Jie Ming's Xinyue Jessie Zong Named Economic Education Elementary Educator of the Year

Congratulations to Jie Ming Mandarin Immersion Academy’s Xinyue Jessie Zong for being named the Minnesota Council on Economic Education Elementary Educator of the Year.

Each year MCEE honors Minnesota educators who effectively teach economic and personal finance principles using innovative, culturally responsive, and creative teaching practices. The awards honor teachers who incorporate exemplary teaching techniques that improve the economic and personal finance understanding of their students, both in and out of the classroom. Teaching award honorees are recognized in one of the categories below and each honoree receives $1,000, a plaque, and a certificate. 

Zong is the recipient of the K-5th Grade Educator of the Year award. Jessie has taught at Jie Ming Mandarin Immersion Academy in St. Paul Public Schools since 2017. She teaches literacy, math, health, and social studies for 1st graders, and she also teaches 3rd and 4th grade Chinese, math and economics during Summer Schools (where she first heard of MCEE and fell in love with MCEE resources) and Weekend Chinese schools. Jessie holds one master’s degree in Public Administration with a focus in Policy Analysis from the University of Pittsburgh, and one master’s degree in Education with a focus in Dual Language Immersion from the University of Minnesota. Jessie actively participates in Chinese teaching associations and webinars. She enjoys teaching economics in language and culture immersion classrooms because it expands both her own and her students’ perspectives in life, relationships and decision-making processes. She is now an MCEE Educator Specialist and delivers webinars and pre-service sessions frequently.