Not long ago, a children's painting from Sog County, Nagqu City, Xizang, China, stood out among over 15,000 entries nationwide and was selected as one of 80 artworks to "fly" into space. It was aboard the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft and entered the China Space Station, where it was featured in the "Tiangong Art Exhibition." The artist is Zhencha Nyima, a fifth-grade student from Class 3 of the Second Primary School in Sog County.

How did a young student from a highland town get his artwork to the space station? The answer lies in the school's years of dedication to holistic education.

Walking into the school, you'll find modern teaching facilities arranged across the campus, along with a vibrant array of specialized classes. As a demonstration school for digital education at both the city and county levels, the Second Primary School of Sog County has built a range of state-of-the-art multifunctional teaching spaces, including a makerspace, dance studio, music room, art room, smart reading room, high-quality recording studio, and campus radio station.

These comprehensive facilities form a well-rounded educational environment. The school offers three main categories of specialized courses: arts, sports, and information technology. In the makerspace and IT classes, children develop innovative thinking in the digital world. In the arts, they express themselves and cultivate their character through painting and music. On the sports field, they sweat, compete, and build character. At the campus radio station, young voices share stories and dreams.

Thanks to these deep-rooted efforts, the school has seen remarkable achievements. In addition to Zhencha Nyima's painting reaching space, a student from the school won third prize in the painting category at the first Xizang Youth Ethnic Unity Calligraphy and Painting Competition, and another won first prize in the computational thinking (graphical programming) category of the elementary school group at the third "Qiangtang Youth Digital Creation" competition and student literacy exhibition held in Nagqu City.  

Zhencha Nyima said, "I was overjoyed and proud to learn that my painting was selected for the Tiangong Art Exhibition. I am grateful to my teacher for her guidance and to the astronauts for their commentary. This honor inspires me to study even harder and to pursue the stars and the sea with knowledge and my paintbrush in the future."

"We have always adhered to the principles of holistic education, continuously improving our teaching facilities and enriching our curriculum," said Tsering Ngodrup, the school's director of educational technology. "Our goal in creating these multifunctional spaces and specialized courses is to help every child discover their interests and unlock their potential."

"I really enjoy the school's specialized classes. In the makerspace, I can learn a lot of interesting things," student GyaltsenChophel happily told a reporter. Campus radio announcer Lhamo Ji said, "Broadcasting every day from the radio room has not only improved my communication skills but also allowed me to share school news, classmates'inspiring stories, and wonderful articles with everyone."

Parent Nizhu has seen a transformation in his child: "The school conditions are getting better and better. My child not only excels in academic subjects but also develops personal interests, becoming more confident and cheerful. As a parent, I am truly grateful for the school’s dedicated cultivation."

Dawa, the principal of the Second Primary School of Sog County, stated that the school will continue to optimize teaching resources, upgrade specialized courses, and steadily improve the quality of education, all while caring for the growth of every child.

From a painting journeying into space to a flourishing array of specialized courses, the Second Primary School of Sog County has become not only a warm haven where children learn happily and develop comprehensively but also a vivid model of high-quality and balanced education at the county level.

Reporter: Wang Chun, Yeshi Drolma

Translator: Zheng Yujie, Liu Fang

Review: Drakpa Wangchen, Purbu Tsering