World cultures, diverse programs highlighted at YSCP

At Young Scholars of Central PA Charter School in State College, we focus on teaching students to be lifelong learners and prepare them for a global economy while placing an emphasis on world cultures. One way we do so is by providing daily Spanish and Chinese instruction to all of our kindergarten through eighth-grade students. Along with having daily language classes, our students often take part in activities from these cultures. Some of the activities that students look forward to are making Chinese dumplings, celebrating the Day of the Dead and celebrating the Chinese New Year.

Along with learning the Spanish and Chinese languages and cultures during the school day, our students have the opportunity to enhance their knowledge in our extended-day program. During our extended-day program, students also have the opportunity to join academic clubs in the upper grades such as MathCounts, Robotics, Science Olympiad and Reading Club. Read on to learn more about some of our special activities.

International Mother Language Day and Chinese New Year Celebration

One of the biggest events that happens at Young Scholars each year is our International Mother Language Day and Chinese New Year Celebration. The event always starts with a fashion show in which students and staff wear clothing from different countries. After the fashion show, students perform songs and skits in Chinese and Spanish. Along with the fashion show and performances, the students have the option to have Chinese food for lunch. The students always look forward to this event.

Robotics

YSCP has a Robotics team that is made up of middle school students. Last year, our team, Robo Scholars, was recognized for its performance in four categories: core values, project, robot design and performance. In recognition of these accomplishments, the team won the Champion’s Award. This award qualified RoboScholars to compete in the First Lego League World Festival in St. Louis that took place in April.

Science Olympiad

Young Scholars also has a Science Olympiad team and last March it participated in the Regional Competition that was held at Millersville University. There were different events that revolved around STEM concepts in which the students worked through with a partner.

Reading Club

Students in fourth through sixth grade are able to take part in the YSCP competitive reading team. These students read from a list of more than 40 books, focusing on their understanding of the important details in the text. The team meets weekly to discuss the books and answer questions in an effort to prepare for the competition. In March, the team competes against other teams from within a three-county radius. This three-round competition focuses on the team’s ability to answer comprehension questions about the books read.

Art and Music Showcase

Every May YSCP holds an Art and Music Showcase. The event serves as a culminating showcase of our students’ efforts in the visual and performing arts for the school year. The students work hard all year on art projects that will be displayed on this evening. Every student in the building has at least one piece of art displayed in our hallways. The parents are then invited in to view the art projects in a gallery setting. Following the viewing of the art projects, our bands and choir perform in their second concert of the year.

Touch of Culture

Each year, the Parent Advisory Committee at Young Scholars hosts a Touch of Culture Night. The purpose of this event is to highlight a specific culture. To highlight the chosen culture, there are foods, performances and activities from the culture. Some of the cultures that have been highlighted are Australia, Africa, Brazil and Greece.

On top of all of the great classes and activities offered at Young Scholars, we are also an International Baccalaureate World School. YSCP is the first IB World School in Centre County and the ninth school in Pennsylvania to implement the Middle Years Programme. IB schools aim to graduate citizens that received a well-rounded education and who are not only knowledgeable in core content areas, but also immersed in the concepts that they will encounter in life. The students that complete the middle school years at YSCP will be given a certificate at the end of the program and will be recognized in the world as an IB student. The IB program is very well-known for its high quality and rigor amongst most colleges and universities. For more information on IB, visit www.ibo.org.

This story was originally published September 25, 2017 at 9:33 AM with the headline "World cultures, diverse programs highlighted at YSCP."