SEP Annual Working Group Meeting Summary

Date:  July 20, 2025

Location:  Auburndale Park, Newton

(by Jing Wan,  Hua Fang & Eric Shi)

Attendees:

Eric Shi, Hua Fang, Jing Wan, Helen Cao, Shirley Chen, Jun Liu, Jianqing Luo, Naizhong Qiu, Yunjuan Yuan, Ling Zheng, and Faith Hu.

Meeting Highlights

Accomplishments of 2024–2025

SEP had a successful year with many highlights. Jing Wan, Feng Hua, and Eric Shi debriefed SEP’s impactful programs, including:

• Tennis Fundraisers

• Bake Sales

• Online Tutoring

• Talent Shows

• Fundraising Dance

• Support for NCLS book distribution, Thanksgiving Party, and Chinese Gala

• Award Ceremony for SEP’s high school seniors

• New initiative in 2024 – iCanfly: Successfully organized four times at NCLS.

• New initiative in 2024 – IT Outreach: Successfully run for several months in 2025.

• New initiative in 2025 – Cards for Seniors

• SEP China Trip: Led by Board Member Helen Cao and Eric Shi, the April 2025 trip to Guilin High School in Guangxi Province was a notable success, providing significant support to students from underprivileged backgrounds. Trips to Shandong Jijing High School in 2026 and a revisit to Wuling High School in Zhejiang are also scheduled.

2025–2026 New Initiatives

• The Emerging Leader Award: Endorsed by the Mayor of Newton, with outreach made to the Massachusetts state government for endorsement.

• SEP Team for the Boston Dragon Boat Festival

Financial Review

Peng Feng presented an overview of SEP’s financial status, highlighting the successful management of funds across various programs.

Vision for 2025–2026

• Continuation of Signature Programs: SEP will continue its established programs and recruit new volunteers for the upcoming school year.

Upcoming Actions

• Volunteer Recruitment: Co-led by Hua Fang and Jing Wan, SEP will soon begin recruiting volunteers for the 2025–2026 school year.

• Support for NCLS: Assist with new book distribution.

• Student and Parent Meetings: Establish key groups and roles for ongoing programs such as bake sales, online tutoring, and talent shows.

• Program Development: Prepare for upcoming events and programs, including the China trip, fundraising events, and community support activities.

• Explore New Opportunities: Maintain contact with schools and organizations to discover and develop new partnerships.

The SEP Working Group values the contributions of all members, volunteers, and supporters, reflecting on the past year’s achievements and looking forward to continued success in the new school year.

Date: August 24, 2024
Location: Auburndale Park, Newton

Attendees:
Helen Cao, Shirley Chen, Naizhong Chiu, Hua Fang, Nan Liang, Jun Liu, Jianqing Lou, Jing Wan, Ming Xia, Yujuan Yuan, Ling Zheng, Jackie Zhou, Qionglin Zhou.

Meeting Highlights:

• Accomplishments of 2023-2024:
• SEP had a successful year with many highlights. Jing Wan debriefed SEP’s impactful programs.
• Tennis Fundraisers
• Bake Sales
• Online Tutoring
• Fundraising Talent Show
• Fundraising Dance Party
• Support NCLS book distribution, Thanksgiving Party, Chinese New Year Gala
• Award Ceremony for SEP’s high school seniors
• SEP China Trip:
  Led by Board Chair Faith Hu and Principal Naizhong Chiu, the trip to Wuling High School in Zhejiang Province in April 2024 was a notable success, providing significant support to Chinese students from lower standings.
• New Initiative:
  The IT Assistant program for senior citizens has been well received by the local community.
• Financial Review:
• Hua Fang presented an overview of SEP’s financial status, highlighting the successful management of funds across various programs.
• Vision for 2024-2025:
• Continuation of Signature Programs:
  SEP plans to carry on with its established programs and recruit new volunteers for the upcoming school year.
• New Initiatives:
  • SEP Team for Boston Dragon Boat Festival
  • New program to help people with disabilities
• Upcoming Actions:
• Volunteer Recruitment:
  The SEP, co-led by Jing Wan and Hua Fang, will soon begin recruiting volunteers for school year 2024-2025.
• Support for NCLS:
  Assist with new book distribution.
• Student and Parent Meetings:
  Establish key groups and roles for ongoing programs such as bake sales, online tutoring, and talent shows.
• Program Development: Prepare for upcoming events and programs, including the trip to China, fundraising events, and community support activities.
• Explore New Opportunities: Maintain contact with schools and organizations to discover and develop new partnerships.

The SEP Working Group values the contributions from all members, volunteers, and supporters, reflecting on the past year’s achievements and looking forward to continued success in the new school year. (Meeting report by Jing Wan)

The NCLS Support Education Program (SEP) 2022-2023 Team Recruitment Starts Now!
Please click the link to sign up: https://goo.gl/forms/6pXh9nZKVWb0ucd83

SEP Working Group had an annual meeting on August 7, 2022, at Newton Auburndale Park. Attendee: Helen Cao, Shirley Chen, Faith Hu, Nan Liang, Ling Zheng, Qionglin Zhou, Naizhong Qiu

• Reviewed all activities that SEP has organized and participated in the past year
• Discussed two new programs, tutoring and financial aid. The Tutoring program has been running for two years and it’s a success. We will start the financial aid program in Fall 2022. The program needs more broadcasting.
• Explored channels communicating with students in China to increase the understanding of both sides.
• Would resume the trip to Sichuang Daqiao School if permitted.
• All working group members will keep contacting with different schools to explore the possibility of corporation

牛顿中文学校支教领导小组于2021 八月十九日晚召开了线上年会。郑凌、梁楠、陈卉、周琼琳，周津平，丁一红，高红参加了会议。

会议日程：

1. 8:30-8:45 2020-2021 支教活动总结
2. 8:45-9:30 SEP 章程扩展
3. 9:30-10:00 2021-2022 支教活动展望

会议概要：

1. 支教活动总结:
   1. 2019-2021虽然因为疫情支教中国之旅未成，支教小组在环境允许的情况下继续坚持烘培义卖，举办了线下和线上才艺表演，参与了牛顿中文学校春晚庆祝，开设了线上义务辅导，庆祝了支教15周年，和庭院义卖。在大家的慷慨捐助和大力支持下，支教小组筹集资金约两万美金。其中五千美金捐助给了四川省大桥中学，奖励和资助优秀学生和教师。

2. SEP 章程扩展：
   1. 领到小组在此次会议前经讨论提出了支教章程扩展版的初稿，与会同仁就初稿提出了建议和修改。大家通过了最新版本。在此征询修改意见后会定稿。
   2. 扩展版以资助中国贫困地区有需要的学生为基础，把奖/助学金扩展到在中国贫困地区坚持教学的老师和在牛顿及周边地区、美国其它地区、以及其它国家有需要的学生。

3. 2021-2022 年 SEP 展望：
   1. 继续保持与四川大桥学校的联系
   2. 继续义务辅导项目 – 分享经验并吸引更多志愿者，帮助真正有需要的学生。
   3. 联系沈安平老师，了解那些学校和学生能从支教义务辅导中受益
   4. 当学校实体课开学时，有需要的学生可以在周末前往 NCLS 接受辅导
   5. SEP 奖学金 – 免费注册牛顿中文学校课程或课班，SEP 志愿学生在需要时提供额外帮助。

8/28/2020 晚上八点半，支教工作小组利用ZOOM Meeting 网络平台，召开了年度会议。

会议对2019-2020 支教工作进行了总结：
虽然2019-2020 支教活动被Covid -19 打断了，支教之旅未能成行，但是上半年的支教活动很有成效。自九月份开始组队后开展了一系列活动：Team Bonding -Charles River boating (9月); Bake Sales (每周日面包及自制点心义卖)；参与牛中建校60周年庆典并表演 (10月)；支教第七届网球锦标赛 (11月); 年度支教才艺表演和筹款 (12月)；面试申请支教之行的学生并组队 (2020，1月)；协助牛顿中文学校校外春晚庆祝活动并表演和现场义卖募捐 (1月)，到其他团体的春晚庆祝现场宣传支教和筹款义卖 (2月初)。筹款总额接近预期的三分之二(包括谭老师的捐助和支教志愿者公司的匹配)。疫情期间，支教活动依然进行，同学们录制了视频，已在牛顿中文学校微信公众号发布。也会发给受访的学校，让他们了解牛顿中文学校和支教团队的活动，其中的支教小花絮在牛顿中文学校学年末的家长大会暨毕业典礼上播放。视频链接如下：https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/Zl0tVYmBDtu5GT3xFrOccQ

会议对2020-2021新学年支教活动进行了热烈的讨论和规划，大家对新形势下的挑战，提出了不少好建议，好办法。支教活动将一如既往，不忘初心，充分利用网络平台，继续支持受访的学校那些在经济条件欠缺，渴望求知的同学，为中美同龄学生提供相互学习和交流的机会。

2020-2021 新学年支教活动小组负责人： 组长 – 高红， 副组长 – 曹景雁， John Lin.

The NCLS Support Education Program (SEP) 2020-2021 Team Recruitment Starts Now!
Please click the link to sign up : https://goo.gl/forms/6pXh9nZKVWb0ucd83
The 2020-2021 will be the 15th year for NCLS SEP. The program runs various fundraising events, such as bake sale, talent show, tennis tournament, culture fair, dance party, etc. to raise funds for underprivileged students in rural areas in China.
In April spring break, a group of NCLS students will go to China and bring the funds to the scholarship recipients. They will visit the recipients’ families, teach English class at the school and participate cultural activities with Chinese students. Covid-19 disrupted 2020 SEP’s activities and prevented the trip to China. However, in these challenging times, help and support could be needed and appreciated more than ever. Students here and in China could continue to learn from each other and support each other in different ways, including but not limited to, online communication and cultural exchanges, and in-person visit situation permitting.
We welcome NCLS students 8th grade and above to join SEP team for 2020-2021.

SEP 2017 Working Group Meeting date: July 29, 2017.

Dear Teachers and Parents,

Due to the strong support of the community from NCLS teachers, parents, staff, working group members, The Tan Family Education Foundation and communities surround Boston area, NCLS Support China Education Project (SEP) has become a well-known community service program. We are incredibly thankful for your generosity, just last year alone, the SEP program was able to assist 30 high school students from disadvantaged families at Yuci Erzhong to finish their high school. You have made huge impact on those lives.

As we start the new school year of 2017 – 2018, the NCLS Support China Education Program has kicked-off its planning phase during the summer. This marks the 12th year of the Program. This year we will be providing support to students at Xin’an Yizhong, Henan province (河南省新安一中). More information about this school and the students will be made available on the NCLS web site.

Working Group Member Recruitment – To make this year’s program successful, again we are recruiting new working group members. The number of members is not limited.  Any parent, teacher or staff who is interested in supporting and contributing is welcome to join us. The working group members are all volunteers, but we do need certain amount of commitment from you as a team member, please take a look at your schedule before you apply. We will run a series of fund-raising events and activities, have meetings and organize the students’ trip to China. If you are interested, please send an e-mail to supporteducation@newtonchineseschool.org before Saturday September 30, 2017.

Student Volunteers Recruitment – As usual, we are also recruiting student volunteers this year. Every NCLS student above 8thgrade is eligible even if you are not planning to go on the trip to China in April and your volunteer hours will be recognized. For those students who would like to apply as a member to go to China in April 2018, volunteer work prior to the trip is required. We especially welcome our program alumni to volunteer again this year as a way to give back to the program. If you are interested, please register online by clicking the link:

https://goo.gl/forms/pBYrazikxdbaIfWn1

2017 China trip team presentation – Support Education Program Working Group will host a presentation by 2017 China trip team on September 24, 2017 at 3:45pm in room 325 (TBD). Please come and join us for an info session. Our students will share their experiences and stories at Yuci erzhong, Shanxi province, this presentation will help you to understand more about this program and we will answer any questions regarding the program you have.

Thank you!  We appreciate your continued support and look forward to another successful year ahead!

The NCLS Support Education Program Working Grouphttp://blog.newtonchineseschool.org/supportchinaeducation/

July 16, 2016, Support China Education working group had a meeting for review the program in year 2015-2016. Thanks to everyone’s hard working and made this program another success!

Celebrate SEP 10 Years Schedule flyerCelebrate SEP 10 Years Schedule

SEP 2015 working Group Meeting date: June 28, 2015.

NCLS 2015-2016 Support Education Program Announcement

Dear teachers and parents;

As we start the new school year of 2015 – 2016, the NCLS Support China Education Program has kicked-off its planning phase. This marks the 10th year of the Program. We will be providing support to students at Chongren Yi Zhong, Jiangxi province (江西省抚州地区崇仁县一中). More information about this school and the students will be made available on the NCLS web site. To keep this year’s program successful, we are recruiting new working group members. The number of working group members is not limited.  Any parent, teacher or staff who is interested in supporting and contributing is welcome to join. The working group members are all volunteers, but we would like you to take a look at your schedule before you apply, as we do need certain amount of commitment to the program as a team member. We will run fund-raising activities, have meetings and organize the students’ trip to China. If you are interested, please send an e-mail to supporteducation@newtonchineseschool.org before Friday October 2nd, 2015. If your kids will sign up for the student volunteer team, please sign up with your kids online by click the https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Bxy2MjLJVU619PbT9s6-Rj39B_w_dyp6e_FEiTqFGbc/edit

We are also forming a student volunteer group again this year. Every NCLS student above 8^thgrade is eligible even if you are not planning to go on the trip to China in April and your volunteer hours will be recognized. For those students who would like to apply as a member to go to China in April 2016, volunteer work prior to the trip is required. We especially welcome our program alumni to volunteer again this year as a way to give back to the program. If you are interested, please register online by click the link https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Bxy2MjLJVU619PbT9s6-Rj39B_w_dyp6e_FEiTqFGbc/edit  as soon as possible.

The NCLS Support Education Program Working Group

http://blog.newtonchineseschool.org/supportchinaeducation/