A lovely aroma wafts out of the door as students bustle around the room, talking and laughing. Atop a table sits a bubbling, boiling pot filled with meat and vegetables. Welcome to Skyline’s Mandarin Language club.
On Mondays, the Mandarin Language club transforms Pingping Liu’s classroom (A406) into a space outside of school hours for the Mandarin language and Chinese culture.
Though it began as a place to have conversations and do homework, the club has grown into a welcoming space for students of diverse backgrounds. Here, members gather to play games such as Mahjong and Spoons and eat Chinese dishes such as hot pot and shrimp chips.
The group, led by founder Abbey VanderWerp (‘27), explores the history behind each activity, from the historical development of Mahjong to the cultural significance of hot pot.
Although some discussions take place in Mandarin, the club assures that people of any level of fluency are encouraged to join. “We have people who are fluent, and people who are literally just beginning,” says member Maggie Gascho (‘27). “I think everyone feels welcome…. They can improve their Chinese skills [alongside] people they’re comfortable with.”
During her remaining years of high school, VanderWerp would like to offer new ways for students to engage with Mandarin. She is currently brainstorming opportunities to do volunteering, calligraphy, and crafts.
Current plans include “celebrating holidays such as Lunar New Year,” says Gascho. “With those sorts of activities, we could make lanterns or eat mooncakes.”
Vice President Karen Zhang (‘27) would like to continue to highlight Chinese culture in the club’s activities. “That’s why [we did] hot pot,” says Zhang. “In the future, [we could] do more food-related things to get more people to come to the club.”
VanderWerp encourages anyone who may be interested in the club to stop by during a meeting. “Come if you want to learn about culture, have fun, [or] play games!”
If you are interested in joining the Mandarin Language Club, they can be contacted through their interest form or Instagram (@sky.mandarin.language.club).
