Start Up

• December 2006 – Three Chinese students studying in the United States conceived of creating a program for Rural Chinese students providing a liberal education.


• January – June 2007 – PEER designed its first curriculum and recruited the first group of volunteers for its inaugurating program


• July 2007 – First peer summer program, lasting nine days, held in Shaodong  No. 7 High School, Hunan. Twelve volunteers composed of Chinese students studying in United States, Singapore, and the United Kingdom participated.

Expansion

• January – June 2008 – Through negotiation with local schools, PEER expands to two sites and recruits 20 volunteers from a diverse group of Chinese students abroad.


• July 2008 – PEER Summer Program held in Binxian High School, Shan’xi for 12 days.


• August 2008 – PEER Summer Program held in Chengbu No. 1 Minority High School, Hunan for 12 days.


• September 2008 – December 2008 – Program review and fundraising: PEER secures its first corporate sponsorship from Shanghai Shengbao, Co, Ltd.

Improving

• February 2009 – PEER registered as a non-profit organization in Massachusetts, United States.


• March – April 2009 – PEER conducted a series of interviews to recruit 49 volunteers from more than 300 applicants


• April 2009 – PEER expands to a third site in Sangzhi, Hunan


• July 2009 – PEER Summer Programs in Sangzhi No.1 High School, Hunan and Binxian High School, Shan’xi for 17 days.


• August 2009 – PEER Summer Program in Chengbu No.1 Minority High School for 17 days


• September 2009 – PEER forms a partnership with Yiheng China Sun’s Project Sun to bring its program to a new site in Jingyang, Guizhou

CONTINUING…

Reconsideration: how can we make volunteers and students understand and engaged more with their own community?

• Service learning for both students and volunteers


• Volunteer-initiated projects after the completion of summer programs for longer impact