Big congratulations to Quinn W. (Grade 6) and Elena M. (Grade 8), who represented SMA at the second annual Colorado State Chinese Bridge Competition last week. Quinn brought home third place, and Elena earned a Merit Award in the Middle School part of the competition. SMA was honored with the Best Organization Award, which recognizes our commitment to supporting student participation and our continued involvement over the past two years.

Both students began learning Chinese in Kindergarten and continued their studies after joining SMA. In the lead-up to the competition, Quinn and Elena actively prepared during their Chinese classes, practicing speeches, and deepening their knowledge of the Chinese language and culture to be ready for each component of the event.

The Chinese Bridge Competition has been around for over 20 years, though this was only the second year Colorado has hosted its own regional event. The competition provides a platform for students to showcase their language skills, cultivate their interest in Chinese culture, and deepen their cross-cultural understanding. It includes three main parts: an oral question-and-answer, in which students listen and respond verbally as the host reads questions; a written question-and-answer, where questions are displayed on a screen, and students write their answers; and a speech, in which students draw a topic, prepare for 90 seconds, then deliver a short speech. 

Zoe Wang, Middle and High School Chinese Teacher, shares, “I am incredibly proud of Quinn and Elena for their dedication, confidence, and growth throughout this process. What makes their achievement even more meaningful is that other participating schools are full Chinese immersion programs, where students spend significantly more time learning Chinese each day. Despite this, Quinn and Elena rose to the challenge and performed exceptionally well. Their hard work and perseverance truly set them apart.