Adventures in China

Every primary, middle, and high school in China has a flag raising ceremony every week. Many also have a flag lowering ceremony. Every school does their ceremonies a little different. My school has a flag raising ceremony every Monday morning. It starts at 7:15 and runs around 20 minutes. This is the schedule for it:

1. Everyone lines up
The students line up by grade in their respective school yards. They march to the front of the school by grade and line up in front of the flagpole. The teachers and staff also line up and march out. Waiting at the flagpole are the administrators and student leaders. The whole procession is lead by the school band.

2. The school band plays a song
The primary school band plays "Young Pioneers."

3. The flag is raised by the Young Pioneers

4. and the students salute for the national song (played from a tape)

5. Lectures are given
One week the ceremony is run by the primary school and the next week by the secondary school. After the flag is raised a student from the school gives a lecture to the other students. Lectures range from reminders about historic event anniversaries, to local festivals, to school achievements, to personal safety. Sometimes, the students are given another lecture by an administrator.

6. The school motto is recited
A student leads the other students in reciting the school motto in Mandarin and then English. It goes like this:
I'm a student of private Kaitong school
I love Kaitong
I'm Chinese
I love my homeland
Self-reliance and self-improvement
Be useful and successful

7. Run out
The students run out by grade. Each grade lines up in the schoolyard again and get lectured before going to class.