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Nurturing the

Seeds of Tomorrow

More than just a Chinese school, Tzu Chi Academy nurtures children’s
character and compassion.
Debbie Lin

os Angeles Tzu Chi Academy began as phonetic symbols. Teachers have always taken
Tzu Chi Youth Group, a group designed extra special care in developing the teaching
Lto serve volunteers’ children in the early methods, content, and approach for Tzu Chi
days of Tzu Chi USA. Beginning with six or seven Academy. They employ many books published
students, the group quickly expanded to thirty by Tzu Chi Global Headquarters that emphasize
or forty. The program began offering Chinese character development and positive values in
classes to give students the opportunity to order to nurture schoolchildren with Tzu Chi’s
learn their mother tongue as well as traditional humanistic spirit of Great Love.
Chinese culture and ethics. Later, art classes As of 2015, there are now twenty-three
were also started to provide the children with Tzu Chi Academies nationwide: Cupertino,
opportunities for more well-rounded learning. Irvine, Monrovia, San Dimas, San Francisco, San
As the number of students and classes steadily Jose, San Mateo, and Tri-Valley in California;
rose, the nation’s first Tzu Chi Academy was Miami, Florida; Atlanta, Georgia; Honolulu,
officially established in April 1994, and classes Hawaii; Chicago, Illinois; Boston, Massachusetts;
began that September. Today, it has grown to Bethesda, Maryland; Holmdel and Cedar Grove,
more than five hundred students. New Jersey; Las Vegas, Nevada; Flushing and
Similar to many other Chinese schools, Long Island, New York; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania;
Tzu Chi Academy uses materials prepared by Houston and Dallas, Texas; and Seattle,
the Overseas Community Affairs Council and
teaches traditional Chinese characters and

Photo: Alex Feng

Photo: Kevin Kao

Students learn to show respect to their elders,
such as by serving them tea. Photo provided
by Tzu Chi Education Foundation
4 2 TZU CHI USA SUMMER 2015