Applications are now available for the school division’s 2017 STARTALK Elementary Chinese and Russian Summer Academies. The free, four-week immersive experience is open to rising fifth-graders enrolled in Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS). During the program, students will use Mandarin Chinese or Russian at least 80 percent of the time and will have opportunities to learn about cultural differences and similarities.
STARTALK academy sessions will be held June 26 through July 20 at Providence Elementary School located at 4968 Providence Road. Accepted students attend sessions Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to noon. No sessions will be held Tuesday, July 4, in observance of the national holiday.
All current fourth-grade students will receive a STARTALK brochure/application at school and the application also is available online at www.virginiabeachstartalk.org. A total of 75 students will be chosen by lottery, representing each of the three sections of the city, and bus transportation will be available to all interested students.
In addition, students who participated in the 2016 STARTALK Elementary Chinese and Russian Summer Academies will receive invitations to attend advanced sessions. The application is also available online at also is available online at www.virginiabeachstartalk.org. The advanced sessions will be offered at Providence Elementary on the same dates and same times as the sessions for first-time participants.
Applications for first-time and returning STARTALK participants must be returned no later than Friday, May 26 to Jennifer Carson, K-12 world languages coordinator, in the school division’s Department of Teaching and Learning. Information regarding how to return applications by fax, email or mail is available on the application.
There are opportunities for high school students who are proficient in Mandarin Chinese or Russian to volunteer at the STARTALK summer academies. Students who are interested in volunteering may register online.
For more information about the 2017 STARTALK Elementary Chinese and Russian Summer Academies offered by VBCPS contact Jennifer Carson at 757-263-1469 or Jennifer.Carson@vbschools.com.