Fourth and fifth graders at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School recently won a national Mandarin video competition hosted by New York University.
Rabun Gap students earned first place overall for elementary schools (fourth-grade class) and first place for linguistic accuracy (fifth-grade class) in NYU’s “Rock That Movie” Chinese video competition. Thirty-nine videos were submitted to the competition from 25 schools in seven states, according to the university’s website. The entries were judged by
graduate students in NYU’s foreign language department who selected the winners based on content, fluency, accuracy, and filming.
The theme for this school year’s competition was “Connected!”
Led by Rabun Gap Lower School Mandarin Teacher Jiahui Tian, the students produced their contest videos in Mandarin as a part of an applied learning project. The students worked with the school’s director of digital arts Selassie Alleyne to film and edit their original videos.
The videos may be viewed on Rabun Gap’s YouTube channel.
Winners included fourth graders Eli Casebolt of Otto, NC; Wylie Dilbeck of Franklin, NC; Hudson Garner of Franklin, NC; Harrison Green of Rabun Gap, GA; Alice Haynie of Martin, GA; Van Hounsell of Lakemont, GA; Crosby Kennett of Rabun Gap, GA; Bridgit Kolousek of Franklin, NC; Isaac Mejía-Ponce of Rabun Gap, GA; Lizzy Moavero of Toccoa, GA; Phoenix Nowack of Rabun Gap, GA; Wyatt Orwig of Demorest, GA; Kinley Shirley of Clarkesville, GA; Beth Vignolini of Rabun Gap, GA; Cece Weisser of Clayton, GA; and Anni Wu of Franklin, NC.
Fifth-graders awarded were Aaron Chang of Franklin, NC; Aniston Elmer of Toccoa, GA; Finn Healy of Clarkesville, GA; Beatrice Long of Scaly Mountain, NC; Sawyer McCall of Franklin, NC; Sam Phillips of Rabun Gap, GA; Nicky Pobudina of Clayton, GA; Talon Sanders of Clayton, GA; Peyton Sawyer of Clayton, GA; Elliott Scott of Clayton, GA; Charlotte Swift of Highlands, NC; Sylvia Thurmond of Rabun Gap, GA and Aria Wright of Franklin, NC.
