Students in the Mandarin Chinese-English dual-language immersion program at Lone Peak Elementary will now be studying in a Confucius Classroom, thanks to a grant from the Confucius Institute at the University of Utah.
The school received the designation and a recurring $10,000 grant at a school-wide ceremony celebrating Chinese New Year last week. This year, the grant will be used to purchase iPads, SMART Boards and aps for the classroom, as well as a selection of complimentary Chinese books worth an additional $8,000.
“Any time you can bring in pieces of technology and have students use them, research shows you will increase the effectiveness of the instruction,” Lone Peak Principal Tracy Stacy said.
Lone Peak is the second school in Canyons District to receive a Confucius Classroom designation. Draper Elementary also received the designation last year. Funds from the grant, which recurs every year, will also be used to pay for school-wide cultural activities and professional development, according to Confucius Institute requirements.
“Cultural awareness and spreading that message of being a global citizen is part of what they want you to do, and I think that is extremely important,” Stacy said.  “Having an immersion program and being able to spread that message is a wonderful thing.”Â