Celebrating Talent: Theater, Writing, and Math Challenges

Musical, OZ
We are excited to announce that YHIS will produce its 3rd annual musical, Oz, on April 11
and 12 in the YHIS Theater/Large Auditorium. There will be three public performances: 7:00 pm on Friday, April 11 and 2:00 & 7:00 pm on Saturday, April 12. This American musical, based on L. Frank Baum’s classic tale, features a comical script by Tim Kelly and a tuneful score by Bill Francoeur. It features 34 students from YHIS and YIA playing leading and supporting roles.

The YHIS community is invited to join us for what is sure to be a memorable performance by our drama students.

Elementary students will have a chance to watch the musical on Friday, April 11, at 2:00 pm. Evening performances are free for students, and tickets for staff and the general public are available at 40 RMB through the QR code by Thursday, April 10, or at the door. If you purchase tickets, you will receive your tickets as you enter the campus. Cast members will receive two free tickets.

Come support our hard working theater kids in an entertaining evening!

Math Kangaroo Competition
YHIS/YIA will be hosting a Math Kangaroo Competition on Saturday, March 29. It is open to students from Grade 1 to Grade 12. It is a bilingual (Chinese and English) multiple-choice competition, categorized into six difficulty levels. Math Kangaroo is the largest international mathematical competition in the world. The competition tests logical combination, not just memorization of formulas.

Awards will be given separately for each grade level. Global awards include the Math Kangaroo Achievement Award for students who achieve a perfect score. China regional awards are as follows:

• Top Gold Award: Top 5%
• Gold Award: Top 15%
• Silver Award: Top 25%
• Bronze Award: Top 40%
• Proficiency Award: Top 25% within each province, municipality, autonomous region, or special administrative region (in addition to national awards).

Exam Schedule
• Levels A(G1-2)/B(G3-4)/C(G5-6) (Grades 1-6): March 29, 2025 (Saturday), 10:00-11:15 AM (75 minutes, no breaks)
• Levels D(G7-8)/E(G9-10)/F(G11-12) (Grades 7-12): March 29, 2025 (Saturday), 2:00-3:15 PM (75 minutes, no breaks)
• Late arrivals: Students arriving more than 10 minutes late will not be allowed to enter. Early submission is allowed, but re-entry is not permitted after leaving the exam room.

Students may register for a higher-level exam but cannot select a lower level than their current grade.

Scoring System
• Levels A-B (24 questions, 120 points total, starting score: 24 points)
o Questions 1-8: 3 points each
o Questions 9-16: 4 points each
o Questions 17-24: 5 points each
o Wrong answers: -1 point, unanswered questions no penalty

• Levels C-F (30 questions, 150 points total, starting score: 30 points)
o Questions 1-10: 3 points each
o Questions 11-20: 4 points each
o Questions 21-30: 5 points each
o Wrong answers: -1 point, unanswered questions no penalty

Entry Requirements
• Check-in time:
o Levels A/B/C: 9:30-9:45 AM
o Levels D/E/F: 1:30-1:45 PM
• Allowed items:
o Valid ID
o 2B pencil, eraser, black/blue pen, blank scratch paper
o A plain English-Chinese dictionary (no notes or markings)
• Prohibited items:
o Calculators
o Smartwatches, mobile phones, or electronic devices
o Any items other than approved stationery

The participation fee is 200 RMB. If you are interested, scan the QR code to complete the registration and payment by March 16, 2025. Seats are limited, and it’s on a first-come, first-served basis.

LifePlus Chinese Reading Month
March is LifePlus Chinese Reading Month! During this time, students in Chinese classes will select a Chinese book to read throughout the month. They will showcase their reading progress and reflections through posters in class on Tuesday, March 25. Teachers will select outstanding works, and LifePlus-designed certificates will be given in April. More information will be shared during Chinese classes.

Shark Times January & February, 2025
The Student Newspaper Club has published a newspaper for January and February. The student journalists have worked hard to keep you informed about what happened in the past two months and to deliver exciting stories and interviews to you. Please click HERE to view the newspaper.

ECC Spirit Day
We are getting very excited for a change of season - Spring is on the way this month! ECC will enjoy a crazy hat day on March 27. We cannot wait to see the funniest, silliest, most creative and fun hats! Please see the attached picture for details.

5th Creative Writing Contest
The fifth annual Creative Writing Contest is scheduled for Saturday, March 22, from 8:30-12:00.
Creative Writing is important because it gives everyone an opportunity to communicate the “human experience.” Through writing, you can reflect on the world around you—the needs, wants, evils, and good in humanity—and express those reflections artistically.

You will have the exciting opportunity to enhance your creative writing skills this year! During the workshop, you will explore a new style of creative writing, and afterward, you will apply what you’ve learned by writing your own masterpiece in the independent writing competition.

If you are interested, please complete the survey LINK by Friday, March 14. Please refer to the detailed schedule of the contest below. Grab your favorite pen or pencil, get ready, get set…write!