Local kids and 159 visiting Chinese students get a cultural lesson at Huntington Beach school

1/6

School choir members perform for visiting Chinese students and their chaperones from Tianjin on Friday at Hawes Elementary School in Huntington Beach. (Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)

2/6

Fourth- and fifth-graders paint rocks with fifth-grade students visiting from Tianjin, China, as they participate in the Hawes Kindness Rocks Project at Hawes Elementary School in Huntington Beach on Friday. (Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)

3/6

The Hawes Kindness Rocks Project invites students to paint positive words or messages on rocks that will be part of Hawes Elementary School’s rock garden in Huntington Beach. (Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)

4/6

Hawes Elementary School mascot Ralph E. poses with fifth-graders visiting from Tianjin, China, on Friday. (Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)

5/6

Students at Hawes Elementary School in Huntington Beach interact with students visiting from Tianjin, China, on Friday. (Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)

6/6

Huntington Beach Mayor Lyn Semeta holds a city pin like the ones the Chinese visitors would receive before leaving Hawes Elementary School on Friday. At left is parent volunteer and interpreter Ruquan Nichols. (Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)

By Daily Pilot staff

Jan. 10, 2020 5:12 PM PT

Share via
- Facebook
- X
- Email

Huntington Beach Mayor Lyn Semeta joined children and staff at Hawes Elementary School on Friday in welcoming more than 150 visiting Chinese students and their teachers.

Semeta presented the 159 students and 24 chaperones from Tianjin with city pins as part of a third annual visit from a Chinese school group. The trips are designed for the visitors to learn about American culture and education and share their own culture with local students.

“The main purpose of this program is to introduce new cultures to students and have them experience interacting with others from a different part of the world,” Huntington Beach city spokeswoman Julie Toledo said in a statement.

The students Friday participated in recess, exchanged letters and gifts and painted positive words and messages on rocks for the school rock garden, which is part of Hawes’ Kindness Rocks Project.

Support our coverage by becoming a digital subscriber.

Local kids and 159 visiting Chinese students get a cultural lesson at Huntington Beach school

More on this Subject