Fifty high school students from China completing the Cornell China College Preparatory Program (CCCPP) will return home with memories of Cornell, the United States and many academic and cultural experiences.

The students received certificates for completing the program at a ceremony July 31 in Mary Donlon Hall on North Campus.

Abby Eller, director of Cornell's Summer College, gave opening remarks at the ceremony, followed by graduate student program assistant Fang Liu and two student speakers, Biying Tang and Hao Liu.

"There have been long hours of studying," Hao Liu said in his speech. "At the same time, we have been forming friendships, playing sports, engaging [in] various kinds of activities and living the same lives as American college students. ... I love the challenge of being here and also the fun, team-oriented approach of my fellow students."

The six-week college preparatory program brings talented Chinese students to Cornell for study, English-language immersion and cultural activities, including performing and visual arts at the Schwartz Center and Johnson Museum. The program also offered a photo and essay contest, activities in Ithaca, and a trip to Niagara Falls sponsored by the International Students and Scholars Office.

"One thing among the top impressive things is that I have met you," Tang told her classmates. "Influenced by my grandmother, I believe there is karma existing in this world. The chance that we can meet here is so small that it would not be decent if we did not cherish the moment we could spend together."

Ceremony attendees were treated to music and dance performances by the students, who will be returning to China in time for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing. The performances featured a song with sign language accompaniment, an aerobics demonstration, games, a poetry reading and the finale -- a performance of the song "Friends" by all of the students.

The students -- who are rising juniors and seniors at their high schools -- all take English as a second language (ESL) while at Cornell, and some of them take additional courses of study. The ESL seminar includes writing in English, descriptive prose, an analytical essay and criticism in the form of reviews. Eller said that seven students took a second class this summer, ranging from macroeconomics to astronomy.

Eight of the students also presented a program July 29 on China and Chinese culture, art and the Olympics.

"They're very proud of their country, as rightly they should be, and they conveyed all the excitement about Beijing and the Olympics," Eller said.

Hao Liu summed up the summer experience at the end of his speech: "I know we are feeling amazingly ready for the future. We are all ready to take on any challenge. We are stronger since we have succeeded here. We're totally ready to use the skills we have learned at Cornell and focus on new dreams. I believe that this exciting summer will never fade in our memory. Cornell will be the place where our dreams start."

For more information on CCCPP, see http://www.sce.cornell.edu/sc/cccpp/index.php.