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Howard County Chinese School supporters press delegation for bond funding to expand facilities and STEM space
Summary
Multiple parents, teachers and students urged the Howard County delegation to support a legislative bond initiative to expand Howard County Chinese School facilities, citing long-running cultural programs, robotics/STEM growth and space constraints that limit programming.
Students, coaches and PTA leaders representing the Howard County Chinese School described decades of cultural and STEM programming and asked delegates to approve a legislative bond to expand facilities.
Alice Song, a sixth grader, said HCCS has been "a second home" and recounted participation in FLL and FTC teams that serve more than 150 students. Shilayan Steven Zhang, a robotics coach, described rapid growth—11 classes and teams this year—and said multiple teams qualify for state or regional competitions but face scheduling conflicts because of limited practice space.
Ian Sui, the PTA president, and other speakers stressed the school's 30-year history and regional reach, saying state support would allow dedicated robotics and STEM spaces and modernized classrooms to support future programming. They requested that the delegation consider the bond initiative as a long-term investment in cultural literacy and workforce pathways.
Delegates did not act on a bond request during the hearing. Testimony will be part of the record for further committee and appropriation considerations.
