A Grade 12 WAB student's English teaching project earned one of six service grants from the East Asia Regional Council of Schools (EARCOS).

Just a week before beginning her final year of high school at Western Academy of Beijing, Lorraine Jiang received US$500 to continue developing GM English, a program she created to offer free English language lessons to service workers in Beijing.

Lorraine and her classmates make up a team of volunteer English teachers, offering the free courses in the hopes of increasing access to personal and professional opportunities for local caretakers and security guards.

"The commitment and actions of Lorraine are certain to benefit Western Academy of Beijing and the wider community," EARCOS Assistant Director Joe Petrone wrote in a letter announcing Lorraine's selection. "Please extend our heartfelt congratulations to Lorraine for her extraordinary community service."

The grant is yet another distinct achievement for GM English, which Lorraine created in Grade 10 for her Middle Years Programme (MYP) Personal Project, a requirement to complete the second stage of the full International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum. The group's influence grew, and in May Lorraine and three GM English teachers traveled to Harvard University to present their work at the China Education Symposium.

Two years into the project, there are 20 WAB students who regularly volunteer to teach free classes each week as part of GM English, and the group has taught more than 100 people.

"It is with great pride that WAB acknowledges Lorraine for her excellent work and achievements," WAB High School Principal Melanie Vrba said. "More important than the EARCOS grant and the recognition by Harvard University for her work is the difference that Lorraine and her team at GM English are making with local staff."