BYU will host Chinese and Arabic language camps for high school students July and August as part of a government effort to increase the learning of critical foreign languages.
After settling into BYU’s foreign housing, thirty-two high school students will spend a few weeks learning either Chinese or Arabic. The summer language study “feeder” program to be held on campus is called STARTALK.
Students were accepted into the summer language programs based on an application process that required them to provide their GPA and three recommendations. Students also needed to explain their interest in learning a foreign language and write an essay describing why they would be good candidates.
Tuition for both the Chinese and Arabic summer camps is $500.
Students who attend the Chinese language camp and pass a standardized test called STAMP will earn two years of high school language credit.
The Arabic camp participants can earn four credit hours for BYU’s Arabic 101 course.
A Dayaojin long march and Gong Fu martial arts are two of the events planned for the Chinese camp.
Those attending the Arabic camp will experience a Bedouin tent dinner and a Ramadan meal.
Kirk Belnap, who is directing the Arabic camp, said the camps are being used in a joint effort by the Utah State Office of Education and BYU to increase the number of Arabic and Chinese language programs in high schools.
Utah is one of five states helping the National Security Language Initiative program, which is seeking to start summer camp programs for 400 high school students in 2007.
The National Security Language Initiative (NSLI) program was created as part of a post-9/11 U.S. national security effort. The NSLI is designed to dramatically increase the number of Americans learning critical foreign languages.
