Minnetonka Public Schools recently hosted 22 fifth-grade students and four teachers visiting from Beijing Normal University (BNU) Experimental Primary School in Beijing, China, for a week filled with learning, cultural exchange and connection.

Throughout the week, the 11- and 12-year-olds immersed themselves in school life alongside Minnetonka’s Chinese Immersion students at Excelsior and Scenic Heights elementary schools. Highlights of the visit included active classroom participation, joint academic activities, student interactions and vibrant cultural performances. Minnetonka students had unique, authentic opportunities to practice their Chinese language skills with native speakers, share their everyday school experiences, and discover shared interests with their peers from Beijing.

International exchange is a core component of Minnetonka’s Chinese Immersion program, which aims to develop globally minded students capable of communicating confidently across cultures. Hosting visiting scholars in Minnetonka provides a vital two-way connection.

“Our Chinese Immersion program is about much more than learning a language,” said Lilian Dang, Director of the Chinese Immersion Center at Minnetonka Public Schools. “These two-way exchanges are mutually beneficial. Our students gain authentic opportunities to use Chinese, experience different perspectives, and build international friendships, while visiting students experience American education and culture firsthand. These experiences bring language learning to life.”

The exchange provided meaningful experiences, not only across the district’s elementary Chinese Immersion classrooms but in the entire school community. “The most powerful part was that the whole school was involved, and students from all grade levels and both English and Immersion classrooms had opportunities to connect with and learn from the exchange students and teachers,” said Nicole Snedden, Principal at Scenic Heights Elementary. “The visit provided great energy and perspectives for all of our students, as we learned about what is the same and what is different between our cultures.” 

Beyond language proficiency, the ongoing partnership with BNU reflects Minnetonka Schools’ commitment to global education, nurturing intercultural understanding and international appreciation that will serve students long into the future.