By Pamela McLoughlin
Register Staff
MILFORD — As one of the premier technical schools in the state, Platt Technical High School has opened its doors to many dignitaries in education, but Thursday for the first time their graces were extended internationally with a visit by five education officials from China’s Shandong Province, which has a partnership program with the state’s Department of Education.
Visits by Shandong Province educators to Connecticut, shown at right at Platt, are becoming more common, as are visits area educators make to China in an effort to teach students the global approach to life.
"We are so happy to be here," said Jiang Yu, program officer in the international section of the Shandong Department of Education. "We came to learn, because we want to know what a technical school here does."
There were no huge surprises about the American school system Thursday as most of the delegates have made many trips here before. But Yu, who toured the schools’ various shops with four others, including highly placed school officials from Shandong, said he was surprised at how sophisticated tools and other equipment are at Platt. He said the province has state-of-the-art equipment, but not quite like Platt.
Platt Principal Gene LaPorta said there are 1.5 million students in vocational education in Shandong and about 10,000 in Connecticut.
"We do all kinds of cultural and informational programs, but we’ve never had an international delegation," LaPorta said. "This idea is wonderful. And I always love the opportunity to show off my school."
LaPorta said there was talk over lunch of a student exchange program, meaning a Chinese student could study at Platt and vice versa.
"I think it (the visit) is pretty neat," said junior Jessica Curry, 17, of Milford. "Not only do people in Connecticut get to see what Platt Tech does, but people around the world are getting to see."
Sophomore Brandon Mut, 16, of West Haven, helped to escort the delegates, as did Curry.
"I think it’s great that we can share what we do here," he said.
The delegation in coming days will visit the state capital, Yale University and Bloomfield High School and then leave for home Saturday.