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STARTALK 2011 Honors Chinese Program for High School Students at Hunter College

We are no longer accepting applications for summer 2011.

Program Duration

July 5 to August 12, 2011 (summer session)
September 5, 2011 to February 11, 2012 (post-summer session).

Location

Hunter College (68^th St and Lexington Ave, New York City)

Eligibility of Applicants

We are looking for 20 high school students who are entering 11th or 12th grades, preferably with no prior Chinese background or Chinese language learning experience. Students who are U.S. citizens and NY residents have priority.

We will consider students with Chinese learning background who have strong recommendations from instructors. They will attend the afternoon classes (12:00 pm to 3:00 pm) during the face-to-face session and receive one-on-one tutoring during the online session. Students with background who are rising 11th and 12th graders are also eligible to apply for post-summer scholarships for earning college credits.

We also accept lower-level high school students but they will not be eligible for college-level courses during the post-summer session.

Program Cost

The program has two tiers: summer session and post-summer session.

1. Deposit for Summer Session:
The summer session is free. However, all accepted students must pay for a deposit of $300 at the time of acceptance to secure a seat. The deposit will be returned to participants who complete the entire summer session. The deposit will not be returned to students who leave before the end of the summer program.

2. Post-Summer Session for college credit for select students:
Students (entering 11th and 12th grades) from the summer session who demonstrate superior performance (as evidenced by program participation and proficiency tests results) will be provided with scholarships ($1000 for both NY or non-NY residents) that will permit them to earn three college credits in the post-summer session.

During the post-summer session, students will receive one-on-one online instruction supplemented with weekend on-campus meetings for presentations and field trips.

Please note that students who are not NY residents have to pay out-of-state tuition rates.

Students selected to enroll in the post-summer for-credit program may participate in the prestigious Flagship-Bound program and join students in Hunter College’s undergraduate Chinese Flagship Center who are studying to become global professionals.

Hunter College credits are transferable to American colleges and universities. Students can apply for a copy of their transcript from Hunter College and arrange to transfer credits to their chosen institutions. More information about records and transcripts can be found on the Registrar's website.

3. Post-Summer Session for select non-credit students:
Students who are not yet 11th or 12th graders who exhibit outstanding performance during the summer session will be awarded scholarships enabling them to participate in the post-summer session for one-on-one online instruction.

STAMP Tests

The STAMP tests will be conducted on July 5th, August 12th, and February 11th on campus. The pre- and post-test results will be used as partial criteria for eligibility for receiving post-summer program scholarships. Click here to learn more about the STAMP tests.

A successful participant needs to demonstrate at least one-level of proficiency growth (i.e. from Level 1 to Level 2) in both speaking and reading of Chinese at the end of the summer and the post-summer programs respectively.

Transportation and Meals

Participants will have to pay for field trips, meals, and transportation to Hunter College during the summer programs.

Certificate

All students completing the summer program will receive a certificate. The evaluation criteria include proficiency outcomes, attendance, assignments, field trip projects, community services, language exchange, online learning, and presentations.

Program Dates and Schedule

July 6 to July 21	Face-to-face instruction on campus (4 days a week)
July 25 to August 11	Online instruction at home (5 days a week)
August 12	On-campus STAMP test
September 10 to February 10, 2012	Post-summer session instruction
February 11, 2012	On-campus STAMP test

Time	Activities
July 5	9 – 3 Orientation and pre-test. (All students must attend.) 3 – 4 Opening Ceremony (Time and location to be announced via e-mail.)
July 6 to July 20 Monday-Wednesday Schedule Face-to-face session	9 – 9:50 Language Class 1 10 – 10:50 Language Class 2 11 – 12 Lunch (self-prepared) 12 – 12:50 Language Class 3 1 – 2 Culture Class 2 -3 One-on-one and lab (with tutors for 60 minutes per student)
July 6 to July 14 Thursday Schedule Face-to-face session	9 – 9:50 Language Class 1 10 – 10:50 Language Class 2 11 – 12 Lunch (self-prepared) 12 – 1:30 Presentations 2 – 4 Field trip (location will be announced)
July 21 Last day of face-to-face session	9 – 9:50 Assessment Activities 10 – 10:50 Assessment Activities 11 – 12 Lunch (self-prepared) 12 – 12:50 Assessment Activities 1 – 3 Orientation for online instruction (Location will be announced via e-mail. Parents are welcome to attend.)
July 25 – August 11 Online instruction	One hour tutorial per day, Monday to Friday. Online materials for individualized, self-paced learning.
August 12 Final Assessment for summer session	9 - 12 Take STAMP reading and speaking tests at Hunter
September 10 to February 10 Post-summer session online learning	For selected students only. One-on-one online conversation practice and instruction.
February 11, 2012 Post-summer session final assessment	9 - 12 Take STAMP reading and speaking tests at Hunter

Highlights of Program Curriculum

The curriculum features language immersion with a theme-based and task-based approach and utilizes authentic materials in the target language. The themes are: self, family, school, and community.

The National Standards are incorporated into the curriculum. For communication, students will practice speaking in class, on the phone, and online. They will read and write e-mails, blogs, and comments to and from language partners from China, instructors, and peers. For culture, students will practice calligraphy and be introduced to the art work of famous Chinese artists. Furthermore, students will work on a cultural project on a topic of their choice. For connections, they will learn about the evolution of Chinese characters from a historical perspective in relation to the Chinese dynasties, and about the invention of paper and printing. For comparisons, students will compare their lives with those of high school students in China. They will play Chinese chess and discuss the similarities and differences between Chinese chess and Western chess. For communities, they will do community service to benefit Chinese immigrants, and learn about the history of Chinatown.

Selection Criteria and Application Requirements

Students should have a long-term plan for learning Chinese and a genuine interest in using Chinese in their intended professions.
Students must have a record of outstanding academic performance and leadership.
Students should have a track record of success in learning foreign languages.

Application Steps

Fill out the program application form. (See below.)
Obtain a letter of recommendation from either a school teacher or principal.
Get a copy of your academic transcript.
Write an essay (500 words, typed) about why you should be accepted.
Mail all the application material to this address:
High School STARTALK Program
Hunter West 1425
Department of Classical and Oriental Studies
Hunter College
695 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10065
We will contact you to arrange an on-campus or phone interview.

We will let you know within two weeks after the interview whether or not you have been accepted into the program.

Application Deadline

Applications will be reviewed and accepted on a rolling basis until all the seats are filled.

Application Forms

Download: Application Form for High School Students (PDF)

Please print a copy and neatly fill out by hand.

Questions? Call (212) 772-4965 or send an email to: chsummer@hunter.cuny.edu