McNicholas American Youth Ambassadors adventure in China

18 students and three staff members spent a week in November in Jiangsu immersing themselves in Chinese culture, representing our school and country on an international stage, and developing relationships across the world.  

Trip coordinator and McNicholas teacher Ms. Mel Gaskins said, “This program empowered our students to cultivate profound cross-cultural understanding, build global awareness, practice diplomacy, and foster meaningful connections through immersive cultural experiences and leadership development.”  

This is the first time our students have participated in the American Youth Exchange Program and they fully embraced the trip and all of the opportunities it had to offer.  

McNicholas youth ambassador Alex Stewart said, “This was such an eye-opening experience, which has given me a new appreciation for China’s culture and history through visiting schools and learning about the art of calligraphy, visiting historical sites, and just getting to walk around the province seeing people’s day-to-day lives.”  

Our students met and interacted with Chinese students, made shadow puppets, tried their hand at calligraphy, watched traditional dragon and lion dances, played soccer, visited museums and historical sites and so much more during their short trip.  

Ambassador Evelyn Hurlburt said, “There is a rich culture to experience that is stored away in museums and also scattered throughout the city in historical buildings, monuments, and parks. This exchange offered a chance to solidify my global citizenship since I could finally see and understand more deeply a way of living I previously could only hope to read about.”  

This educational trip not only made our students more knowledgeable about China and the world around them but also provided them with invaluable personal experiences and connections that they will carry with them into the future.  

Ambassador Julia Cheek said, “This trip gave me a greater perspective on how large the world is, but also how similar we all are. I gained so many new relationships during my time in China and having these connections inspires me to work to learn more about the world outside of my community.”  

Ms. Gaskins was impressed by our students' grace, poise, and integrity on this trip and by the friendships made transcending cultural and linguistic boundaries. “Watching our students step confidently into their roles as youth ambassadors and connect with peers from around the world with openness and enthusiasm highlighted the transformative power of shared experiences and reminded us all that, even thousands of miles from home, we can find common ground and create meaningful, lasting bonds.”  

The American Youth Exchange Program compiled a video of our students’ adventures during their week in Jiangsu. 

Watch Video

To learn more about this program and other McNicholas global enrichment programs please visit our Global Enrichment Programs page.  

Global Enrichment Programs