Jacqueline Nyetipei Kiplimo’s dream of being a world-class runner began when she was a child in Kenya. She soon realized she had the talent and the willpower to compete. She also knew she would have to train full-time, which meant not being able to work to help support her family. But she was confident that she could bring home prize money.

Jacqueline traveled to China to compete in the Zhenkai marathon knowing she had a good shot at winning the race, but more importantly, the $ 10,000 prize that went with it. She was leading the women’s division when a male runner arrived at the water station at the 20-kilometer mark. The man was running at a good pace but had trouble drinking water because a birth disability had left him without hands, and he struggled to drink from the slippery plastic bottles. But any assistance from fans or race officials would result in his disqualification (取消资格). Jacqueline noticed the man and immediately knew that he needed help. She grabbed a water bottle and helped him get the water his body needed to complete the race. Then she ran at his pace with the bottle and helped him drink while they ran along.

Runner after runner passed Jacqueline. Her hopes of winning were getting lost in the crowd of runners ahead of her. With only 4 kilometers left in the race, and it was certain that her new friend would now finish. Jacqueline picked up her pace. Her long step kicked in, and she wove through her competitors to finish second.

That day, Jacqueline missed out on first place, but she finished with something more important: her good nature. When asked about the bigger cash prize, she said that money isn’t everything. She returned home with the smaller prize of second place, but to her seven younger brothers and sisters, she brought home something much more valuable: the right example.

This is a tale of two friends — one is blind, the other has no arms. On their own, the two are “disabled”. But together, they are a powerful team that has changed part of their village in North China’s Hebei Province into a rich, green forest. Meet Jia Haixia and Jia Wenqi!

Their story began in 2000, when Haixia, who was already blind in his left eye, lost his right one after an accident. Wengi lost his arms in an accident when he was just three. Neither could find a job and earn money, so the two decided to team up. They rented some poor land and began to plant trees. In return, the local officials paid them a small fee. Their forest now has over 10, 000 trees, hundreds of birds and many other wild animals. In addition, it saves the village from river flooding during the rainy season. When the friends work together, they focus on their strengths not their disabilities.

Their day begins at 7 a.m. when Wenqi carries Haixia across the river to get to their worksite. Since they cannot afford to buy young trees to plant, the two use branches from existing trees. Haixia climbs to the tree-top and with Wenqi’s direction selects the perfect branch. He then digs a hole and carefully plants it. Finally Wengi waters the area.

Though hard-working, the men don’t make much money. Anyway, they depend on themselves. Wengi says proudly, "We stand on our own feet so the fruits of our work taste sweeter.”

Neither Haixia nor Wenqi cares about money. After they team up, they already have everything they need — a perfect pair of eyes, two strong hands, and the best friendship in the world.

When I was only 3 years old, my mother taught me to memorize and recite poems. She was my first teacher of the arts, and my father was the first to appreciate my performance. Even at that young age, I had a simple understanding of how art and culture affect us as human beings and how we can connect to each other through the arts, which shapes my life to this day.

When I was growing up, my parents supported my interest in taking acting classes and doing community theater. Their faith in me and the professional training I was getting from my theater teachers gave me a sense of purpose and a sense of self-confidence. I learned what artistic achievement actually was and what hard work the business was. Although many people see the rosy picture to our business, I was really learning what it would require for me to become a professional.

I became an actress, but arts education isn’t just about preparing our young people for a job in the arts. I recently talked to some of the kids attending theater education. Some of them want to work in theater, and some don’t. They are learning not only theater skills, but also about the world around them. By studying the arts, these students are open to worlds and lives that they might not have any other way of knowing about or any other way to connect with in their lives the way they are right now.

These young people are our future. We are passing the torch to them. And I think that’s one of the most important reasons why we need to foster (培养) the arts.