Role Model of the Times

Role Model of the Times

　Chinese high school principal¹ Zhang Guimei has been honored with the title “Role Model of the Times”.

　Zhang is the principal of the Huaping Senior High School for Girls in the city of Lijiang, Yunnan Province. Born in Heilongjiang Province in 1957, Zhang traveled to Yunnan at the age of 17. She has been helping girls from poor areas receive education for over 40 years.

　With the help the government, she helped set up the country’s first senior high school to offer free education for girls from poor families. Since it opened in 2008, it has seen more than 1,800 students progress to universities and colleges.

　About 20 years ago, Zhang Guimei was a teacher in Huaping County. While on the way to visit a student’s house, Zhang noticed a girl sitting on the hillside. She was crying sadly. The girl, 13, told Zhang she was about to get married. It was decided by her parents. “But I want to go to school,” the girl said. Zhang went to her house and tried to persuade² her parents to let the girl return to school. However, they didn’t agree.

“We always say, each child should stand on the same starting line. But these girls didn’t even have a chance to get on the road,” she said. That fateful encounter³ persuaded Zhang to build a free high school for poor girls.

Notes:

1. principal n. 校长 2. persuade v. 劝说 3. 意为：命运的邂逅