華裔少年陳路獲殊榮

今年6月，美國布什總統親筆簽發2007年度“總統教育獎”，這是美國政府頒給全國中、小學生的最高獎項。在這100名獲獎者中，年齡最小的是浙江瑞安籍少年陳路，今年12歲。

校園里的小明星

陳路的爺爺奶奶是土生土長的浙江瑞安人，其父母在80年代末留學美國，畢業后分別在美國大公司擔任高級工程師。陳路1995年3月出生于美國俄亥俄州德頓市。由于父母工作繁忙，又常國外出差，所以陳路未足九個月就被斷奶送回原籍讓爺爺奶奶撫養。小陳路活潑聰明，三歲能背唐詩，四歲學哼瑞安鼓詞，五歲能用一口本地話與爺爺對話。后來他父親陳建偉在越洋電話里說：“兒子回美國快7年了，到現在和我們交流，有時還會插幾句逗人的瑞安話，把我們肚子也笑痛了。盡管他是美國小學生，但骨子里是個‘瑞安兒’!”

陳路6歲回美國進入賓夕法尼亞州哈里斯堡小學讀書。校長羅納德教授注重基礎教育，經常舉辦數學速算、馬拉松瀏覽、人文歷史朗讀等趣味競賽，陳路每每奪冠，學習興趣也越來越高，最后被選進重點班。不到兩年他名躍全段前三甲，每年的全州小學統考總能折桂，因此從校長到老師，幾乎個個都賞識他，同學們都夸他是“校園小明星”。

雜志封面人物

美國小學強調快樂教育，家庭作業少，文體活動與游戲多。陳路博聞強記，理解力很強，又好提問，幸好父母知識面廣，對素質教育又懂行，他們把全部的工余時間都用來培養陳路的學習興趣，讓其在玩樂中感悟求知、合作和競爭。爺爺風趣地說：“陳路書包里玩具比書本多，愛玩偏偏玩出了名堂!”父親鼓勵兒子健體訓練，打從陳路上小學起，就入了本市籃球與橄欖球俱樂部，每天練習不少于一小時，既練體質，又練意志和毅力，跌跤了、摔傷流血了陳路從來不哭，夜晚或周六，交親還按陳路的選擇讓他學練鋼琴和小提琴，不惜重金給他請家庭老師。陳路父母深有感觸地說，陳路的活動鍛練多，不僅學習更加靈活，動手能力也大大加強了，去年7月家中電腦程序壞了，他在父親指點下動手拆卸了軟件，居然修好如初，媽媽樂得直拍手，豎起大拇指夸獎兒子。

陳路從三年級開始經常參加校內外的文藝演出，五年級由校籃球隊主力隊員升任為隊長，在一次全州競賽會上艱難奪冠，給業界留下深刻印象，被推薦登上美國赫赫有名的《籃球》雜志封面。

因為有顆平常心

陳路的爺爺和奶奶樸實善良，常幫左鄰右舍排憂解難，陳建偉夫婦繼承了這一傳統家風，不僅治學踏實低調，并教育陳路誠懇、勤奮，時時保持一顆平常心。

因為有一顆平常心，陳路與同學、隊友以及鄰居伙伴都友好相處，樂于助人，所以不管同班或不同班的同學過生日甚或過節，都會邀請他參加，有些家長視他為少兒的楷模，常打電話給他父母，邀請陳路去他們家作客和他們子女結交，以便互相學習共同進步。一位家長說：“陳路成長的背景，是五千年的中華文明啊！”

因為有顆平常心，陳路小小年紀就學會正確對待榮譽。今年6月30日哈里斯小學師生隆重舉行畢業典禮，陳路聽到他要受表彰的風聲，特意懇求父母別去參加，以示獨立與自強。典禮上，校長與州官給他頒獎，同學和老師都紛紛向他祝賀。不料他回到家中把書包與獎狀一放，不向父母提及這全國最高的“總統教育獎”，管自己練球去了。直至校長登門道賀，并說“總統教育獎”全美只有100名學業優秀、能力過人、素質獨特、多才多藝且在校園、社區有特殊貢獻的中小學生才能獲得，而且一個州上百萬學生只能有男女各一人才能獲此殊榮，屆時還要赴首都華盛頓參加頒獎典禮，獎狀與榮譽證書，將由布什總統、教育部長斯佩林斯女士親筆簽署。

今年陳路要上初中了。因其數學特優，學校批準他直跳初三，于是陳路決定利用寶貴的暑假時間多打球、學棋類、練登山，為上初中厲兵秣馬。

12-Year-Old Wins President’s Award

By Zhang Yi， Pan Qinyong

Chen Lu， whose family roots are in Rui’an of southern Zhejiang Province， won the President’s Award of Educational Excellence in USA in June， 2007. The 12-year-old is the youngest of the 100 elementary and junior high school awardees.

Star Pupil

Chen’s grandparents were born in Rui’an， Zhejiang. His parents studied in USA in the late 1980s. After graduation， they worked as senior engineers for big corporations in USA. Chen Lu was born in March， 1995. As his parents were busy working and often went away on business trips， Chen was sent back to Rui誥n when he was just 9 months old. The boy went back to USA at six and went to school in Harrisburg， Pennsylvania. Thanks to the principal of the school who emphasizes basics of knowledge， various programs are offered at the school to stimulate the interest of pupils. A beneficiary of these programs， Chen became one of the top three students at the school in less than two years. From then on， he was always the top scorer in the statewide test. The principal and teachers at the school appreciated him and his classmates called him the star pupil.

Cover Boy

Chen Lu learns fast and loves to ask questions. Fortunately his parents with their college education background are able to help him cultivate his wide interests and help him learn how to seek knowledge， cooperate and compete. In the school， Chen Lu joined a basketball and football club and trained at least an hour per day. The boy also took piano or violin lessons in evenings or on Saturdays. These extra curricular activities helped him learn better. From third grade on， Chen Lu often took part in school shows and became the school’s basketball team captain when he was at the fifth grade. After the team won a state championship through tough games， his photograph appeared on the cover of Hoops， a famed sports magazine in the USA.

Take Things Easy

Chen Lu’s grandparents are warm-hearted and generous. They help their neighbors at any time. This fine family tradition passed down to Chen Lu’s parents， who in turn have passed it to the young boy.

Chen is a popular boy at the school not because he is a top achiever， but mainly because he is kind-hearted and generous and often helps his classmates.

Chen Lu never takes academic honors too seriously. Before the graduation ceremony on June 30 this year， he learned that he would be receiving an award. To show his independence， he asked his parents not to attend the ceremony. At the ceremony， the principal and the state governor issued the award to him and offered warm-hearted congratulations. His classmates and teachers also congratulated him. Chen came home， put away the satchel and the award， and went out to a training session. He did not mention the award to his parents. His parents did not know about it until the principal came to visit them and offered his congratulations. The principal explained that only 100 elementary and junior high school pupils were awarded for their excellence in academic achievement， talent， capability， and participation in school and community activities as well for their qualities such as high motivation， initiative， integrity， intellectual depth， leadership and/or exceptional judgment. Only one boy and one girl in each state are chosen for the honor. Chen Lu would attend the award ceremony in Washington to receive the trophy and certificate signed by President Bush and Education Secretary Margaret Spellings.

(Translated by David)