A bigger world through Chinese

For many young American students, learning Chinese began at an early age and gradually became part of their identity, family life and understanding of the world.

This shared passion for language and cultural exchange recently brought students from across the western United States together in Los Angeles, where they exchanged stories, performances and experiences centered around their journey of learning Chinese.

Luca Pole, an elementary school student from Denver, Colorado, said he enjoys both the Chinese language and culture.

"I like the Chinese culture and language because I can learn writing, reading, et cetera," Luca told China Daily during the 2026 Chinese Bridge Chinese Proficiency Competition Los Angeles regional final held on May 9.

"Chinese Bridge is like a place where everyone is brought together to learn Chinese, and it's a really friendly competition," he said.

Luca, whose Chinese name is Lu Ke, performed the song Xin Nian Hao and shared the traditional Chinese New Year legend of Nian during the competition. His parents said they enrolled him in a Chinese immersion school when he was 4 years old to help him develop his language skills and broaden his worldview.

"I think it's great for him to become a global citizen and recognize other cultures," his father Larry Pole said. His mother Traci added that she hopes Luca will "understand and appreciate other cultures".

For some families, learning Chinese is closely connected to preserving family heritage and cultural roots.

Jacob Hegedus, whose Chinese name is Zhao Zhuoran, said he enjoys speaking Chinese because his mother's family speaks the language.

"I am proud to be part of a Chinese family," he said.

Jacob's mother, Zhao Jing, said she has spoken Chinese with him since he was very young because she wanted to "pass down Chinese culture and language". His father, who is Hungarian, also encourages multilingual learning at home.

"For us, our family roots are very important," Jacob's father said. "That's why I really encourage him to speak his mother's language Chinese, and my language Hungarian."

Other students described Chinese as a bridge to understanding the wider world and building friendships across cultures.

Lewis Green, a student from Cedar City, Utah, attended the competition wearing traditional Chinese dragon-themed clothing. His Chinese name is Guo Luyi.

"I love the pattern of the traditional Chinese dragon," Green said. "I feel great to wear it."

Green said his interest in Chinese began after a professor from China visited his home and shared meals and conversations with his family.

"I really enjoy communicating with people from different countries," Green said. "It made me feel that the world is very big, but people are still closely connected."

Now able to speak Chinese with his father and older sister, Green said the language has opened a new perspective on the world. He also expressed excitement about an upcoming family trip to China.

"I want to see what China is like, try Chinese food and talk with Chinese children so we can learn from each other," he said.

For Vesper Gaines from Hawaii, Chinese has become much more than a school subject. Gaines, who won first place in the middle school division of the Hawaii regional preliminary competition, said learning Mandarin has shaped much of her life.

"Learning Mandarin has been like all I've ever known my whole life," Gaines said.

She described her Chinese teachers as being "more like aunties than teachers", and said Chinese language learning introduced her to a broader community and different ways of seeing the world.

"Chinese has enveloped me into a community that I didn't know," Gaines said. "Chinese culture taught me so much about how to view the world in different ways and value diversity."

For some students, visiting China transformed their understanding of the language from a classroom subject into a real-life cultural experience.

Students from Mountain Ridge High School in Utah shared how their trips to China changed their perspectives on communication and cultural exchange.

Chase Glenn, who has studied Chinese for 12 years, said his first visit to China helped him realize the practical meaning of the language.

"For a long time, Chinese was just a subject to me," Glenn said. "All that changed when I went to China for the first time."

After giving a speech in China and being understood by the audience, Glenn said he realized language could become "a connection between people".

"That moment changed everything for me," he said. "It was my first real intercultural exchange."

Scott Tolman said he hopes to become "a bridge between Chinese and American cultures", while fellow student Max Warren said learning Chinese has given them "a bigger world".

"We are not just learning Chinese," Warren said, "we're building bridges."

The students also shared how they created a Chinese-language music video during one of their trips to China, combining singing and musical performances in Mandarin. The project later won second place in a national competition.

"I was able to express myself through singing, performing, playing the piano and guitar, all in Chinese," Warren said. "It wasn't about trying to impress people. It was about expressing who we are and telling our story."

Educators at the gathering also emphasized the growing role of Chinese language programs in promoting cultural understanding and youth exchanges.

Shana Tong, president of Maryknoll School in Honolulu, Hawaii, said the school's Mandarin immersion program, launched in 2017, remains the only program of its kind in Hawaii.

Students spend half of the school day learning in Chinese and half in English, studying subjects including mathematics and science in both languages.

The school has also organized cultural events celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival, Spring Festival and Lantern Festival, while expanding exchanges with China through youth cultural programs and student visits.

"Through these trips, students not only improve their Chinese, but also develop a greater understanding of contemporary China," Tong said. "Seeing is believing."

Tong said educational exchanges have helped build friendships and understanding across cultures.

"When education connects people, the Pacific Ocean is no longer a distance — it becomes a bridge of friendship and understanding," she said.