Wang Jingli wangjingli0715@163.com A sharing meeting called “The Secret to Getting Into the World’s Best Universities” was held at The Houde Academy last Friday, where the high school’s first batch of graduates who have been accepted into top 50 universities around the world shared their experiences. It was said that all of the fresh graduates with the school’s foreign program have received offers from top 50 universities around the world and in the U.S. A fresh graduate named Pan Yiyan said during the meeting that unlike traditional high school teachers who would normally require students to put their hobbies aside in order to concentrate on studies, teachers at Houde never put a limit on the hobbies and subjects that interested them. “I have time to pursue my hobbies such as Chinese drama and tai chi on campus. I even have the chance to do tai chi with my teachers, which was impossible at my previous school,” said Pan. Donald J. Holder from the U.S., also called He Daoming in Chinese, principal of The Houde Academy, suggested that the school values every student’s talent. In order to help each student reach their best academic results, teachers from Houde never outright tell students so-called correct answers. Instead, they encourage students to find answers for themselves. In terms of unique features, Holder holds that the school has a dual teaching model with which students and parents can select different programs based on whether they want to continue receiving education in China or to go abroad. “Our students do not study A-level, AP or IB courses under the foreign program. No interviewers would say that they only accept results of these subjects when enrolling students in China.” “They might consider these results if you have, but they are not necessary conditions. In our case, we are the first in Asia to have collaboration with Bard College and set up the Bard Early College. Our courses are globally accepted. So it helps when students are applying for universities,” said Holder. Established in 2016 and located in Longhua District, The Houde Academy is the first high school in Shenzhen providing customized education. | 