I visited a number of improvised schools with Sichuan Quake Relief. Though not all school buildings collapsed completely, I have yet to see a school building in the quake zone still in use; they have all been deemed unsafe. In places like Dujiangyang, the government established schools in the first prefab houses they finished and classes are once again being held. In more remote areas like Mianzhu, teachers and volunteers are doing their best create schools in tents so that kids can go back to class.

A tent classroom. Two hundred middle school students will attend classes in a school made of three tents like this one.

All over the country universities are finishing their spring semester and college students are beginning their summer vacation. Many students from as far away and Beijing have joined school sponsored programs that are sending volunteer teachers into the earthquake zone. In the small town of Zhuren, there were seven volunteers from Beijing sleeping in tents and preparing for the opening of the school on Monday.

The camouflage print tents set up as school rooms were wrapped with the same red banners with white characters that one sees all over the earthquake zone. Beijing volunteers have covered the banners with signatures, well wishes, and encouraging slogans

Signed banner

Letters from students in Shandong written on pink construction paper hand from string decorating the school. Most of the letters are somewhat unoriginal: the kids tend to repeat popular slogans or song lyrics. The decoration of each letter, though, was creative and unique.

“I hope the earthquake will be over as soon as possible,” the bottom card reads.