NEWS Walnut Valley Unified School District
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 880 S. Lemon Avenue
February 14, 2011 Walnut, CA 91789
Contact:
Kelli Gile, Office of Community Resources
(909) 595-1261 ext. 31204
Walnut Valley Begins New Dual Language Program
Pre-kinder students present Chinese New Year Parade
WALNUT, CA--Walnut Valley Unified School District’s new Early Kindergarten Dual Language Program recently presented a Chinese New Year program and parade for parents.
The program that began January 31on the Walnut Elementary School campus is called “Global Connections – Creating 21st Century Biliterate/Bicultural Children”
Forty preschoolers gave a special Chinese New Year greeting, sung a song in Mandarin, and counted to from “1 to 10” in Chinese.
Then they donned bunny headbands representing the 2011 Year of the Rabbit. And waving paper dragons and lantern shakers students paraded around the playground for their parents and staff members.
This innovative program was made possible through a $1.2 million Federal grant from the Foreign Language Acquisition Program (FLAP).
It will run for the next six years and the goal for these youngsters is to become biliterate in both Mandarin and English by the end of fifth grade.
Shown:
1. Preschooler Helen Januar and her mother share a giggle before marching in the parade.
2. Students paraded through the playground area as parents cheered and took photos.