St. Stephen’s Episcopal School congratulates Hai Zheng Olefsky, associate director of the International Program and Chair of Chinese studies, on the prestigious 2024-25 Heartland Chinese Teacher Award (HTCA).

The United States Heartland China Association (USHCA) recently made the announcement during a virtual award ceremony on February 22. Olefsky was one of five finalists across 21 states in the U.S. Heartland region. Head of School Chris Gunnin nominated Olefsky, who has been teaching Chinese language and culture for over 25 years.  

During her virtual acceptance speech, Olefsky said she is truly honored and humbled to have been selected among such a wonderful group of hard working and dedicated Chinese teachers. She expressed gratitude to her supportive and encouraging school community at St. Stephen’s — including Head of School Chris Gunnin, Director of the International Program Sarah Todd and the Still Water Foundation. Olefsky also commended the important mission of USHCA.

“Your recognition of excellence in Chinese language teaching in our heartland communities is of great value. Your commitment to building bridges between the U.S. and China is profoundly inspiring,” said Olefsky. “Together let us continue to embrace the future and to foster our next generation with Chinese language teaching and culture appreciation. 继续加油，谢谢 !”

USHCA received nominations from 24 cities across 13 Heartland states. Each nominee was assessed based on three main criteria: effectiveness of instruction, impact on students and contributions to the community. The USHCA launched the HCTA in 2022 to recognize excellence in Chinese language teaching in the region, and the many educators who have built cultural bridges through language learning. The award  celebrates the significant contributions of Chinese language teachers. It is also meant to raise awareness for the broader significance of world language education in the context of the U.S.-China relations. According to USHCA, approximately 16% of the world’s population speaks Chinese. In the U.S. that number is less than 1%.

In a pre-recorded video shared during the award ceremony, three of Olefsky’s students — past and present — described the impact she made in their lives. Greg Lastrapes ’14 described her as a “remarkable” instructor, and said Olefsky’s teaching went far beyond the Chinese language. As a student leader of the Chinese Culture Club for multiple years, Lastrapes said that’s where he learned how to play the Chinese flute and enjoyed participating in Chinese speech competitions. Steely Horne-Lalande '25 said it has been a “privilege” to be in Olefky’s classes since the 6th grade.

“I know I’m not alone in recognizing her as a truly exceptional teacher. Through her renowned dedication, she exemplifies wisdom, grace and diligence. She is a teacher whose meticulous efforts require deep respect, and who works tirelessly to support her students to strive for excellence,” said Horne-Lalande.

Robbin Goodman ’10, who served as the director of Business Programs and Corporate Affairs at the George H. W. Bush Foundation for U.S.-China Relations, said it was Olefsky’s class that made him fall in love with the Chinese language and it ultimately changed the course of his life. 

“Thank you for planting the seeds long ago — now they have grown into a thriving forest,” said Goodman.

Earlier this year, Olefsky was elected as the 2nd Vice President of the Chinese Language Association for Secondary Schools at the ACTFL-CLASS conference and board meeting in Philadelphia. The role involves significant volunteer hours and contributions that benefit St. Stephen's, the Chinese program and students. According to the association’s bylaws, the 2nd Vice President will progress to 1st Vice President and ultimately become President — a role she is expected to fully transition to by 2027. Olefsky has served on the CLASS board since 2023.