Staff Reports | Community Updates
Red fairy lights, boba tea and student artwork helped transform the courtyards between Desert Canyon Elementary and Desert Canyon Middle schools into a Chinese night market on a recent evening, as students of the schools’ Mandarin Dual Language Immersion program gathered with their families to celebrate the Chinese New Year.
Outfitted in red, traditional Chinese wear, students delivered outstanding performances, showcasing what they’re learning about Chinese language and culture through the Scottsdale Unified School District program, according to a press release.
The DLI program is optional for DCES students and begins at the preschool level, SUSD officials tell the Digital Free Press.
Elementary school students spend part of the day studying language arts, reading, art and music in English and the other part learning math, science, social studies and Mandarin in Mandarin. At the middle school, students can opt to continue their language and science studies in Mandarin.
Brandon Finnie’s in-laws are from Singapore, so he and his wife chose to enroll their children, kindergartener Kai and second grader Kalia, at DCES specifically for the DLI program, SUSD officials say.
“We live about 15 minutes away, in the Paradise Valley School District, but we love it here,” they said at the recent celebration. “After we came and got started, we couldn’t go anywhere else.”
The annual celebration has become a staple on the Desert Canyon calendar, filling the gym bleachers with family members, anxious to see students put their learning on display.
“Our Chinese New Year festivity is one of our most cherished family events, providing a wonderful opportunity for students and families to immerse themselves in Chinese culture,” said Principal Kim Mills. “This year’s celebration was particularly meaningful as we welcomed back our former DLI students, now in sixth and seventh grades at Desert Canyon Middle School, to be part of this joyous celebration.”
One of them was seventh grader Emma Adland, who has been in the Mandarin program since second grade and plans to continue studying it through high school.
“It’s just fun to learn about a new culture and I think it’s going to help me on my college resume to get into better schools,” she said.
Principal Mills says she is grateful for the community’s support of the Desert Canyon Mandarin program and the work of the school’s parent teacher organization.
“It warms our hearts to see our entire school community come together, with both DLI students and those not enrolled in the program, actively participating in the festivities, nurturing community spirit and fostering cultural understanding,” she said. “We take great pride in the evolution of our Mandarin Dual Language Immersion Program, which has been a fundamental aspect of our school for the past eight years.”
