February 2010

Learn to make your own at El Centro De La Raza!

Even better, the class is teaching Tamales!

The class is being offered on Mar. 20 and Apri. 17 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Chef Graciela Gonzalez has been the Human Services Director at El Centro de la Raza for over 25 years. Her tamale classes sell for $250 at our Annual Auction Banquet. This unique experience is priceless, so sign up today!

Cost is $50 per class which includes recipe and one dozen tamales. Funds help support El Centro De La Raza's 30 human service and community building programs.

The Hanban-Asia Society of Confucius Classrooms Network has selected Beacon Hill International School as one of 20 pioneer schools to participate in a network to develop Chinese language programs nationwide.

The Confucius Classrooms Network hopes to expand to 100 sites across the United States in the next three years.

“Our entire school community is thrilled by this designation,” said Dr. Susie Murphy, principal of Beacon Hill International School. “It not only acknowledges the incredible work that our school is doing in the area of language education, but it also provides some national and international support as we move forward.

As part of the three-year agreement, Beacon Hill will receive some resources to support its growing program, including $10,000 a year for technology, possible funding for a new local Chinese teacher for next year, development of a sister-school relationship with an elementary school in China, professional development for Chinese-language teachers, and instructional materials.  

Former local TV newsman Mike James has produced a series of documentaries highlighting Seattle's sister cities.

One of the latest episodes is a look at Daejeon, South Korea.

Beacon Hill is home to the Daejeon sister city park in Seattle.

Here's a brief description from The Seattle Channel.

The first stop is Daejeon, South Korea, a microcosm of the East Asian nation's work ethic, technological know-how, religious diversity and culinary preferences. Set in the green hills south of Seoul, Daejeon is South Korean's the 5th largest city with one and a half million people. You'll meet some of its students whose six school days begin at 7:00 a.m. and end at 10 p.m. You'll visit Daejoen's "Science City," a national research and development cluster with a single, focused goal -- to create the next great engine of economic growth. The tour will also take in Buddhist temples, Christian churches and Confucian shrines to give viewers an understanding of the breadth and depth of religion in South Korean. And what trip to South Korea would be complete without a taste of the colorful, spicy and diverse cuisine? James takes you to open-air markets and restaurants and teaches you why kimchi is essential to Koreans' well-being.

In their efforts to increase the number of blood donors among members of the Asian and Pacific Islander community, the Puget Sound Blood Center is teaming up with the Kin On Health Care Center to hold a blood drive next Saturday at the Chinese Baptist Church.

The Asian & Pacific Islanders Blood and Bone Marrow Drive will go from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the church, located at 5801 Beacon Avenue S.  The PSBC says that only about one percent of donors are people of color, so a drive like this is even more crucial.

If you need more information, you can call Heidi Wong at Kin On at 206-721-0964 or e-mail her at hwong@kinon.org.