By Rachel Schwartz

Hang Yang ’14 spoke in Shanghai at the July international conference for the World Leading Schools Association.

A native Mandarin speaker, Yang was talking to Head of Upper School Audrius Barzdukas, who sent him to meet with President Thomas C. Hudnut, vice-president of the organization. Hudnut invited Yang to speak at the three-day event.

“He spoke in Mandarin about what his experience has been coming to the United States, and entering a school as demanding as Harvard-Westlake,” Hudnut said. “He did a very nice job.”

Barzdukas also attended the conference, though he was not present at Yang’s speech.

“Our school is one of the founding schools of that organization,” Barzdukas said.

Yang, who was born in China, found the experience very educational. He spoke about the typical challenges for a Chinese student in America.

“Our world is not getting any bigger,” Barzdukas said. “It’s getting smaller. You are going to have a relationship with people around the world. You’re going to have relationships with Europeans, you’re going to have relationships with Africans and South Americans; and what can our school do to help you get ready?”