THE 2023 HEARTLAND CHINESE TEACHER AWARD CELEBRATES TEACHERS AND BRIDGES CULTURES FOR ITS SECOND YEAR
In 2022, USHCA launched the Heartland Chinese Teacher Award to recognize the hard work of the many Chinese language teachers in our region who have built cultural bridges through language learning. These teachers, often working with limited resources, are critical to instructing the next generation of global leaders. USHCA is proud to once again present the Heartland Chinese Teacher Award in recognition of the many extraordinary and dedicated Chinese teachers in our region.
At USHCA, we believe bridge-building often begins in the classroom. By investing in resources such as talented and dedicated language teachers, we are laying the foundation for a stronger and more resilient relationship between the United States and China. Language learning is not just a means of exchanging information, but a way to build channels for understanding, respect, and collaboration. While the Heartland Chinese Teacher Award is foremost about celebrating the significant contributions of Chinese language teachers, it is also meant to raise awareness for the broader significance of language education in the context of U.S.-China relations.
We are thrilled to report that the Heartland Chinese Teacher Award doubled in size in its second year. In 2023, our community grew to over 60 nominations, with applicants representing 20 states (16 Heartland) and 29 cities. Many nominations came from community members such as local mayors, school administrators, and businesspeople.
The 2023 Heartland Chinese Teacher Award Selection Committee featured members of the 2022 HCTA Cohort, such as Stacy Lyon, as well as Heidi Kuo, Yan Wang, and Dr. Xinying Alpha Edens. Each applicant was assessed based on the creativity of their curriculum, their impact on students, as well as their contribution to Chinese language learning and cultural dissemination in their community.
2023 Selection Committee
Stacy Lyon
Utah Chinese Dual Language Immersion Director, Utah State Board of Education
Dr. Xinying ‘Alpha’ Edens
Assistant Professor, University of Tulsa
Yan Wang
Chinese Educator, Dixie Magnet Elementary School
Heidi Kuo
Chinese Educator, Muscatine High School
Five award recipients were recognized during a virtual award ceremony. The event themed “Community Celebration: Awarding Excellence in Chinese Teaching” featured USHCA Board Vice Chair and 2022 HCTA Selection Committee member Susan Thornton; the Mayor of Richmond Heights, MO Jim Thomson; the University of Chicago Jade Chinese Music Ensemble, as well as many other community members, nominators, and several teachers from the 2022 HCTA Cohort. This year, three new teachers were added to the cohort to receive the 2023 Heartland Chinese Teacher Award and two received the People’s Choice Award. Each teacher was awarded a cash grant.
2023 Heartland Chinese Teacher Award Recipients
Dr. Haiyan Fan – Bentonville, AR
Haiyan Fan has devoted her life to helping students of the Chinese to make sense of the language. Being a lover of children’s literature herself, her unique teaching style combines storytelling with language learning, coupling the power of artfully designed artistry with Chinese characters. A former English teacher in her hometown – Shenzhen, China, Haiyan came to the States in 1997 to pursue her Master’s degree in Applied Linguistics and Teaching English as a Second Language at the University of Arizona, Tucson. Later her research work at the Artificial Intelligence Lab at U of Arizona gave her a unique perspective on language learning and promoted her continuous pursuit in the research domain of Human-Computer Interaction in her doctoral program at Texas A&M University. Her unprecedented work on human learning was even featured in a TEDx Talk in 2019.
Dr. Fan plans to utilize her award funds to expand the current Chinese program at Haas Hall Academy by refreshing new materials for students and her Mandarin Chinese club at the school. She also wishes to use a portion to start her dream project, which is a curation of the etymological origins of the 3000 Chinese characters in a visual medium and also to build a database cataloging the structural tree relationship among the characters and phrases.
May Lee – Lee’s Summit, MO
Liang May Lee believes that language instruction starts by putting people first. Learning Chinese has always been notoriously difficult, but Liang May realizes that her job is to make the language easy and fun. Language is just a means to an end that students use to express themselves, build relationships, and shape the course of their own lives. She believes that by infusing the language with the torch of our mind, feelings, inspirations, curiosity, and questions about the world, we are one with the language. Liang May says “when language resonates with us, we no longer focus on language barriers and imperfections, and instead we cultivate genuine human connections.”
Mrs. Lee hopes to utilize her to help fund a potential field trip to a Chinese restaurant followed by a trip to the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art and explore the East Asian collection in Kansas City. The Asian Student Union at her school would also like to use the reward money toward hosting a conference where all Asian students can gather at our school with local speakers to talk about amplifying Asian voices within the school community.
Na Li – Columbus, OH
Na Li has been a Chinese teacher at Ohio’s Columbus Academy’s middle school since 2010. Throughout her career, she served numerous leadership positions in many reputable Chinese teaching organizations including two terms as President of the Ohio Association of Teachers of Chinese (OATC) and received the Outstanding Leadership Award from the Confucius Institute at Cleveland State University and OATC. Her passion for supporting the world language teaching community extends to her involvement as a board member at the Ohio Foreign Language Association (OFLA). Currently, she holds the position of President at the national Chinese Language Association of Secondary-Elementary Schools (CLASS).
Na Li would like to use her portion of the award funds as a fellow of their school’s 2023-2024 Flourishing Program and in conjunction with Harvard’s Research Schools International Program to enrich her students’ curriculum with a field trip to China Folk House in West Virginia. This trip she hopes will offer students the chance to serve the community by reassembling the China Folk House and explore the rich history of Chinese ethnobotany, agriculture, food, and healing.
This financial assistance she says will enable students to experience the architecture, artifacts, and traditions firsthand, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation for the rich cultural heritage.
People's Choice Award Winners
Ning Zhang – Cincinnati, OH
Ning Zhang was recommended by Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval. She is a teacher at Sycamore Community Schools in Cincinnati, Ohio. She has been working in public school education since 2005. She established the Chinese program within her district, laying the foundations for a robust language curriculum. For years, she has served as a mentor for her colleagues and student teachers. She is currently serving as the president of the Ohio Association of Teachers of Chinese. Her educational journey includes earning a Bachelor of Science from Xi’an Jiaotong University in China, followed by a Master’s and Doctoral degree in Education in the United States. She has participated in and presented at state-wide and national-wide world language conferences. She is also a published author, contributing to the broader dialogue on language acquisition and cultural understanding.
Ning Zhang aims to use her funds to create enriching experiences that foster cultural understanding and community connection for her students. A significant portion of the funds she says will be dedicated to traditional holiday celebrations, allowing her and her students to come together as a community and celebrate diverse cultural heritage. Additionally, the funds will support local Chinese Club events, ensuring a vibrant platform for cultural exchange and language learning. Furthermore, she hopes part of the funds will be used to invite guest speakers and experts in various fields, to share their insights and expertise, thereby broadening the intellectual horizons of our community. Overall, the funds will contribute to creating a more dynamic and inclusive environment, enriching the overall experience for everyone involved.
Xiaoyan Liu – Richmond Heights, MO
Xiaoyan Liu earned a Physics Bachelor’s degree from Normal University in China, and taught at a prestigious secondary school in Guangzhou for nearly two decades. Transitioning from an ordinary teacher to a voluntary school principal, her exceptional teaching and management earned widespread acclaim from the community. With a teaching philosophy rooted in love, rigorous study, tailored instruction, and empowering students, she has dedicated almost forty years to education, finding joy and fulfillment in her profession. She now teaches at St. Louis Modern Chinese School and even praise from Richmond Heights, MO Mayor Jim Thomson commending her excellent work ethic.
Mrs. Liu hopes to utilize her award money to establish a Chinese cultural experience room in her Chinese school. She hopes this would include more interactive materials (i.e. models and teaching aids for ancient Chinese papermaking and printing, as well as activities like tea art and traditional Chinese handicrafts) to allow Chinese learners to personally experience the charm of traditional Chinese culture hands-on.
