XinXing Academy is a Chinese immersion program in Hopkins, Minnesota. It opened at Eisenhower Elementary School in 2007. XinXing (新星) means New Star in Chinese.

The XinXing Chinese immersion program is part of Eisenhower Elementary School and is K-6.

XinXing students move on to Chinese immersion course offerings for grades 7-12 at Hopkins West Junior High and Hopkins High School.

XinXing is an early total immersion program. All core subject matter is taught in Mandarin Chinese for the full day from Kindergarten through second grade. Students learn to read and write in Mandarin first.

English language arts are introduced for the equivalent of one hour per day beginning in grades 3-4, and there is an even distribution of English and Mandarin by grades 5-6. Special curriculum areas (art, music, physical education) are taught in English, but Chinese language and culture are infused into those courses whenever possible.

XinXing has a partnership with Wuning Road Primary School in Shanghai, China and provides opportunities for educational exchanges between our schools.

Three Hopkins High School students discuss their time in Chinese immersion

• By Lydia Christianson
• June 5, 2020
• The Sun Sailor

The first class of XinXing Academy students will graduate from Hopkins High School on June 4. The 17 students took Chinese immersion since kindergarten. Three students discussed their 13 years studying Chinese in interviews with the Sun Sailor.

At first, study Chinese was intimidating for Claire Ruthenbeck. She remembered being nervous and felt she wouldn’t be able to communicate with her teachers. But, Ruthenbeck got used to it and it became easier over time.

“There were times when learning Chinese was really challenging,” she said.

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