SchoolsFrom Welcome to Chinatown NYCChinese tradition has always made education a priority among its people. Immigrant families strongly encourage their children and grandchildren to pursue education at the college and graduate school level in order to succeed. The Chinese population's motivation and determination to do well academically has given the Chinese immigrant community the distinction as a "model minority." Chinese-Americans are overrepresented in Ivy League universities, as well as in top professions. P.S 124 Yung Wing SchoolThe Yung Wing School is located in the heart of Chinatown. The school is named after Yung Wing, a scholar who immigrated to the United States in order to attend an American high school. He is known as the first Chinese student in America, and in 1853, he also became the first Chinese American student to graduate from Yale University. He went back to China and was granted permission from the Chinese government to bring more students to America to study. [1] During the day, Yung Wing School is home to over 950 children from pre-kindergarten up to the 5th grade. In the school's mission statement, the principal, Alice Hom, states, "We support an inquiry-based, problem solving approach to learning reading, writing, mathematics, social studies and science. Real-world problems are used to challenge students to be critical thinkers as well as to make their learning real, meaningful and purposeful. Cooperative grouping, peer tutoring and individual/group projects are some of the environments in which the students learn. The faculty maintains high expectations of themselves, trust in the value of hard work, and see themselves as lifelong learners. Parents, community based organizations and local cultural institutions are active partners involved in providing our students with diverse experiences that broaden their horizons, enrich their lives, and help them become well-prepared citizens in the global society of the future." [2] P.S 124 is well-known for its community outreach programs. It offers a gifted and talented program, several bilingual services, as well as access to the National Dance Institute, the Chinatown Planning Council, the NYU Project Read Tutors, and many other educational programs. For more information, visit the school website: Yung Wing School
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