Huang Ailing. [Chongqing Daily]

Huang Ailing, a 14-year-old middle school student studying in Canada, has been a voluntary teacherfor three consecutive years, by giving English lessons to her peers in her summer holidays, in Dangchang County, northwestern China's Gansu Province.

Huang was born in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. Along with her mother, she resided in Canada since she was nine. Now she is studying at an affiliated high school of the University of Toronto.

She told reporters that she dreamed of being a teacher in her childhood, and she wanted to share her knowledge and happiness with others. She added that she was very happy to help other people make improvements in learning English.

She recalled that early on she did not always finish her homework in middle school. A teacher once punished her and she cried with sadness. But, to her surprise, she went on to make good friends with the teacher, because she knew she was being good to her.

From then on, the determination of being a teacher was deepened in her heart.

In July 2013, she heard news that one of her father's friends was a voluntary teacher in northwestern China's Gansu Province. She became excited and told her father she wanted to come back to China to help the rural children improve their English level. A week later, she and her father went there by air in her summer holiday.

After arriving, Huang arranged an occasional English class. All the local kids and some of the older ones actively participated. After several lessons, Huang found the students' English level was very poor. So, she pushed with more efforts to inspire their enthusiasm.

Huang introduced a teaching method from her Canadian school to develop their interests. After several days, it had achieved positive results.

At the end of the summer holiday, she returned to Canada to continue her studies.

In 2014, she headed for Dangchang County to do the voluntary work again in the summer holiday.

During the past three years, she has taught students English not only in Dangchang County but also in a rural school in the remote and mountainous regions.

Through Huang's efforts, all students participating in her lessons have significantly improved their English as compared to before.

One student said now she had the courage to speak English loudly and she has made great improvements in the past two years, and even came top in her school.

Huang promised the students that she would come back to teach them in every summer vacation in future.

Huang Ailing communicates with students on how to speak English. [Chongqing Daily]

(Source: Chongqing Daily/Translated and edited by Women of China)

Editor: Jane Wang