Heritage Hall is pleased to announce that Jessie Maeer, Upper School Chinese teacher and World Languages Department chair, was named the 2022 Maine Chinese Conference Teacher of the Year. The award is presented annually during the conference, which the Chinese Language and Culture Center of Maine and Bangor Chinese School sponsors. 

The Maine Chinese Conference seeks to highlight opportunities for cooperation between the United States and China in education and business. Among its primary goals is encouraging the teaching of the Chinese language and culture and empowering educators through resources and professional development. Conference attendees include educators, students, business leaders, and politicians from around the world. 

Commenting on Maeer’s selection as Teacher of the Year, Jing Zhang, founder of Bangor Chinese School, stated, “The award recognizes outstanding achievement in Chinese language teaching. Jessie has been in the classroom for 17 years and is a top educator. At our conference, Jessie is wonderful at mentoring and collaborating with other attendees. As a presenter this year, Jessie spoke about being a positive and passionate educator in language and culture teaching, which she exemplifies. These are among the reasons Jessie is truly deserving of this honor.”

Upon receiving her award, Maeer stated, “I am thankful that Heritage Hall helps our students become global citizens by supporting our World Languages Department in teaching Spanish, Chinese, and French languages. I greatly appreciate the Chinese Language and Culture Center of Maine and Bangor Chinese School for honoring me with this award and Ms. Zhang for sharing her passion and dedication to Chinese language teaching and learning.”

The 20th Maine Chinese Conference is scheduled on October 27-28, 2023, in Bangor, Maine.