Gilbert High establishes sister school partnership in China

Gilbert High School has established a sister school partnership with Leshan Jiaxiang Foreign Languages School in Leshan, China, creating opportunities for students and educators at both schools to engage in cultural and educational exchanges.

A sister school partnership is a long-term relationship between schools in different countries designed to promote communication, cultural understanding and collaboration among students and staff.

The partnership began near the end of the 2025-26 school year when Gilbert High students in the Chinese Club wrote handwritten postcards to graduating seniors at Leshan Jiaxiang Foreign Languages School who were preparing for the Gaokao, China's national college entrance examination.

Gilbert High teachers, staff members and community members later joined the effort, sending about 300 cards to students in Leshan.

The initiative received support from the Gilbert Sister Cities Association and the Leshan Foreign Affairs Bureau and later developed into a formal sister school agreement.

At the start of the new school year, Gilbert High Principal Lucas Blackburn hosted visiting school leaders and exchange students from China to finalize the partnership.

During the visit, students and staff from both schools participated in planning sessions focused on future collaborative projects and educational exchanges.

To commemorate the agreement, the schools created time capsules containing letters, cultural items and student recognitions. The capsules are scheduled to remain sealed until 2036.

"This is just the beginning," Mandarin teacher Jonathan Dangerfield said during the ceremony. "It's time for our schools to learn from each other, to help each other, to encourage each other, and to move forward together."

School officials said the partnership is expected to provide students with opportunities to participate in joint projects, language-learning activities and cultural exchanges with peers in another country.

Gilbert High offers Mandarin Chinese courses at multiple levels, including Chinese Mandarin I and II, honors courses, International Baccalaureate courses and Advanced Placement courses.

More information about Gilbert High's International Baccalaureate program, including IB Mandarin and IB Spanish courses, is available at GilbertHigh.GilbertSchools.net/IB.