In the pleasant vibe of the coming Dragon Boat Festival, AIA held a birthday party for retired faculty and staff who were 75, 80, 85, or 90 this year. The school leaders, teachers, and staff accompanied 20 retirees to celebrate an unforgettable birthday. The party was hosted by TAN Yihua, chairman of the school labor union.
At the beginning of the party, AIA Dean Zeng Zhigang extended his greetings on behalf of the school and introduced the school's achievements in recent years. Then, he expressed sincere gratitude to the retirees for their contributions to AIA and wished everyone good health, happy life, and a high spirit. AIA Committee Secretary Geng Yuanming composed a poem to pay respect to the elderly who had dedicated their lives to teaching and educating people. (the meaning of the original Chinese poem: You are like Osmanthus that appears more rigorous as it grows old. You are like the evergreen hemerocallis that smiles at and celebrates its old age. The countless students of yours are thriving in various places all over the world, like peaches growing out of an ever-spreading branch. I wish you all a long and healthy life as demonstrated by the pinaster that stands forever on the Mountain Nan.)
As fellow teachers sang the Happy Birthday song, retired teachers SUN Debao and WANG Huping cut the birthday cake, and hand over the cut pieces to others. All the people present shared the sweetness of the cake and the happiness of the reunion. Later, with Ms. FANG Yuxiang (who was once the Committee Secretary of the school) singing the first line, the retirees sang the classic song, "Sing A Mountain Folk Song to the Party" together, their rich voice reflecting their good spirits. The school also prepared big customized photo frames for the elderly to take pictures, which made them very happy!
To take better care of the retired faculty and staff, AIA devised a special "one-to-one" caring plan, which paired each retiree with an on-the-job AIA teacher who was responsible for helping the particular retiree when needed. On behalf of AIA Party Committee, GENG Yuanming introduced the specifics and details of the "one-to-one" caring plan. Then, the well-designed "one-to-one" contact manuals were handed out to retirees. More than ten teachers who were paired with the present retirees also came to talk with their pairs.
At the end of the party, the retired faculty and staff thanked the school for the careful arrangement. They acknowledged the love and care of the school and said that the love warmed their hearts and would definitely make their lives more fulfilled. The retirees also expressed their willingness to contribute to the development of the school.
