Meet a Midlands Chinese Language Immersion School

Did you know? 1.15 billion people speak Mandarin Chinese (and 960 million speak it as their primary language).

Perhaps more surprising: The Midlands has a Chinese Language Immersion School – where students in 4K through 5th grade spend more than 50% of their day learning in Mandarin Chinese (Mandarin language class, math, science + a variety of related arts classes).

It’s called East Point Academy – part of the S.C. Public Charter School District – and they just built a brand-new, state-of-the-art elementary campus at 1043 Chris Dr. (near Lexington Medical Center) in West Columbia. They also have a newly-renovated middle school campus at 1401 Leaphart St. in West Cola.

First opened in 2011 with only 82 students in grades 4K-2nd, East Point Academy now has 600+ students enrolled for the 2018-2019 school year.

The school is free to attend (except their 4K program, which is is fee based* – with need-based scholarships available) and open to any student (regardless of their zoned district). It’s the only Chinese Immersion School in the Midlands (with a similar school in Greenville).

East Point Academy’s new primary campus on Chris Dr., still under construction

East Point Academy’s new logo for the 2018-2019 school year | logo courtesy EPA

What does a student’s typical day look like at East Point Academy?

Here’s a breakdown of a typical school day. 🍎

✏ 4K – 5th Grade:

More than 50% of their school day is spent learning math, science, Mandarin and various related arts in the Chinese language.

The other ~50% is spent learning learning ELA (English, Language Arts), social studies and various related arts in English.

*Students don’t have to qualify for the 4K program (they are selected via an admissions lottery), but there is a $5,500 attendance fee – with a weekly payment plan available.

✏ 6th Grade – 8th Grade:

More than 25% of their school day is spent learning Mandarin and various electives in the Chinese language.

The other ~75% is spent learning ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies and various electives in English.

East Point Academy has gotten a lot of accolades. They’ve been named a Palmetto Gold school, are ranked in the top 10 charter schools in S.C. by Niche.com, were named a South Carolina Public Charter School of Distinction, and was voted Columbia's Best Private or Charter School 2018 by readers of the Free Times.

Here’s how you can enroll your student. They still have a few slots open for this school year.

My sister just entered her third year of teaching 1st grade at East Point Academy – and until she started working there, I didn’t even know Chinese Language Immersion Schools were a thing. It always blows my mind to visit her classroom and hear 6-year-olds speaking Mandarin to each other.

It’s even cooler when Becca (ahem, Ms. Cuevas) tries to teach us a couple words she’s learned, like: 你好 (Nǐ hǎo – pronounced like “knee how,” which means hello) and 老师 (Lǎoshī – pronounced like the ‘L’ sound + “ow” + “sure,” which means teacher).

So much for all the Spanish I learned in school….

–Sam