Luhe Primary School, located in a remote county of Taicang city, has started various clubs to cultivate its students' interests in poetry, football and other interesting activities and enrich their extracurricular lives.

Gingko Poetry Club is the most popular. It meets every Wednesday at three p.m., when members read and admire classical Chinese poems under the guidance of their teachers.

They are also encouraged to record their thoughts or feelings in poems. A collection called Under a Gingko has already been published and some of the poems have won awards.

The basketball and football clubs are popular among boy students. Guided by professional teachers, they practice the basic skills on Tuesdays and are now all good players.

Li Feng, one of the instructors, said that physical education classes rarely involve professional guidance in basketball and football even though many boys are quite interested in them. The extracurricular clubs create such great and cherished opportunities.

"Many working and retired teachers and villagers volunteer to help manage the clubs, which greatly eases the school's burden," said principal He Danhong.

The school has also opened a floriculture club, a Tai Chi club and a performance club which are all quite popular among students.

A retired teacher guides students on how to read and admire classical Chinese poems. [Photo/WeChat account: taicangdaily]