About Us
Our school was started in 1990 (in Clearwater) by the Chinese Community of Pinellas County Florida. It has always held classes and meetings once a week on Sunday afternoons. It is run by the parents as a volunteer organization and is incorporated as a non-profit educational organization. Contributions are fully tax deductible. The administrative staff is unpaid. Teachers receive a small salary. Our School has been and continues to be the focal point for the Chinese community of Pinellas County and a leader in the Tampa Bay Area.
Benefits of Chinese School
Chinese School provides children with an alternative Sunday afternoon activity that is both educational and fun. The children look forward to seeing their friends in Chinese School and learn good peer influences as well as having good adult supervision.
Most of the older children now also attend the International Baccalaureate program. Getting the students to do this was the result of positive peer influence as well as networking among parents. If parents find out how think their children can achieve excellence, they will usually find it important to help their children achieve more.
Our Chinese School graduates have gone on to very good schools, such as the engineering program at Georgia Tech, where they also continue their Chinese studies. They also do study abroad in China and so become fluent in Mandarin. These students are really glad they went to Chinese School, although some of them wish they had taken the opportunity more seriously and learned more.
With the world becoming smaller and smaller, it pays to be fluent in another language and learn another culture, particularly one so different from us in America.
Not Just for Chinese Americans
We have had many students who have no Chinese connection, such as having a friend in school or American parents who are interested in having their children learn a foreign language and culture.
Reaching Out: Helping Other Chinese Schools
Chinese Schools in Florida and around the country help each other in going about setting up Chinese Schools in their community. They also receive help from local Chinese Cultural Associations and other groups. Do you have a Chinese Cultural Association in your community?
Donations Welcome
If you would like to donate to the Clearwater Chinese School, please send a check to:
Clearwater Chinese Language School4600 78 Ave., N.
Pinellas Park, FL 33781-2427
You will receive a prompt thank you letter with tax deductible information. You can alternatively donate using paypal here.
Please contact us for more info!