Last Saturday, June 14, the “Summer Children’s Mandarin Course” officially began, jointly promoted by the Taiwan Office in San Francisco and the Cupertino Public Library. The classes are held in the children’s activity area on the first floor of the library, with a total of 8 sessions.
Cupertino is one of the main cities in the world-renowned tech hub Silicon Valley and is a city with a high concentration of Chinese and Asian residents. The first day of the summer children’s Mandarin course attracted dozens of children and parents from different ethnicities to participate.
Director Dong Qingfeng of the Education Division of the Taiwan office in San Francisco stated during the ceremony that the purpose of the program is to continue promoting quality Traditional Chinese character Mandarin education from Taiwan. He expressed, “Through the summer program held at the library, we aim not only to provide a fun Mandarin learning environment for children but also to spark interest in Taiwan among more Silicon Valley friends through the 8 sessions. This may pave the way for future cultural and educational exchanges, as well as attract tech families from Silicon Valley to visit Taiwan.”
Katherine Tseng, Vice Chair of the Los Gatos-Saratoga High School District (LGSHSD) Board, was invited to attend the opening ceremony. She encouraged all participating students to open their minds and enjoy learning Traditional Chinese characters and the unique Taiwanese culture with ease and joy.
One of the Chinese teachers from the summer class present at the ceremony mentioned that the Chinese course was very popular, with many parents already inquiring about further course information.
It is understood that in response to the high summer traffic at the Cupertino Public Library, the Taiwan Ministry of Education has allocated special funds for three consecutive years to showcase the charm of Traditional Chinese characters to this city, known for attracting global tech talents, and to introduce Taiwan to more families.
The “Summer Children’s Mandarin Course” is specifically designed for 9 to 14-year-olds (grades 3 to 8) in Silicon Valley without prior Mandarin foundation, and it is completely free of charge. Each class is based on a different daily life theme, with no continuity between sessions. The classes incorporate calligraphy observation, games, and other activities to allow children to enjoy learning Mandarin in a relaxed and stress-free environment.