Belen Hosts FL Chinese Competition
Belen Jesuit hosted the 13th Annual Florida State Chinese Competition on February 23-24, 2018.
Over 260 middle and high school students from 21 different schools that have Chinese programs gathered at Belen for a celebration of the culture through the form of various academic competitions and performances.
Belen Jesuit Senior, Thomas Gallinar, is “fascinated by world cultures,” and believes, “this program aligns with the schools goal of Jesuit formation in students.”
The event began on Friday evening with a performance by the Belen Concert band directed by Ms. Marlene Urbay, which played two Chinese songs, Grateful Heart, and The Moon Represents My Heart. Each student was given a t-shirt commemorating the event with the word Magis written in Chinese characters, and a bag with the words Belen Wolverines also written in Mandarin.
“Among various doors that the Belen Chinese Program has opened for me, including an internship at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, hosting the 13th Annual Florida Statewide Chinese Competition has been the cherry on top to conclude my senior year,” said Nathaniel Muñoz ’18, who is in his third year of Mandarin. “This experience has shown me all the effort that goes on behind the scenes to put together an event like this. In addition, it has displayed how quickly the love for Chinese language and culture is spreading among the youth in today’s generation.”
Mr. Phillip Wang, Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Miami, addressed the group of passionate students before dinner on the opening night. Students, faculty, and parents enjoyed a demonstration of Tai chi, and a lion dance, a Chinese tradition which is performed to bring good luck and fortune. On the second day of competition, students participated in a Chinese Jeopardy competition involving art and historical facts of the Chinese Culture. The Belen team finished in second place.
“Although we only began our Mandarin Program four years ago, we appreciate the need for our students to compete with their peers, and we were happy to do so at Belen,” said Principal Jose E. Roca ’84.
“I was adopted from China, so this a great way for me to connect with my culture,” said Julia Butler of the Bolles School in Jacksonville, Florida. Their night closed with a performance at Belen Jesuit’s Roca Theatre of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” The students returned the following day for various academic tests ranging from speaking, reading and writing.
“The event came on the heels of the departing Taiwanese students who were at Belen for 13 days as part of the Belen Jesuit Foreign Exchange Program with our brother school St Ignatius in Taipei, Taiwan,” said Overseas Study Program Asia Moderator Charles Cleveland. “The next step is in March, up to 10 of our students will be able to fly to Taiwan and stay with the same Taiwanese exchange students’ families. Belen Jesuit is committed to offering every opportunity to our young men to thrive in an ever growing global and multicultural world.”
”Congratulations to all participating students for their successful achievements. Thanks to all the faculty members, administrators, staff, and students that actively participated over these two days in making this year’s event a complete success,” said Mandarin Teacher Hsiao C Chiu.
Click here to view the photo album.
Click here to view the photo album.
BELEN JESUIT PREPARATORY SCHOOL
500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL 33184
phone: 305.223.8600 | fax: 305.227.2565 | email: webmaster@belenjesuit.org
500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL 33184
phone: 305.223.8600 | fax: 305.227.2565 | email: webmaster@belenjesuit.org
Belen Jesuit Preparatory School was founded in 1854 in Havana, Cuba by Queen Isabel II of Spain. The task of educating students was assigned to the priests and brothers of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), whose teaching tradition is synonymous with academic excellence and spiritual discipline. In 1961, the new political regime of Cuba confiscated the School property and expelled the Jesuit faculty. The School was re-established in Miami the same year, and over the next decade, continued to grow. Today, Belen Jesuit sits on a 30-acre site in western Dade County, only minutes away from downtown Miami.