East Point students learn Mandarin Chinese

From the Columbia Star.

Columbia’s East Point Academy merges cultures, inspires minds, and expands horizons for students by teaching them Mandarin Chinese, the world’s most spoken language. In the process, East Point earned an “A” ranking as the state’s second best public charter school, according to Mark Bounds, East Point’s head of school.

Bounds was Capital Rotary Club’s September 4 guest speaker, tracing the school’s growth to 740 students since its 2011 founding. East Point practices language immersion— meaning Mandarin Chinese is used extensively in academic classes school-wide. Mandarin is spoken by over a million people and is the second-fastest growing language globally.

South Carolina has an important China connection. Bounds said the country ranks first among the state’s export markets while Chinese companies employ over 3,500 of our residents.

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