Here's what our students and their families have to say about us!
When this after school program opened I thought this was a chance for my kindergartener to learn a new language. After just 1.5 months she is going around the house singing "Happy Birthday to You" in Mandarin. And today when she wasn't at the program she told me she was practicing her Chinese writing and (after I consulted with director Michele) found out she wrote the characters for numbers, many of them perfectly. She did it with enthusiasm all on her own.
The bonus I wasn't expecting is that she also does chemistry and other science experiments, simple programming (she likes to make the robot move) and is developing a love of exploring the world around her and of science.
The students are separated into small groups as they rotate through the different stations so she gets to interact with children her own age as well as older kids. They collaborate on a project and work together as a team to improve it, which I think are important life skills. She has made many new friends and actually calls them by their Chinese names. Best of all, everyday she asks if she gets to go to Chinese school.
-- Rachel C
My son is in kindergarten and recently started at Su Yun. We love it there! He has so much fun learning and tinkering that he never wants to leave when I pick him up! Michele and the teachers are kind and gentle, and they really value learning the language through play and exploration. There are lots of enrichment activities for the kids, with project stations for kitchen experiments, music, a green screen, theater/dress up, and an awesome maker space. They do plenty of cultural arts and crafts as well. Michele is so calm and thoughtful in her approach with guiding the kids through age-appropriate projects. My son is always coming home eager to show me what he created that day. I also appreciate the range of kids with heritage backgrounds and no prior language experience, so that there was a place for my son along that spectrum. He is thriving and having so much fun learning Chinese at Su Yun! We feel so lucky to be there.
-- Sabrina C
My daughter attended a Chinese immersion school last year, so I was hoping there was a Chinese school that could help her maintain her Mandarin now that she's in public school this year. Su Yun's creates an interactive language learning environment where my daughter can learn and use her Chinese while she works on the different activities of the day (from crafts to science experiments). She always looks forward to going to Su Yun's every Tue and Thu.
-- Esther M
My daughter, who is in first grade at Cornell, attends this aftercare program every day and she loves it. We have no prior knowledge of Mandarin, and my daughter enjoys being exposed to the language and learning some basic words and concepts. The facilities are brand new. The staff engage in a range of activities to keep the kids occupied, including cooking. My daughter gets picked up everyday when she is released from Cornell. The center has no outdoor area, but to make up for this, the staff let the kids play for a while in the Cornell playground before walking them across the street to the center. This aftercare program is reasonably priced, and a great option, especially for Cornell kids!
-- Jerry B
My son is really enjoying Su Yun's after-school program. He is learning to speak, read, and write Chinese and is learning about the Chinese culture through food, games, stories, etc. He especially enjoys the daily STEM activity, which he gets very excited about. Everyday, my son wishes he could stay at Su Yun's longer.
-- Young Y
My 1st grader has attended Su Yun's Chinese Learning Center after school since it first opened and we love the program! The kids do many different kinds of experiments with interesting materials in addition to learning Mandarin. My daughter is often engrossed in an activity when I pick her up and does not want to leave. The facilities are beautiful and clean, the teachers seem dedicated and the owner Michele is friendly, welcoming and great with children. I am so glad my family is part of this community!
-- Erin S
My son (going into 3rd grade) had his first week of summer camp at Su Yun's and he had an incredible time. Every day pickup was greeted with "Aw, do I have to go now?". The emphasis on STEAM and the incredible thought to the programming kept the kids active outside and inside. I heard all week about a multi-day stop-motion video project which my son was so proud to share with me, along with the amazing Lego creations that they built. Michele and the staff create a fun, creative and caring space --- we are looking forward to our future weeks in camp this summer!
-- Noriko B
The kids and the staff at the school are fantastic! The curriculum is not only Mandarin immersion but also STEAM based. I highly recommend.
-- Julia F
My daughter loved the wood working camp! She built very cool projects and learned how to use real tools. The teachers were great and put a lot of thought into the STEM projects. This camp was my daughter's first introduction to Chinese culture and she loved learning basic writing and choosing a Chinese name (little bunny). The camp has an awesome, bright indoor space with nearby parks. I was blown away by this camp and highly recommend it.
-- Sarah S