St. Mary's timed its official opening ceremony for the conclusion of the Chinese New Year festivities that it celebrates jointly with the Southern Oregon Chinese Cultural Association.  Honored guests at the opening ceremony included Mr. Xu Hengzhen of the Henan Province Ministry of Education, Dean Wang Jialin of Zhengzhou University and Co-Director of the Confucius Classroom at St. Mary's School, Ms. Xia Yun, Assistant Director of the Confucius Classroom at St. Mary's School, a Henan Province resident and Beijing University graduate, who is currently a faculty member and PhD candidate at the University of Oregon, and the school's two beloved Mandarin teachers, Mr. Su Guoying of Zhengzhou University who began the program three years ago and returned for the ceremony, and his spouse, Ms. Zheng Ling, whose enthusiastic teaching style has added many students to Mandarin studies. 

The opening ceremony was attended by approximately 600 persons including St. Mary's students, faculty, parents, board members, and members of the local press and government.  It was recorded and reported upon by NBC News which aired highlights of the ceremony on its local station.   

The opening ceremony was a great success and the associated activities and events were very well received not only by St. Mary's students, but by the local populace.  The Confucius Classroom at St. Mary's School is off to a rousing start!

Opening Ceremony
St. Mary's School, Medford, Oregon

Opening Reception at the U.S. Hotel
Jacksonville, Oregon