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Fifth- and sixth-graders from the Dalian Mingxing School in China were welcomed to two HISD schools on Monday, where students interacted in classrooms and shared their educational experiences.

At Dogan and Elmore elementary schools, students participated in various activities together, including yoga, dance, and computer exercises.

Yini Collette, the school’s guide during their trip to the states, said the Chinese students have had a fun and educational trip so far to Houston. In addition to their school visits, they have toured the Medical Center, NASA, Museum District, Kemah, and Galveston. They’ve even sampled Tex-Mex cuisine. Next up on their American cultural tour is Boston and New York City.

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“They are so shy, but we are working on breaking the ice. They have done really well,” Collette said.

Dogan Elementary School performing arts teacher Veronica Carrol led a group in a dance that featured a signature movement for each student’s name, which elicited a lot of giggles.

“Performing arts is universal. Right now we are in discovery mode, and this is helping them come out of their shell,” Carrol said.

The students also might have been unaware of a celebrity in their midst at Dogan. Irvin Randle, a teacher at the school who became an Internet sensation in the past few weeks for his snappy fashion sense, quietly led a computer lab exercise with the students. Upon being recognized, he downplayed his recent fame, indicating that his newfound fame wasn’t exactly his primary focus.

“This is my comfort zone,” he said.