March 12, 2020
By Metra Taleghanifard
Three students and one teacher from Beijing High School No. 4 (BHSF) spent three weeks studying at the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics (OSSM) as part of the 2020 “Hefner Initiative USA/ China/ Asia.” This year’s Hefner Scholars were Martin Jinyuan Zhang, Jerry Xujie Zhang and Alice Yutong Yang. They were accompanied by Hefner Ambassador Layla Jingyi Zhang a teacher and alumni of BHSF. The Scholars and Ambassador attended classes and participated in school activities, as well as enjoyed special outings to learn about the history and culture of Oklahoma.
This year’s program included tours of the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, the University of Oklahoma campus, the Sam Noble Museum and the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. The Hefner Scholars also enjoyed an Oklahoma City Thunder basketball game and celebrated the Lunar New Year at OSSM. They experienced Oklahoman-style Chinese food and expressed how much they enjoyed it and the State’s take on Dim Sum. Martin wrote about his experience, saying “The past has passed. Though the future remains unknown, may our good luck last, may we meet in the future.”