Competing against students from 10 states in one of the nation’s most prestigious Chinese language competitions, Chiara Baldi ’26 earned second place in the Eastern United States Regional Chinese Bridge Competition at the China Institute in New York City earlier this spring. The achievement was especially impressive considering the highly competitive field, which included students from bilingual and fully immersive Chinese programs. For Chiara, however, the recognition represented much more than a trophy. It was the culmination of years of dedication, perseverance and passion for language and culture.
The Chinese Bridge Competition required participants to deliver a speech in Chinese, answer impromptu questions from judges and perform a cultural presentation. Chiara chose to share her personal journey learning Chinese, a language she began studying in second grade through an after-school program.
“I’ve always been very interested in languages from a young age, especially growing up in a bilingual household,” Chiara said. “It’s a way to connect with people who are different from me and a way to understand different cultures.”
Now fluent in English, Italian, Chinese and Spanish, Chiara has continued her language studies throughout her time at The Wardlaw+Hartridge School, including independent Chinese study and AP Chinese self-study coursework.
Chiara credited much of her success to telling an authentic story about her experiences as a non-native Chinese learner: “Throughout my study of Chinese, finding myself being the only non-native student in the room who couldn’t go to her parents for advice, I’ve always been a bit insecure,” she said. “That really changed when I went to China for the first time and gave me the confidence to step out of my comfort zone.”
Last summer, Chiara studied abroad for three weeks in Beijing at the Beijing International Chinese College, where she immersed herself in Chinese language, culture and history while interacting with local residents and exploring historic landmarks. Her cultural performance for the competition — a traditional fan dance incorporating elements of Kung Fu — further showcased both her creativity and commitment to Chinese culture.
Beyond the competition stage, Chiara has also become a familiar face at major Chinese cultural celebrations throughout New Jersey. Most recently, she served as a host for a statewide Mother’s Day celebration at American Dream on May 9, delivering opening and closing remarks and introducing dozens of performances during the three-hour event. It marked her third time hosting a major Chinese cultural program at American Dream, following appearances during Lunar New Year celebrations in 2025 and 2026.
“When I qualified for the finals, I had no expectations. I just did my best,” Chiara said. “I put so much work into studying and learning this language. It’s nice that people see the outcome of my hard work.”