June 1, 2026
The application period for the 8th The Ai Ling Guan Memorial Scholarship has successfully concluded.
In 2026, we received a total of 30 applications from 15 states across the United States. The applicants’ experience in Chinese language education ranged from one year to more than twenty years.
One particularly encouraging and unexpected finding was that half of the applicants (15 individuals) are Chinese language teachers working in full-time educational institutions, including elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, and universities. This demonstrates that the influence of the scholarship has expanded beyond its original focus on weekend Chinese schools and has increasingly reached mainstream full-time educational settings.
At the same time, we observed that many applicants’ contributions extend well beyond their demanding teaching responsibilities. They devote significant time and energy to promoting the Chinese language and Chinese culture within their communities, workplaces, professional organizations, and broader mainstream society. This is precisely the mission that the scholarship was established to support: encouraging Chinese language educators in the United States and Canada to contribute their talents and passion, overcome challenges, and advance the teaching of Chinese language and the appreciation of Chinese culture in all aspects of society.
This achievement marks a fitting and meaningful conclusion to the scholarship program after eight successful years.
As in the previous seven years, the scholarship management committee carefully reviewed all 30 applications, including recommendation letters. (Unfortunately, recommendation letters for a few applicants were not received, which affected the evaluation results.) After a thorough review process, the committee selected the following three recipients as the winners of the 2026 Teacher Category Scholarship Awards.
陈素萍 Suping Chen
Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart, Miami, Florida
Major accomplishments:
- 18 years of Chinese language teaching experience in the United States
- Invited speaker at the College Board AP Annual Conference; AP proposal accepted
- Executive Director and Artistic Director of major community Chinese cultural events
- Currently pursuing a Doctorate in Education
Wang Li
Private Instructor / Public Elementary School / International Montessori School, North Carolina
Major accomplishments:
- Initiated collaborative exchanges with the Chinese Program at Duke University
- Presented on Chinese language teaching at national teacher conferences and participated in roundtable discussions at CLTA conferences
- Translated and developed Chinese reading materials; co-created Chinese books with students
- Member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and contributor of outstanding Chinese children’s literature to World Kid Lit
- Full-time creator of Chinese-language stories and interactive Chinese character books
张晓毅 Shelly Xiaoyi Zhang
Winchester School of Chinese Culture, Newton Chinese School, Massachusetts
Major accomplishments:
- 21 years of Chinese language teaching experience in the United States
- Established SAT Chinese and AP Chinese programs for Chinese schools; edited and published collections of student essays
- Served as a school board member and chair of the Activities Management Committee, helping lead and organize school operations
- Organized and planned major Chinese and Asian cultural events within the community
- Actively advocated for Chinese New Year to become an official public school holiday in the City of Newton
Congratulations to all three award recipients!
