With her black hair, glasses, and friendly smile, Rita Plouffe joined the Williston community this year as a part of the language department. Coming all the way from Fujian Province, China, Plouffe is currently the only Chinese teacher at the school.

Plouffe first came to America as an exchange student during high school. Her one month stay in the United States inspired her to come back again. When she had the chance to participate in a scholarship program granted by the government, she decided to travel here again and completed her studies at California State University, San Bernardino.

Before coming to Williston, Plouffe was a Chinese teacher for six years at Hawaii Preparatory School on the Big Island of Hawaii. She moved here with her husband and fell in love with Williston the first time she visited. The beautiful environment and passion-driven community deeply attracted her.

Plouffe currently teaches five classes: Chinese 1, Chinese 2, Chinese 3, Chinese 4, and AP Chinese. Ranging from the basic level to the most comprehensive study of Chinese literature and cultures, the classes are organized in different ways. For Chinese 1 and 2, Plouffe focuses on developing the students’ interest; she teaches Chinese songs and tells Chinese stories. In Chinese 3 and 4, the students spend more time practicing reading and writing skills.

“What I love the best about my classes are the students all have different backgrounds and different kinds of interests,” said Plouffe. “For example, the students from Japan are really interested in learning the differences and similarities between Chinese and Japanese. So I would also indicate those in class.”

“Plouffe is a really dedicated teacher,” said Hoang Dang ’20. “She always gets the students involved in her lessons, sets fun activities in class to help us understand better, and gives us test preps so that we get high grades on our quizzes and tests.”

“Mrs. Plouffe is an enthusiastic teacher, eager to work with students of all levels. She loves to try new things and is kind with everyone, student and faculty alike,” said Mrs. Brown, a French teacher in Plouffe’s department. “I remember she gave gifts to everyone in the department and her students for the Chinese New Year—very generous and sweet of her to think of all of us! I’m so excited that she joined our department and is a part of our amazing faculty here at Williston!”

Plouffe also organizes many cultural activities on campus. On the middle school’s Language Day, she held a chopstick competition, in which the students used the utensils to pick up Skittles. She also taught simple songs and dancing to the middle school students.

Plouffe and her students made decorations and planned fun activities for the Spring Festival. They prepared red envelopes with candies in them and description sheets about the Lunar New Year. The students were offered the chance to choose an “improv,” such as a fan or a lion head. “Actually everybody wanted the lion head,” said Plouffe with a smile. “We are thinking about getting more for next year.”

Plouffe lives on campus with her husband, and is planning to be a dorm parent in Memorial Hall East in the future. “I believe I’ll be there for a long time,” she said. “I really enjoy the life here.”