Before this summer, Norton Elementary School Principal Elizabeth Cochrane-Benoit had heard of exchange programs for high school students, but not for elementary school kids.
Leave it to the downtown San Bernardino school to coordinate what is believed to be the region’s first.
As part of a two-week summer immersion program at the North Mountain View campus, a handful of Chinese exchange students and about 60 Norton fourth- and fifth-graders are being exposed to educational activities related to science, technology, engineering and math.
Run by Cochrane-Benoit and five Norton teachers, the pilot program gives the exchange students a quick synopsis of what their San Bernardino counterparts learn about computer-aided design and 3D printing during a typical school year.
“It’s priceless,” she said. “A priceless experience for the students, a priceless experience for myself, as well as our teachers, to have the opportunity to do such a program for these exchange students and our students.”
About two years ago, Cochrane-Benoit traveled to China during spring break and presented the state-of-the-art work her students do in STEM fields to the CEO of Keeson Technology, a Chinese company.
Guohai “Jack” Tang loved the presentation so much, he invited the principal to start a school in China.
While Cochrane-Benoit respectfully declined, the two later discussed a student exchange program. Last week, a few of Tang’s employees traveled 6,000 miles so their kids could participate.
Norton students welcomed the Chinese families with backpacks and school supplies.
Funded jointly by the school district, Keeson and the traveling families, the program includes project-based learning in the morning and real-world experience in the afternoon. Earlier this week, students learned about soil testing before heading to the Sustainable University of Redlands Farm to plant organic food.
Trips to the Griffith Observatory and Keeson-owned Ergomotion in Redlands also are planned.
The program ends July 28.
“Our instructional focus is aligned with real-world learning,” Cochrane-Benoit said. “We want the kids to have real-world learning every day, so they see that what they’re learning in the classroom at this level ties to a real-world job.”
Norton sixth-grade teachers Irma Preciado and Lily Kov volunteered to assist.
Each student comes in excited to learn, they said. The fast-paced environment keeps students’ minds active and encourages interaction. Soon-to-be sixth-grade scholars Loriann Calderon and Damorio Thompson said they have made new friends this summer. Thompson also said he learned a couple of Chinese words from the exchange students.
Chenye Yu, 15, and Wanting Lu, 13, said Norton schoolchildren have been very friendly.
“Our kids were absolutely excited” about meeting their Chinese mates, said Carmelita Arellano, a fifth-grade teacher. “At first, they were so timid, and the Chinese students also were shy. But they were accommodating to each other, catering to their needs.
“Now, they’re able to communicate through various ways: facial expressions, other gestures, word matching.”
Norton Elementary, at 747 N. Mountain View Ave., is a Gold Ribbon School that averages about 400 students a year.
Across the street from Seccombe Lake Park, the school has partnered with KaBOOM! in recent years on park clean-ups and playground installations.
“I say everyone here is resilient,” Cochrane-Benoit said of her student body. “We want the best for our children and our kids want the best, because an area doesn’t define who you are as a human.”
