Walnut Hills High School is noted for its academic excellence and diversity of its student body.
That's why Cincinnati Public Schools was one of the stops Friday for a group of Chinese educators studying the American educational system.
The Chinese men and women – all teachers or principals in China – are part of an exchange program Miami University in Oxford has set up in Beijing.
While at Walnut Hills, delegation members got a glimpse of classes in physics, chemistry, math, social studies, languages, music and art.
They spent time with Principal Jeff Brokamp asking questions about the Advanced Placement curriculum that allows Walnut Hills graduates in many cases to complete over a year of college level work while still in high school.
Guo Lu, a PhD candidate at China University of Geosciences, served as the translator for the group.
He said the Chinese educators were very impressed with what they observed – especially the music classes.
"They are still high school students," Lu said. "They perform very excellently."
Lu noted that in China's elementary and high schools, children are more competitive. In the United States, students work very hard, but things appear to be more relaxed.
"Some people say that's just like a children's paradise," Lu continued. "In China there is almost no childhood for some people because when they are very young they start to compete."
Other schools on the itinerary included the Lakota, Mason and Talawanda districts.
On Saturday the Chinese will visit the Cincinnati Public School program at the Cincinnati Zoo.
They're also scheduled to visit the Wright-Patterson Air Force Museum in Fairborn and a conference of Ohio school educators Monday in Columbus.
