While the devastating effects of the 2008 earthquake persist in Gansu Province, Jiashan Primary School is looking forward to construction of a new school building after an outpouring of kindness and support from the Western Academy of Beijing (WAB).

Shortly after the earthquake, WAB students, staff and parents responded generously by organizing fundraising events and collecting much-needed items in an effort to lend assistance to the quake stricken region. The school founded an Earthquake Disaster Relief Committee; the goal was to not only offer financial assistance, but to find a school in need of help and build a sustainable long-term relationship.

WAB sought guidance from the World Bank, which was financing the reconstruction of several school projects in the Gansu Province. The Provincial Government and the World Bank recommended the area of Hui County, a mountainous region hard-hit by the earthquake. Local officials reported that over 50% of the school buildings were destroyed in the county due to the disaster. John Scales, World Bank representative, WAB Board member and parent, stated, "The complimentary cooperation of the World Bank and WAB in assisting the schools of Hui County to recover from the Wenchuan Earthquake is about more than just building back better. This is about making a difference in the long term development of a rural community hard hit by a natural disaster."

With the school building threatening to collapse, the government had ordered Jiashan to be condemned and torn down. However, with no funding available, school officials were forced to continue operating out of the building for several months. Luo Dandan, a grade 5 student, shared her anxiety about continuing to attend the school in the months following the disaster, " The damage caused by the May 12 Earthquake last year cast an indelible shadow over our hearts. While studying in the tilted and collapsed classrooms, we were always in constant fear and really worried."

The WAB community raised a total of RMB 357,261 to rebuild Jiashan. As a main beneficiary of the 2009 WAB Gala, the Jiashan Primary School has been allocated an additional 30,000 RMB for their preferred school design and additional 100,000 RMB to support future initiatives.

Recently, a team from WAB which included: Director, Robert Landau; John Scales; Trish Smith, WAB Development Director; and Wang Wenjing, China Studies Coordinator, visited Jiashan. A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the new school building. Liao Wu Zhou, Governor of Hui County expressed his gratitude, "The true caring and love and the great help that WAB gave us after the earthquake, we have nothing to pay back but to be grateful and use it as strength and power to work hard to rebuild our beautiful tomorrow in education."

The commitment from WAB will not end there, as the school has pledged to continue its support of Jiashan. This project offers exciting possibilities for WAB students to continue to make a positive contribution and strengthen their connections to the community in which they live. The school maintains a strong commitment to support student engagement with China as a host country and to foster appreciation and understanding of Chinese culture.

Upon returning from his recent visit, Robert Landau, Director shared his thoughts about the partnership, "The moment I entered the Jiashan Primary School campus I was reminded how fortunate I am as an international educator. I have the good fortune to be in the position to give back, to collaborate, to share, and to learn from a community ready and excited to form a sustainable and lasting relationship with WAB. However, at the end of the day, it was the Jiashan students welcoming and smiling faces that made my visit an experience I will remember forever."

In a spirit of shared purpose and commitment, WAB will form an advisory committee with students, staff and parents who will steward the long-term school-to-school partnership. Students in Grade 3-12 and WAB staff have heard about the recent visit and are eager to become involved. Working with the PTA, the school will host a parent presentation in the near future. Watch for news and information on the progress of the new building and WAB's partnership with Jiashan in future editions of Lianxi.

WAB is a community known for its belief in the ability of individuals and communities to positively make a difference in the lives of others. In the words of Luo Dandan, the reconstruction of Jiashan Primary School has offered hope and inspiration for a brighter tomorrow, "Thanks to heaven and earth, our dream finally came true with your help. We will remember your deep love forever. Your help to reconstruct our school will be great motivation for us to study diligently and all our students will redouble our efforts to cherish this great opportunity and study hard to serve society in the future!"