The small Worthington audience sat engrossed as the Chinese artists painted, sculpted, and cut intricate paper designs.

From the video screen at the front of the room at the Worthington Education Center, the artists from the new folk art museum in Pingdu, China, were able to narrate their movements, and get feedback from admirers located half way around the world.

The sculptor, showing off a clay rat that he molded deftly with his fingertips, asked through an interpreter: "Does it look real or fake?"

"Real," replied the Worthington audience.

Through the marvels of interactive video conferencing, the exchange took place "in real time" Jan. 16 at a program called "Building Bridges to China," which featured several Worthington residents who recently traveled to China.

They shared their experiences and thoughts about the state of the world at the event sponsored by the Worthington International Friendship Association (WIFA).

Examples of the artists' works were loaned to WIFA visitors and are on display at the Worthington Community Center through Feb. 11.

"It is something really unique for Worthington to be able to connect with China and to see their artists in action," said Riverlea resident Susan Costakos-Slomka, who spoke with the artists and with interpreter Sean Newcomer, who was visiting the museum.

Don and Miriam Utter brought back much of the artwork from their trip to Qingdao and to Pingdu, which Miriam described as a small city like Worthington.

Miriam Utter showed slides of life in those cities, including the modern, Western-looking housing that is being built to replace the cramped, aging apartments often associated with urban Chinese life.

She showed old people sitting outside singing, and young people in the schools, which she said are much larger than American schools.

Miriam Utter spoke at one middle school.

Her comment about the students was repeated by Worthington teacher Jill Carter and school board member Charlie Wilson, who visited China last summer.

"The students asked questions in impeccable English," Utter said.

That is partly because English and physical education are the only two subjects that are taught daily in Chinese schools, Wilson said.

He and Carter traveled as part of a delegation called American Bridges. About 750 American educators made the nine-day trip, much of which was paid for by the Chinese government.

Their impressions of Chinese schools may have been skewed because those that they visited were chosen by the government, Wilson noted.

Both said the school buildings were large, often like college campuses, and often old but with modern technology.

"They had 1950s-style desks with 2007 laptops," Carter said.

Every child starts preschool at age three, but none goes on to school until they are developmentally prepared, Wilson said.

"They couldn't believe we do it automatically by age," he said.

The school year is about the same length as in America, and the day is from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a one-hour-forty-five-minute lunch break.

Grades are very competitive, he said. Students work in groups, and the entire group receives the grade of the member who scores the lowest.

He visited Xian, a city of six million people. He described it as "a modern city, but a poor city." New apartments were being built everywhere, he said.

Even the poorest people are learning to speak English in preparation for the upcoming Olympic Games, he said.

Carter is a reading teacher at Colonial Hills Elementary School. During lunch hours, she teaches Mandarin and Chinese culture to fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders.

She and Wilson will further reflect on their trip at the Jan. 28 Worthington Board of Education meeting.

"We've got to get Mandarin and Chinese cultural studies in our schools," Wilson said.