Happiness in Being Ordinary: Stories from a Vocational School

In this book, Yao Li, founder of China's first private, charitable vocational high school, recounts her school's 18-year journey, one that was both impacted by and a response to the country's unprecedented transformational growth and development. Established in 2005 in Beijing, the BN Vocational School (BNVS) provides free vocational education to disadvantaged Chinese youth, empowering its graduates with the skills and mindsets to lead productive, fulfilling lives. Through real stories and case studies, Yao Li offers poignant insights into the joys and struggles of nurturing marginalized youth during a time of momentous change by pioneering an innovative model of learner-centered, competency-based education. The BNVS story illustrates how empowering youth with care and skills allows them to find purpose and happiness in being responsible members of their families and communities.