Torgelow News
Best graduate since the establishment of Schloss Torgelow.
Chengshang’s way to the boarding high school Schloss Torgelow
Chenshang came to the boarding school in Torgelow am See three and a half years ago. His father had a one-year guest professorship in Berlin in 2015. Chengshang accompanied him, leading to a personal relationship with a school principal in Berlin. This was followed by further visits and holiday stays in Germany. In 2015, Chengshang passed the B1 German exam, in 2016 he passed the B2 exam, and in preparation for his boarding school stay, Chengshang passed the C1 exam in 2019.
The idea of visiting Torgelow Castle comes about by chance. A friend, a Berlin principal, hears about the boarding school near Waren at Müritz during a visit to the hairdresser. She tells Chengshang and his family about it. She is convinced that Chengshang needs performance-oriented and individualized support, as well as classmates who will challenge and support him.
During the summer holidays of 2019, Ms. Franke, the principal of Schloss Torgelow, meets Chengshang. He receives an acceptance. After overcoming the bureaucratic hurdles, it is confirmed that Chengshang will attend the ninth grade at Schloss Torgelow starting in January 2020.
And then comes Corona.
Shortly after Chengshang entered the boarding school, everything suddenly changed. Not only has his entire environment changed, but also the world. Two months after he started in Torgelow am See, there are travel restrictions, fear of illness, school closures, lockdowns, etc.
It quickly becomes clear that Chengshang will not be able to return to his hometown Suzhou (approximately 10-12 million inhabitants) in the near future. He will remain in Torgelow am See for the time being. Even during the short “school lockdown,” Chengshang can stay on the boarding school campus with a small group of foreign students. He says that it was a very special time because they supported each other, and he made social contacts quickly.
Mr. Klein, the headmaster of Schloss Torgelow, and Ms. Franke note: Chengshang learns German intensively every day. He is always curious, willing to put in effort, helpful, polite, and accommodating. It quickly becomes clear that Chengshang is steadfastly pursuing his goal: to achieve a very good high school diploma in order to study at a German university.
Chengshang and the topic of homesickness
Chengshang cannot go home due to travel restrictions. He stays in touch with his parents through phone calls and video meetings. He says, “I discussed with my parents that it doesn’t help to despair now. I have consciously decided not to let my homesickness take over and instead try to make the most of the opportunities that have come my way.” His friends have surely helped him as well. He has spent Christmas twice with his best friend’s family. “That was interesting,” Chengshang says, “and something entirely new for me.”
During the summer vacation of 2020, he is finally able to return to China. Chengshang wants to spend his summer vacation at home. He gets infected with the coronavirus during the journey. During a stopover in Xi’an, he tests positive for the coronavirus at the airport and is taken directly to a hospital. There, he has to stay in quarantine for six weeks. After that, he is allowed to continue his journey to Suzhou. Schloss Torgelow decides to exempt Chengshang from classes for an additional three weeks to give him the opportunity to see his parents. During the actual summer vacation, he was exclusively in a quarantine hospital about 1000 kilometers away from his hometown. Since 2020, Chengshang has not been in China.
Chengshang’s personality
In addition to learning German, Chengshang is particularly interested in the natural sciences and computer science. However, he is generally always willing to learn new things and look beyond the surface. After class, he uses the breaks to ask his teachers about words or topics he would like to understand better or know more about. He participates in a writing competition and wins a prize. Chengshang takes part in the “Youth Research” competition in the field of physics and becomes the state champion. He wants to invent something new. To relax, he goes to the gym, plays basketball, and enjoys the nature of the lake district during long walks. Chengshang leaves nothing to chance. He is always 100% prepared, takes assignments very seriously, and wants to be among the best. His motivation: on one hand, to become good enough to improve society later, and on the other hand, the high standards of Schloss Torgelow.
The success of Chengshang
In upper secondary school, Chengshang scores 14 and 15 points in all subjects, and in his two oral A-level exams, Geography and German, he receives 15 points each. The chairman of his German exam says: “I have never experienced such an excellent exam in over 20 years. What was said could have been printed and published in a textbook. Simply outstanding.”
Overall, Chengshang graduated from high school with a score of 1.0. He achieved 890 out of a possible 900 points and received an award for outstanding performance in mathematics. Additionally, he gained the recognition of his graduating class and the entire Schloss Torgelow team.
His parents watched the graduation ceremony via video stream. When asked if the time difference was a problem, he replied: “No, they are night owls.” As a surprise, the school principal from Berlin, who is a family friend, came to the certificate presentation.
Chengshang is now at the top of the “Top 150 List” at Schloss Torgelow. He is the best graduate since the school’s founding in 1994. The previous leader of the list graduated from Schloss Torgelow in 2012.
And now?
Now Chengshang will stay at the boarding school until the summer holidays. He is applying to the Technical University of Munich and ETH Zurich. He wants to study mathematics or computer science. Maybe he will travel through Europe in July and August. But he also wants to prepare for university courses already now.
Chengshang still aims to invent something that improves society.
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