen recalls this unique experience, a smile passes fleetingly across her face. “Another girl also moved us much. When we were about to leave, she ran to us to ask for our telephone numbers. Although she doesn’t have a phone, she hopes to keep in touch with us.”
A little girl’s note to the team members
We can see in the team members’ eyes that this activity was indeed meaningful. “It gave us a chance to exercise ourselves. Now we know more about the kids and learned how to interact with them during the process. What’s more, the kids read more books during this activity, increasing their interest in reading .” Wang Xinyao said.
“This activity is not the end of the story.” Zeng Xi adds, “The most important help is not to give them books but to help them develop their interest in books and form a reading habit. Giving the children an opportunity to read and develop a love for reading is our final goal. When I was in high school, there was a period that was very hard for me. I had to deal with the pressure of Gaokao, only caring about grades every day. But in books, I found the beauty of life and recaptured the ability to find beauty. Books accompanied me to tackle all these difficulties and inspired me to live in the moment. Therefore, I hope I can inspire others by helping them gain strength from books.”
Team members’ message to the students
In the future, the team will keep in touch with the students in Baima Wanquan Primary School. “We want to accompany them during their growth. In the future, we will choose more meaningful books to send to them every month, and share our reading experience and thoughts with them through letters. We hope they will acquire knowledge and strength from books. Although sitting in a small classroom, they can observe the whole world through reading,” Chen Simeng said.
Photo by Chen Simeng& Zeng Xi
Edited by Li Hefeng, Qin Zehao, Tu Hua, Zou Xiaohan, Sylvia and Hu Sijia
