From the Mountain City to the United States: Seven Universities Extend Their Hands to Her

Author: Chen Hui, Chen Lu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: A 17-year-old Chinese girl with 65 winning certificates from primary to high school graduation, Chen Lu has received 65 certificates and awards across eight categories, including national patent certificates, various design and invention awards, student leadership honors, calligraphy awards, social activity awards, musical instrument competition awards, literary works awards, math awards, English awards, and more. Each of her winning certificates embodies her wisdom and hard work, and behind every certificate lies a moving story.
A 17-year-old member of the Fujian Provincial Invention Association with 3 patents, Chen Lu has her own inventions and patents, a dream many adults aspire to. Yet, as a high school student of only 17, Chen Lu already holds 3 national patents and joined the Fujian Provincial Invention Association in July 2003 (Member No.: 8—010). Her patents, including the "Fitness Flashlight" (ZL01254789.1), "Six-Function Electric Razor" (ZL01266651.3), and "Multi-Purpose Compass" (ZL01266653.x), attracted interest from manufacturers seeking cooperation or purchase, but Chen Lu refused to sell them. She believes that if she can achieve today, she can achieve more tomorrow. Her motivation for inventing is not just for money but for joy and dedication. She plans to donate her current and future inventions to charitable organizations to help people in impoverished areas.
A sensational report in Minbei: On March 12, 2004, Mr. Huang Xuhui, a reporter for the "Minbei Daily," dedicated an entire page to the story titled "Dream-Chasing Girl—Seven Overseas Universities Invite Her." That day's "Minbei Daily" became a among Minbei residents, with copies sold out at newsstands. Parents who couldn’t buy the paper resorted to photocopying the article to show their children, hoping their own kids could become the next Chen Lu. For days afterward, Chen Lu’s home phone rang nonstop, with familiar and unfamiliar parents eager to learn how she learned English, how she built deep friendships with foreigners, and how she earned 65 certificates and awards. Meanwhile, reporters from Fujian Strait Education News, Fujian Nanping Television, and other media outlets conducted exclusive interviews with Chen Lu. Programs like "China News Network," "News Weekly," "China Women Online," and Fujian People’s Radio’s "Click Fujian" also covered her story.
Children and parents across Fujian Province discussed Chen Lu, and letters flooded her school like snowflakes. What draws the attention of so many overseas universities? Chen Lu was born into an ordinary teacher family in Nanping City, Fujian Province. Her father, Chen Hui, is a senior lecturer at a vocational college, and her mother, Wen Jianmin, is a civil servant at the Nanping City Commercial Bank. From a young age, Chen Lu dreamed of studying at a renowned university abroad. To achieve this dream, she worked tirelessly. In September 2003, while in her second year of high school, she took the IELTS exam in Fuzhou after more than three years of self-study and scored an impressive 6.5.
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