By James Lomuscio
Up until today, 16-year-old Tian Huang said his only exposure to the United States was what he had gleaned from movies and books.
Singapore student Tian Huang (2nd l), 16, is greeted at Staples High School today by Schools Superintendent Elliott Landon, (l) and his host family, the Kaners, from whom Tian said he hopes to learn about “the real United States.” (CLICK TO ENLARGE) James Lomuscio for WestportNow.com
But after a 23-hour flight from Singapore, the student from the Hwa Chong Institution seemed eager to learn American culture first hand.
“I hope to learn more about the United States and its educational system, and to learn about the real United States and how it works,” Tian said outside of Staples High School.
Staples is where Tian met with his host family, Avi and Liz Kaner and their sons Jack, a Staples sophomore, and Jonathan, who is in the eighth grade at Bedford Middle School.
Tian was one of 11 Singapore students greeted by host families they will live with for two weeks of cultural immersion that will involve shadowing host families’ children at Staples, as well as attending various events.
“The exchange program is another example of what makes Westport an exciting town, and we’re absolutely pleased to share it with people near and far,” said Avi Kaner, who on Tuesday was elected the town’s second selectman. He takes office Nov. 18.
According to Maria Zachery, who chairs Westport’s kindergarten through twelfth grade World Languages Department, the exchange is a continuation of an ongoing relationship with Hwa Chong that began last spring when a delegation of Singapore teachers came to Westport.
“We’ve been working to build a bond with Singapore,” Zachery said, noting that the Singapore school has 4,000 students who represent the top 3 percent academically in the entire country.
“We’re delighted to have this partnership,” said Schools Superintendent Elliott Landon, on hand to greet the students as they stepped off a Coach bus.
“We want to share with those students who demonstrate excellence elsewhere in the world, and we couldn’t think of a better partnership.”
Landon noted that two Singapore teachers, biology and chemistry teacher Law Hockling and history teacher Stephen Karplus, who is originally from New York, would be here for two weeks, as well.
Staples senior Warren Schorr, who had traveled to Singapore with Zachery this past summer as part of the Asia Pacific Young Leaders Conference, along with his parents and his sister Julia, a Staples sophomore, seemed happy to welcome 16-year-old Hao Wei Goh.
Hao will be shadowing Warren and Julia at school, as well as going to a Knicks game with the family.
“We know he’s a basketball fan,” said Edward Schorr, the father.
“It’s a cool cultural connection, learning from both sides of the globe,” said Warren. “I know when I went there this summer, it was surreal, but in a good way.”
