Jason Farmer / Staff Photographer Eight-year-old Alice Zhang fills up her plate during the Scranton Chinese School's spring picnic at the University of Scranton on Sunday.
A game of Twister with directions in Chinese and some Chinese dishes were on the menu at the University of Scranton on Sunday.
After a semester of academic interaction, students of the Scranton Chinese School and their families enjoyed a potluck picnic on campus.
"It's good to get to know the other Chinese families and share some tips," Joyce Cheng, whose two children take classes, said. "It's more like a community."
The students and families enjoyed homemade Chinese dishes, as well as a few catered dishes from the dining service at the university.
The Scranton Chinese School, which began in 2010, is an educational nonprofit organization that promotes language and cultural awareness. Although the university donates the space where the school meets, it is a separate organization.
"This (the picnic) is more for the kids to have fun, learn about classmates and gain more than just the class interactions," Ms. Cheng said.
Students were invited to perform songs or share what they had learned throughout the semester. Several shared their knowledge by playing Twister, while their teacher gave directions in Chinese.
Many of the students were either part of Chinese families or adopted from China. Bringing the two groups together has been rewarding for Sarah Balmer, 37, and her daughter, whom she adopted more than two years ago.
"We can try to do cultural things with her, but we're not Chinese," she said. "That's an experience she never would have been a part of."
It was the first semester of the program for Patrick Zippittelli, 31, Jessup. After practicing Chinese martial arts for 20 years, he decided to immerse himself deeper in the culture.
"It was something I always wanted to learn," he said. "Learning language makes it easier to learn about the culture."
The next beginner class will begin in the fall.
For more information, visit www.scrantonchinese school.org.
Contact the writer: rbrown@timesshamrock.com
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