The Cultural Development Center at the Plainview Chinese School is coordinating a Long Island Educators' Tour to China from April 6 - 16. Over 30 school officials, representing 11 local school districts, will be attending the trip.

Officials from the local school districts, including Plainview-Old Bethpage, Jericho, Great Neck, Herricks, Lindenhurst, Locust Valley, North Merrick, Port Washington, Rockville Centre, Uniondale, Wantagh and Long Island University - C.W. Post Campus, first arrive in Beijing on April 6 and visit such sites as Tiananmen Square and the Great Wall. They will also meet high school board members from Beijing and visit local schools during their stay.

The tour will also makes stops in Xi'an and Shanghai and participants will visit some elementary schools. The Plainview Chinese School, which is acting as a liaison between China and local schools, hopes to promote cultural exchange between the United States and China. This trip gives local educators the opportunity to see how Chinese schools are run and gives them a better understanding of Chinese culture.

An orientation was held last week for those participating in the trip. They also met members of the Chinese Council and had the opportunity to ask questions regarding their trip and the plans for future cultural exchange.

"The most important part of the trip is to increase the awareness of Chinese culture on Long Island and promote Chinese language and the cultural program in various schools," said Ming-der Chang, principal of the Plainview Chinese School.

The following people were instrumental in making the trip possible: The Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in New York - Dinghua Wang, Consul; Kanglin Yu, Consul; Xue-ren Li, Consul; Lu Zheng, Vice Consul; Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District and Superintendent Dr. Martin Brooks; Office of Overseas Chinese Affairs of the State Council of People's Republic of China; Beijing City Board of Education; The Affiliated High School of Peking University and Shanghai American School - Pu Xi Elementary School.