Press Conference – Chinese and Diocesan Leaders Summit in WVa.

Educational leaders from China visited the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston on December 1, 2014, as part of an unprecedented educational summit between school administrators from China and the diocese.

This stateside visit by the Chinese delegation is the next step in an ongoing relationship between leaders from Catholic schools in West Virginia and the Wenzhou Education Bureau.  Vincent de Paul Schmidt, superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, visited Wenzhou Province in China in April to discuss education and immersion opportunities for Chinese exchange students and to find ways to add Mandarin Chinese language courses in Catholic high schools in the diocese.  That visit culminated in a signed agreement that created an educational partnership spanning the globe.

The purpose of the summit was five-fold:

1) To strengthen the partnership as well as friendship between Wenzhou and the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston.
2) To visit the diocese and visit local schools.
3) To observe classes and learn more about curricula, teacher staff training, student development and school security.
4) To specifically learn more about the campuses at American high schools, particularly in terms of school safety.
5) To foster student exchange programs between the two cites.

The press conference was recorded live and can be seen below.

Press Conference from the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston – Recorded Live.