Chinese Reading Month, Math Kangaroo, MUN

Chinese Reading Month
We are excited to announce that March is LifePlus Chinese Book Reading Month. Throughout the month, all students enrolled in Chinese classes will take part in a meaningful and engaging challenge: to read a collective total of 400 Chinese books.

At the end of March, students will celebrate and showcase their reading achievements through creative posters. We encourage every student to read widely, explore new stories, and embrace the joy and journey of Chinese reading.

Math Kangaroo Competition
YHIS/YIA will host the Math Kangaroo Competition 2026 on Saturday, March 28, 2026. The competition is open to students from Grade 1 to Grade 12.

Math Kangaroo is the world’s largest international mathematics thinking competition. Established in 1980, it now reaches students in 109 countries and regions, with approximately 6.5 million participants worldwide each year. The competition emphasizes logical reasoning, critical thinking, and creative problem-solving rather than simple memorization of formulas.

The exam is bilingual (Chinese and English), and Level A includes a reading support function.

Competition Levels
The competition is divided into six levels:
• Level A – Grades 1–2
• Level B – Grades 3–4
• Level C – Grades 5–6
• Level D – Grades 7–8
• Level E – Grades 9–10
• Level F – Grades 11–12

Students from Grades 1–12 may participate. The six levels are designed according to grade bands to ensure appropriate challenge and fairness.

Exam Schedule
Saturday, March 28, 2026
• Level A: 9:00–10:15
• Levels B & C: 10:30–11:45
• Levels D, E & F: 14:00–15:15
Each session is 75 minutes.

Awards & Recognition
Each level includes two grade groups, and awards are given separately by grade. Outstanding students (Gold Award and above) may have opportunities to participate in international Math Kangaroo camps.

Competition Format
• Individual participation
• Multiple-choice format

Allowed and Prohibited Items
• 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

Registration & Payment Deadline: March 17, 2026
The participation fee is 200 RMB. Interested students may complete the sign-up form by Tuesday, March 17. Payment details for the 200 RMB fee will be shared at a later date.

Lunch Menu Updates
As part of our ongoing efforts to enhance our lunch program, we have made several updates to the lunch menu. We remain committed to continually improving the meals we provide for students. Please note that on certain days, some Western dishes will replace Korean dishes that were previously served. The updated lunch menu can be found HERE, and new dishes are highlighted in yellow.

MUNTAI
The Yantai MUN Club is excited to host MUNTAI “Convergence through Turbulence” on Thursday-Saturday, March 5-.7 MUNTAI is a three-day United Nations simulation for students. Students from 9 international schools in China are coming to Yantai to develop and debate innovative solutions to pending global issues. We look forward to a wonderful conference!

Upcoming University Admissions Seminar

ChungAng University
Date and Time: Thursday, March 12, at 14:00
Venue: 4th-floor Auditorium

SoGang University
Date and Time: Monday, March 16, at 14:30
Venue: 4th-floor Auditorium

Interested parents are warmly invited to attend the seminars and learn more about the university admissions process. The sessions will be livestreamed for LifePlus school communities to join. Please mark your calendar and join us.

LifePlus Fine Arts Festival
The 2026 Fine Arts Festival will be held from March 19-22 at Tianjin International School. Selected high school students will attend and participate in various fine arts workshops for choir, band, drama, or visual art. We look forward to celebrating the arts!

6th Creative Writing Contest
The sixth annual Creative Writing Contest is scheduled for Saturday, March 21, 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 by Friday, March 13. Please refer to the detailed schedule of the contest below. You do not need to bring anything besides a pencil or pen and your creative mind!

Time Program
8:30-9:00 - Registration
9:00-9:40 - Workshop
9:40-10:00 - Break and Snacks
10:00-12:00 - Writing Contest

PSAT 8/9 and 10
PSAT 8/9 is on Tuesday, March 10, and PSAT 10 is on Wednesday, March 11.

Total testing time is 2 hours and 14 minutes, with an additional 10-minute break between the English and Math sections. Both tests will start promptly at 8:30 am. Students need to come to school with a fully charged testing device, and they have been instructed on using the testing app. The school will provide a testing device if needed.

Please look out for an email from Mr. Holden with more details. Contact Mrs. Bower at ling.bower@yhischina.com with additional questions.