Spartans are honoring the Year of the Horse with top-three finishes in a national competition, showcasing their musical talent in their non-native language.

A group of St. Stephen’s Chinese language students have received top honors in the 2026 National Chinese Talent Contest, sponsored by the Chinese Language Association of Secondary Schools (CLASS).  

Congratulations to first place winner Miles Notzon ’27 whose guitar solo, performed in Chinese, earned gold in the instrument category. Notzon submitted a video of himself playing the classical guitar in this virtuosic piece "Dance of the Yi People" (彝族舞曲). The performance stood out among 44 entries, involving high school students playing a variety of western and Chinese instruments.

“This was my first time learning and interpreting a Chinese piece, which pushed me to develop new techniques to emulate the sound of the ancient instrument, the guzheng,” said Notzon. “I was honestly very surprised to receive first place, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to explore a completely new musical style.”

The Mars Fifield '27, Valeria Gonzalez Reed '26 and Mariana Losada Sánchez '26 Spartan trio took third place — out of 73 entries — in the singing category, with their rendition of "I Want Your Love" in Chinese (我要你的爱). The group performed the energetic song during Middle and Upper School chapels as part of the 2026 Lunar New Year celebration.

“These contests were a big milestone for our students,” said Hai Zheng Olefsky, Chinese language chair and associate director of the International Program. “By performing, they practiced Chinese in a way that the classroom cannot always provide. It was wonderful to see them turn their hard work into such a great achievement. This experience has truly helped them find their own voice in Chinese.”  

This year marks the 3rd Annual CLASS National Chinese Talent Contest, a vibrant event where students in kindergarten through 12th grade are empowered to showcase their talents in Chinese language and culture. This contest not only highlights their achievements but also celebrates the excellence of St. Stephen’s Chinese program.

The contest features six categories: 

• singing (歌唱)
• dancing (舞蹈)
• instruments (乐器)
• arts (美术 “马年画马”)
• sports (体育)
• language (语言)

Each teacher who is a current CLASS member can submit up to five student entries, with a maximum of two per category. All submissions must be original creations, and videos can be no longer than five minutes. All award-winning entries will be showcased on the CLASS website starting on March 31, 2026.