The school held its first class in the living room of the apartment I lived in.  I felt a sense of sanguinity about, with parents and friends alike.  They shared the common goal of integrating the Chinese language and passing down the culture to their children.  That first day and the gathering of ideals marked a beginning to something that will always be a part of my personal beloved memories.

This establishment and the people that made it possible are special to me.  It underlined an atmosphere where I could learn and grow, adapting to a new life with those that understood me most.  I made friends, I gained confidence, and I matured through the irreplaceable help of the Great Wall Chinese School.

I look back today, and remember those great times.  I can still picture the warm and wholesome setting, where friends and family gathered for annual Chinese New Year festivities.  I can still imagine the performances the classes put on - all the laughter, all the enjoyment.  I can recall the camping trips, when we would enjoy spending time in the presence of mother nature.  And even still I can think back to the day when we held the first class.  Such the simple idea it was, but now the hallmark achievement that has influenced so many.

With joint togetherness and cooperation, knowledge taught and knowledge learned, laughter shared and friendships born, it is a place where all look forward to going each day of the week.  The Chinese school is more than just a school.  It is a community.

It is difficult to comprehend what the school has become.  Its limits have spread far and wide, dwarfing the establishment it had started out to be.  I have the great honor of being amongst the first graduating class of the school, as well as to be able to express my thoughts on its influence on my personal behalf.  I speak for all its students who have gone and future ones to come when I say thank you, to all the Great Wall Chinese School has been.