About Us

CNY CHINESE SCHOOL, INC.
P.O. Box 83 " Manlius, NY " 13104

Central New York Chinese School
A Chinese Learning and Community Service Center

Founded in January 1999, Central New York Chinese School (CNYCS) is a non-profit and tax-exempt organization registered in New York State and approved by the Federal government. In the past years, CNYCS has demonstrated itself as the most significant ethnic Chinese organization for providing public services to the local community.

CNYCS was established to meet the growing public interest about China in the CNY area. In the last decade, Central New York has experienced fascinating growth in its economical, cultural and social connections with Chinese-speaking regions, including Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Syracuse University, SUNY-ESF and SUNY-HSC have been attracting several hundred Chinese students and scholars each year to their campuses. Major international corporations and high tech companies in the area have employed an increasing number of Chinese-speaking professionals. This has resulted in a growing size of local Chinese community, which contributed significantly to the cultural diversity and economy strength of CNY area. There are also hundreds of Chinese children who are adopted by American families in the area.

CNYCS's primary objective is to provide public services to the Central New York community on matters related to China and Chinese culture. With providing Chinese language and cultural services as its core function, CNYCS is also actively involved in various community activities for promoting cultural diversity and exchange. The programs and services are available to all members of the Central New York community.

1. Programs for Children

CNYCS has provided regular children's educational program since inception, with enrollment level at about 80-130 each semester. The children programs are designed not only to teach Chinese, but also to enrich children's lives and prepare them for future success.

• 8 Chinese classes, mainly for children from Chinese-speaking families.
• 3 Chinese classes, mainly for children from English-speaking families.
• Enrichment classes: Painting, Dancing, Music, Calligraphy, Martial Arts, and Chinese
Chess.

2. Programs for Adults and Seniors

CNYCS provides an Adult's Basic Chinese class for any non-Chinese speaking adults who are interested in Chinese language for any reason, professional or cultural. Upon request from FCC (Families with Children From China), AFN (Adoptive Family's Network), and "New Life", an area adoption agency specialized in helping families to adopt children from China, CNYCS offers one class designed to teach people who plan to visit China the tourist-Chinese and general social and cultural life in China, and another class for the parents of the adopted children who are studying in CNY CS. CNYCS also offers one elementary English class designed to help Chinese adults and seniors in the area to overcome the language and cultural barriers, and one advanced English class to adults for whom English is their second language.

In addition, CNYCS organizes featured lectures and group activities for the general well being of the community members. Examples are: Children's Education, Traditional Health Care on Children, Seniors, Women and Men, Tai-Chi Exercise, Body Exercise, Dancing, Tax Filing, Investment, Immigration Laws, etc.

It is worth mentioning that anyone can participate in these programs if he or she wish, even though each program might attract more certain type of people due to its content and emphasis.

3. Special Public and Human Services

Such service includes:

• Translation service to FCC on letters and documents between the families and the welfare institutes and foster parents in China on regular basis.
• Support to the Rotary Club's "Gift of Life" program. The program sponsored two children from China for open-heart surgery in Syracuse. CNYCS's Board of Directors provided the accommodations for the children and their families. Many members from the school offered interpretation and nursing service to the children during their surgery and recovery period.
• Assistance to the Chinese families newly moved to the area.
• Language and cultural assistance to the local government and private organizations on exchange programs with China, and on business function.
• Support to public schools and community organizations on programs related to Chinese culture. For instance, CNYCS provided Chinese art shows to two universities, FCC and AFN, and was invited to FCC's "Kite Festival" and "Dragon Boat Festival" with demo on making traditional Chinese kites and food.
  
  

4. Special Annual Events

One of the most successful community programs is the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) party, which CNYCS organizes annually. Each year the party attracts from 300 to 800 people, with one-third participants from non-Chinese speaking families. Such events provide the opportunity to hundreds of children and their families a colorful experience about the most significant Chinese holiday. In addition, CNYCS also organizes annual Music Festival, Storytelling, and Summer Picnic. These events provide great opportunity for different ethnic and cultural groups to exchange with, understand and appreciate each other.

5. School Publication and Website Service

CNYCS publishes regularly the Chinese magazine "Chinese in the Snow City," and hosts a website and an email network connecting the community members. These communication channels have generated great interest and support among the local Chinese group, and have become the major information source about the community.

Since its founding, CNYCS has received wide support and recognition from the local government and general public for its excellent service to the community. CNYCS will further expand and improve its services. In order to do so, CNYCS needs to have continuous and expanding support from the community.