Our second session of Cornerstone Learning Foundation's summer immersion camp was centered on a Cooking theme!
The Baozi Class, named for the steamed buns and dumplings that are a staple of Chinese cuisine, told a story about a hungry kitten who is on the hunt for the best-tasting dumpling. Through this charming story, students taught us about different types of baozi, including fried potstickers, boiled dumplings, and steamed buns; they also shared their knowledge of everyday kitchen supplies, including chopsticks, bowls, and spoons.
Like the Baozi Class, the Rainbow Class also performed a story about hungry animals searching for a delicious meal. In their story, three hungry wolves suddenly experience a pang of hunger for braised chicken — much to the dismay of a neighboring group of baby chicks! To fatten up the chicks, the wolves leave several offerings at their door, including scallion pancakes, donuts, and a giant cake. Fortunately, the wolves and chicks later come to a truce. The Rainbow Class closed out their skit by singing about the value of close friendships.
The Butterfly Class transformed into a team of junior chefs for their performance, complete with aprons and chef hats. They took us on a musical tour of their kitchen, explaining how to use the refrigerator, microwave, and blender through song and dance. Butterfly students are the youngest group to perform in our summer camp skits, and we were proud to see their confidence and excitement on stage.
The McDull Class elaborated upon their story from Session One. Last session, we learned about McDull's affinity for birthdays, airplanes, and erasers. In Session Two's story, we learn that McDull, a cartoon piglet from a popular Hong Kong animated series, is also foodie who loves to eat. Through their performance, the McDull Class students described how McDull could work harder in school and finally eat all his favorite foods.
Our most advanced group of students, the Afanti Class, returned with another story about Afanti, a folk philosopher from ancient Xinjiang, China. This time, Afanti and his trusted pet rabbit play a trick on the king and the royal court. When a royal councilor hears that Afanti's mystical rabbit has special powers, he orders it to assist with preparing a feast for the king. But the rabbit, in cahoots with clever Afanti, fails to deliver, and the king arrives to an empty dining room. Humiliated, the councilor must give up his royal status, leaving Afanti triumphant again! The Afanti Class concluded their skit with a song about overcoming challenges, inspired by Afanti's ability to find his way out of sticky situations.
In addition to the five performance classes, Session Two also included the Piglet Class. These preschool-age students learned Mandarin through our full immersion environment, practicing songs, dances, games, crafts, and everyday communication with their teachers and classmates.
From the youngest Piglet preschoolers to the oldest Afanti academics, Cornerstone's Session Two scholars were dedicated, cheerful, and energetic. We congratulate them on a successful performance, and salute their summer camp accomplishments. We can't wait to see where Session Three takes us!