From January 22 to 24, 2026, members of the S.H.E. Club from Starriver Bilingual School travelled to Zhoukou, Henan, for the second year of the volunteer teaching program. Led by President Liu Chencheng and Vice President Liu Junyao, club members Wu Sihan, Shi Minghao, Liu Linfei, and Chen Yaocheng visited Xingzhuang Central Primary School and Bianlukou Central Primary School to deliver a two-day service-learning project.

This long-term initiative aims to bring meaningful lessons, books, and emotional support to rural students who have limited access to educational resources. Over the two days, the team worked together to create engaging classes, build connections with the children, and offer warmth and hope through education.

Despite the harsh winter conditions, the schedule proceeded smoothly, and the students maintained a high level of focus, professionalism, and enthusiasm throughout the journey. Early each morning, students carefully reviewed lesson sequences, equipment checks, and teaching responsibilities. They knew the time was limited, and every class had to be fully prepared and meaningfully delivered.

Integrating Science

and Practice to Spark Curiosity

Across both schools, the S.H.E Club designed and delivered a series of intriguing and enriching courses tailored to the needs of local students, covering the fields of science, physical and mental health during puberty, and humanities, reaching approximately 280 fifth- and sixth-grade students.

The science lessons, led by Shi Minghao and Wu Sihan, focused on the physics concept of pressure through understandable descriptions and hands-on experimentation. Using simple but effective experiments, the instructors guided students to observe phenomena, ask questions, and gradually understand how air and pressure function in everyday contexts.

Although the experimental setups were simple, the impact was immediate. The classrooms quickly came alive as students eagerly raised their hands, proposed explanations, and engaged in lively discussions. School principals and teachers who observed the lessons later remarked that it was the first time they had seen their students participate so actively and confidently in a science class.

Addressing Growth with

Respect and Protection

The physical and mental health lesson was taught by Liu Chencheng and Liu Junyao and offered specifically to fifth- and sixth-grade girls. They began with the discussions of the physical and psychological changes during puberty, helping students better understand the uncertainties they may experience during this stage of growth, providing insight into methods of coping with change, and guiding them toward developing a strong sense of self-protection.

The instructors went beyond teaching theoretical explanations. They personally demonstrated practical and effective self-defense and escape techniques, allowing students to practice and learn how to respond to potentially dangerous situations.

As the lesson progressed, the girls gradually moved from initial shyness to attentive listening and active participation. Teachers in attendance acknowledged that such health education—grounded in science, real-life relevance, and respect—had rarely been offered systematically in rural schools, yet was deeply needed.

Inspiring Values Through Real Stories

The humanities course, titled Stories of Remarkable Women, was taught by Liu Chencheng and Liu Linfei. The lesson drew from “Her Story”, a long-term S.H.E Club project in which members interviewed outstanding women from five different professional fields and documented their life choices, personal journeys, and ways of facing challenges.

Rather than emphasizing conventional definitions of “success,” the stories highlighted how women make decisions, shoulder responsibility, and remain true to themselves in real-life circumstances. Through these authentic narratives, students began to realize that their future held diverse possibilities and that dreams are not beyond reach.

At the end of the class, students were invited to step onto the stage and share their own stories. Some spoke about their hopes for the future; others expressed curiosity about the wider world. The presenters listened attentively and offered encouragement. This was not merely a sharing session, but a moment of genuine connection: a quiet agreement to believe in oneself and chase one’s dreams with courage.

After class, several students lingered, excitedly talking about newly found dreams. One student softly said, “One day, I want to go to Shanghai too.” Perhaps this is the true meaning of rural teaching: while it cannot solve every challenge in a short time, it can plant a seed of hope. Once that seed takes root, it opens a window, lets in light, and offers the strength to imagine a path beyond the horizon. During a limited encounter, giving one’s most sincere attention is itself meaningful.

From the Classroom to the Bookshelf

Beyond classroom teaching, the S.H.E Club also turned its attention to students’ long-term learning and growth. During this year’s service-learning program, Liu Chencheng, President of the S.H.E Club, together with club member Chen Yaocheng, actively connected with the Shanghai Baishi Public Welfare Foundation and the Puzhao Education Special Fund to donate 200 carefully selected books to Xingzhuang Central Primary School and Bianlukou Central Primary School in Shenqiu County.

The donation was intended to extend the curiosity and reflection sparked in the classroom into students’ everyday reading experiences. The books cover a wide range of genres, including literary classics, science and nonfiction titles, and inspirational works for personal growth. They were selected to match students’ reading levels across different grades while also responding to the curiosity and eagerness for exploration observed during lessons.

Members of the S.H.E Club hope that these books will be more than a gift from a short-term visit. Instead, they are meant to become trusted companions, books that can spark interest, help them broaden their horizons, build knowledge, and gradually develop a lasting habit of reading thoughtfully and with enjoyment.

This marks the second consecutive year that the S.H.E Club has organized book donations for rural schools in Henan Province. From individual lessons to rows of bookshelves, the club continues to explore more sustainable ways of extending the impact of education over time. The arrival of these new books has brought renewed vitality to the schools’ reading corners and opened a window for students to explore a wider world.

Practicing Public Service and

Strengthening Youth Responsibility

Over the two days, the teaching schedule was intensive and demanding. From early-morning setup and equipment testing to consecutive lessons and evening reflections, the S.H.E Club members remained focused and committed.

They did not seek to transform rural education overnight. Instead, they chose to teach every class thoroughly and with care. As local school leaaders observed, the science literacy, health education, and humanities lessons brought by the S.H.E Club were courses rural schools had seldom been able to offer, but were necessary and deeply meaningful.

The S.H.E Club firmly believes that the power of education does not always lie in grand changes, but often emerges in small, actionable steps of genuine respect— a lesson that is truly understood, a question that is taken seriously, a story that stays with one for a lifetime.

The snow will eventually melt, but the understanding, confidence, and courage formed in these classrooms may continue to grow quietly over time. Looking ahead, the S.H.E Club will continue to engage with real-world communities from a youth perspective, responding to the meaning of education through action and allowing small but steadfast efforts to keep moving forward.