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Free Education Empowers Rural Girls In Huaping - China

An aerial drone photo taken on Dec. 24, 2025 shows a view of the Huaping Senior High School for Girls in Huaping County, Lijiang City, southwest China's Yunnan Province. Each morning at Huaping High School for Girls in Yunnan Province, the schoolyard rings with a bold pledge, "I was born to be a mountain not a creek, rising to the high peaks with the valleys at my feet." Behind that voice stands Zhang Guimei, the school's founder and principal. In her sixties and struggling with illness, she still devotes more than 18 hours a day to her students. Megaphone in hand, she has become a living symbol of how education can open doors that poverty once closed. Founded in 2008, Huaping High School for Girls is the country's first senior high school to offer free education for girls. The school in mountainous Yunnan Province has created a miracle, with more than 2,000 graduates -- most of whom come from low-income rural families -- admitted to colleges and universities. Many of them later became teachers, doctors and c

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Free Education Empowers Rural Girls In Huaping - China

Zhang Guimei (C) watches students exercising during the break at Huaping Senior High School for Girls in Huaping County, Lijiang City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Dec. 24, 2025. Each morning at Huaping High School for Girls in Yunnan Province, the schoolyard rings with a bold pledge, "I was born to be a mountain not a creek, rising to the high peaks with the valleys at my feet." Behind that voice stands Zhang Guimei, the school's founder and principal. In her sixties and struggling with illness, she still devotes more than 18 hours a day to her students. Megaphone in hand, she has become a living symbol of how education can open doors that poverty once closed. Founded in 2008, Huaping High School for Girls is the country's first senior high school to offer free education for girls. The school in mountainous Yunnan Province has created a miracle, with more than 2,000 graduates -- most of whom come from low-income rural families -- admitted to colleges and universities. Many of them later became teachers

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Free Education Empowers Rural Girls In Huaping - China

A teacher grades exam papers at Huaping Senior High School for Girls in Huaping County, Lijiang City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Dec. 24, 2025. Each morning at Huaping High School for Girls in Yunnan Province, the schoolyard rings with a bold pledge, "I was born to be a mountain not a creek, rising to the high peaks with the valleys at my feet." Behind that voice stands Zhang Guimei, the school's founder and principal. In her sixties and struggling with illness, she still devotes more than 18 hours a day to her students. Megaphone in hand, she has become a living symbol of how education can open doors that poverty once closed. Founded in 2008, Huaping High School for Girls is the country's first senior high school to offer free education for girls. The school in mountainous Yunnan Province has created a miracle, with more than 2,000 graduates -- most of whom come from low-income rural families -- admitted to colleges and universities. Many of them later became teachers, doctors and civil servants, ful

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N. Korea announces 2008 census report

PYONGYANG, North Korea - People attend a governmental meeting on a census report in Pyongyang on Dec. 16, 2009. The North Korean government announced its population was about 24 million as of Oct. 1, 2008.

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Chiba hospital treats all people in need of emergency care

CHIBA, Japan - Nadogaya Hospital in Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture, shown in this photo taken Dec. 24, 2008, accepts about 5,200 people brought by ambulance each year.

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Teenager Ishikawa named most valuable performer in pro sports

TOKYO, Japan - Teenage golfer Ryo Ishikawa holds his trophy during an award ceremony at a hotel in Tokyo on Dec. 24 after being named the most valuable performer in Japan's professional sports in 2008. Ishikawa, a 17-year-old who turned pro in January, is the youngest winner of the annual year-end award given to an individual sportsperson, team or organization considered to have made the most outstanding contribution to professional sports in Japan.

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Cabinet OKs 83,061 billion yen FY 2008 budget

TOKYO, Japan - Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda (C) joins members of his Cabinet for a Cabinet meeting on Dec. 24 in which an 83,061.3 billion yen state budget for fiscal 2008 was approved.

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(3)Ground-breaking ceremony for Beijing Olympics' main stadium

BEIJING, China - Construction on the main stadium for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics started Dec. 24 in Beijing in a ground-breaking ceremony. Photo shows an image of the stadium (R), nicknamed the ''bird's nest,'' and the Olympic swimming pool facility (L).

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(1)Ground-breaking ceremony for Beijing Olympics' main stadium

BEIJING, China - Olympic officials and dignitaries attend a ground-breaking ceremony in the Chinese capital on Dec. 24 for construction of the main stadium for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.

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(2)Ground-breaking ceremony for Beijing Olympics' main stadium

BEIJING, China - Construction of the main stadium for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics began Dec. 24 in Beijing with a ground-breaking ceremony held the same day. Photo shows an image of the stadium, nicknamed the ''bird's nest.''

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Cabinet OKs 83,061 billion yen FY 2008 budget

TOKYO, Japan - Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda (C) joins members of his Cabinet for a Cabinet meeting on Dec. 24 in which an 83,061.3 billion yen state budget for fiscal 2008 was approved. (Kyodo)

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Teenager Ishikawa named most valuable performer in pro sports

TOKYO, Japan - Teenage golfer Ryo Ishikawa holds his trophy during an award ceremony at a hotel in Tokyo on Dec. 24 after being named the most valuable performer in Japan's professional sports in 2008. Ishikawa, a 17-year-old who turned pro in January, is the youngest winner of the annual year-end award given to an individual sportsperson, team or organization considered to have made the most outstanding contribution to professional sports in Japan. (Kyodo)

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Another cat appointed to succeed Bus the stationmaster

Love, the newly appointed feline "station master" of Ashinomaki-Onsen Station, is pictured at the station in Aizuwakamatsu, a town in the northeastern Japan prefecture of Fukushima, on Dec. 24, 2015. The same day, Love succeeded Bus, the first cat to have taken on the role in 2008, who is retiring due to old age. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Another cat appointed to succeed Bus the stationmaster

Love, the newly appointed feline "station master" of Ashinomaki-Onsen Station in Aizuwakamatsu, a town in the northeastern Japan prefecture of Fukushima, wears a Santa Claus costume on Dec. 24, 2015. Love succeeded the title from Bus, the first cat to have taken on the role in 2008 and who is retiring due to old age. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Another cat appointed to succeed Bus the stationmaster

Children stroke Love, the newly appointed feline "station master" of Ashinomaki-Onsen Station in Aizuwakamatsu, a town in the northeastern Japan prefecture of Fukushima, on Dec. 24, 2015. The same day, Love succeeded Bus, the first cat to have taken on the role in 2008, who is retiring due to old age. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Chiba hospital treats all people in need of emergency care

CHIBA, Japan - Nadogaya Hospital in Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture, shown in this photo taken Dec. 24, 2008, accepts about 5,200 people brought by ambulance each year. (Kyodo)

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N. Korea announces 2008 census report

PYONGYANG, North Korea - People attend a governmental meeting on a census report in Pyongyang on Dec. 16, 2009. The North Korean government announced its population was about 24 million as of Oct. 1, 2008. (Kyodo)

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(2)Ground-breaking ceremony for Beijing Olympics' main stadium

BEIJING, China - Construction of the main stadium for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics began Dec. 24 in Beijing with a ground-breaking ceremony held the same day. Photo shows an image of the stadium, nicknamed the ''bird's nest.'' (Kyodo)

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(1)Ground-breaking ceremony for Beijing Olympics' main stadium

BEIJING, China - Olympic officials and dignitaries attend a ground-breaking ceremony in the Chinese capital on Dec. 24 for construction of the main stadium for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. (Kyodo)

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(3)Ground-breaking ceremony for Beijing Olympics' main stadium

BEIJING, China - Construction on the main stadium for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics started Dec. 24 in Beijing in a ground-breaking ceremony. Photo shows an image of the stadium (R), nicknamed the ''bird's nest,'' and the Olympic swimming pool facility (L). (Kyodo)