Introduction

Following its Mission of “Changing Lives,” Aston Educational Group established the “Sino-US Basketball Cultural Communication Tour” in 2017 to promote cross-cultural understanding through sports competition, cultural communication activities, and student exchange activities.

In the spring of 2019, AEG is proud to sponsor two Cultural Exchange trips to China from AEG’s own US high schools.

— From May 1 – May 10, 2019, AEG’s fully-owned, accredited Grade 6-12 Middle/High School in Clearwater, Florida – American Collegiate Academy – will journey to China for AEG’s 3^rd ever Sino-US Basketball Cultural Communication Tour,” with stops in Jinan and Qingdao, in Shandong Province.

— American Collegiate Academy is bringing its highly-ranked mens’s high school basketball team, which competes at the highest levels of American high school basketball, and has sent numerous players on to Division 1 University basketball programs.

— Additionally, in late March and early April of 2019, AEG was proud to host its fully accredited K-12 school in Escondido, California – as they brought their boys basketball team on a tour to Beijing, Jinan, Weifang, Zouping, and Dalian for 14 days of cultural exchange, basketball, and travel.

2019 Tour Itinerary

The “Sino-Us Basketball Cultural Communication Tour” is an annual event, sponsored by AEG, bringing US high school basketball teams to China for competitions and exchanges with Chinese public and private educational institutions.The goal of the tour is to promote the further development of basketball culture in China and the United States, to promote the continuous progression of youth basketball skill, and to promote the integration of youth sports culture and education with the international level.

The 2019 Sino-US Basketball Cultural Communication Tour includes the following components:

Basketball Tour

Friendly basketball matches with youth basketball teams in various cities in China (including but not limited to basketball teams recognized by the state, public and private school teams, university teams, and other teams with social qualifications);

Chinese Cultural Exploration

Learn the historical origins of Chinese cities, feel the differences in people's livelihood and folk customs, and experience different Chinese traditional cultures and intangible cultural heritage in various cities through China. Learn about cultural differences through communication and educational activities with Chinese peers;

Changing Lives Education Sharing Sessions

Organized by AEG’s learning centers and organizations in various Chinese cities, these sessions are aimed at letting more families learn more about different education methods and concepts and their effect on children through the sharing of Balboa Schoolteachers, students and coaches;

Chinese Host Family Experience

By allowing American children to live in host families in China, they can have a more intimate experience and understand the core culture of China with its unique "family concept."

Event Video

By bridging the cultural barriers between the US and China through sports and communication, our goal is that we may facilitate more mutual understanding between nations, between schools, and between people. AEG believes that cultural understanding and educational exchange help us continue to fulfill AEG’s mission of Changing Lives.