222: hope emerges from Chinese quake

The Liu Han Hope Elementary school in China's Sichuan province lived up to its name, it would seem, offering hope to all its 483 students when the region's recent earthquake struck. As today's linked article from the UK's Guardian newspaper reports, the school appears to have been constructed well - so when surrounding buildings collapsed and dust flew all around, the school stood. Eventually, its teachers decided that those children who had not been collected needed to be moved to safety - so they trekked with them all day and all night over mountains to a more secure town, where the children are now being cared for. It's a rare bit of good news from Sichuan right now, as well as a tale of great bravery on behalf of the teachers and students involved. And, as the article points out, it's also a testament to how good construction (and, some are saying, good governance) can save lives.