Newly Expanded PSSCA Board Announcement

At PSSCA's March meeting at City Hall, six new members were inducted onto the Board of Directors.

The 2017 Evening Under the Stars Gala was set for Thursday, September 21, 2017.

New members from left to right are• Jean Ni Li, Financial Advisor and Senior Marketing Director at TransAmerica Financial Advisors, Inc. • Jian Zhang, Associate Director, Confucius Institute at Portland State University • Jeffrey C. Kinkley, Courtesy Professor of History and of World Languages & Literature, Portland State University • Kevin Crotchett, Principal, Jackson Middle School, Sister City School to No. Ten Middle School, Suzhou, China • Jennifer Hubbert, Associate Professor of Sociology and Anthropology, Lewis Clark University and Hong Mautz, President of Chinus Cultural Productions were on assignment and not able to join us for this special occasion. PSSCA Executive Committee Members shown in the photo are Robert Fraser, VP, on the left and Lynne McIntyre, President, Bonnie Starkey, Secretary, and Alice Lee, Treasurer on the right.

Lynne McIntyre, during her President’s report, was happy to announce on behalf of the Board, the date of the 2017 Evening under the Stars Gala for Thursday evening, September 21. Guests will have an opportunity to meet Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, meet new and old friends, enjoy a wonderful buffet, beer and wine bar, as well as music and entertainment. Please be sure to save this special date on your calendar.

2017 Jiangsu International Youth Art Contest

Principal Julie Rickman of the Hope Chinese Charter School accepted the invitation from PSSCA President Lynne McIntyre and her VP Robert Fraser to participate in the 2017 Jiangsu International Youth Art Contest sponsored by the Jiangsu Provincial Government and Jiangsu Broadcasting Corporation.

The purpose of this Contest was to highlight the friendship between the young generation of Jiangsu’s 13 cities including Portland Sister City to Suzhou and those in their sister cities around the world. This Contest encouraged the participation of children aged between 6 and 12 to introduce their hometown by painting in the universal language of art.

The theme of this Contest was “Painting Your Home, Dreaming Your Future”. The selected works will be exhibited in China, and the young artists will be awarded a certificate to celebrate their participation in this Contest. All students participating in the contest from Hope Chinese Charter School will receive a Certificate of Friendship with the City of Suzhou from PSSCA.

Yuan (Yuri) Liu Lead Chinese Teacher & Curriculum Coordinator, coordinated the project with the able assistance of Third Grade Mandarin Teacher Sara Li, Third Grade English Teacher, Carrina Schindler and Kindergarten English Teacher Kelly Matsushima. Approximately 40 students in total from both classes participated. Samuel William's artwork (right) from the Hope Chinese Charter School was one of three drawings submitted from the third grade for the competition.

2017 Portland Suzhou Student Exchange Program

January of this year 2017, seventy seven students and 9 teachers from 5 schools in Suzhou had an extraordinary opportunity to experience Portland and our Portland-Suzhou Sister City Schools, and most of all to make new friends. It was also an opportunity for these students and teachers to experience a snow storm, an unusual experience for both cities.

Hosford Middle School hosted 27 students 3 teachers from Lida Middle School and ten students and their teacher from Dongshan Moli Middle School. The International School hosted 24 students and 2 teachers from Suzhou Experimental Elementary School. The Hope Chinese Charter School hosted 15 students and 2 teachers from Jiangsu Primary School which is attached to Xinsu Normal School. The French American International School hosted 6 students and 1 teacher from Jingfan Middle School. Jackson Middle School hosted students and teachers from Suzhou No. 10 Middle School.

PSSCA wishes to thank PSSCA Board Member Kojo Hakam, PPS Mandarin Immersion Curriculum Specialist for Portland Public Schools and Ms. Hanning Bi, Executive Director of Portland’s Skybridge International for helping coordinate these student exchange programs. A number of these schools in Portland will be sending their students to experience Suzhou this year and to practice their Mandarin.

Also a big thanks to Lynne McIntyre, PSSCA President, Alice Lee, Treasurer and Robert Fraser VP, and Board Member Wei Nathan for visiting the schools and participating in their welcoming ceremonies. Each of the schools from Suzhou were presented with a welcoming letter from our Mayor Ted Wheeler.

2016 World Friendship Day

March 12, 2016 PSSCA hosted a table at the Saturday, March 12, 2016 World Friendship Day event at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Vancouver, Washington. The event, sponsored by Friendship Force Columbia Cascade, commemorated the founding of Friendship Force International in 1977, a non-profit organization introduced by President Jimmy Carter that promotes international cultural exchange visits including home stays. PSSCA Board representatives, Maihwa Frances Li, Jennifer Li, Alice Yan Lee and Bonnie Starkey, hosted one of the 14 exhibitors’ tables at the event, displaying books and items from Suzhou and promoting the upcoming PSSCA Gala at Lan Su Chinese Garden on June 23

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Friendship Force International provides opportunities to explore new countries and cultures from the inside by bringing people together at the personal level. Through the signature program of home hospitality, local hosts welcome international visitors into their culture, sharing with them meals, conversation, and the best sights and experiences of their region.