Many ethnic groups living in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area conduct schools, usually on Saturday or Sunday, to teach their American-born children the language, culture, and customs of their parents' native countries. There are Japanese, Korean, Lithuanian, Greek, Tibetan, Latvian and Ukrainian schools, to name just a few. Today on New American Voices, parents at the India International School in Northern Virginia talk about the school's role in connecting their children with their heritage.
Radikha Yadav, a slender, energetic woman in a brick-red sari, was one of the founders of the India International School near Washington, D.C., fifteen years ago. At that time the school had four students - two of them her children - and one teacher. Today the school has a student body of over 250, and 15 teachers, most of them recognized experts in their field. The school rents ten classrooms each Sunday in the local Jewish Community Center. Mrs. Yadav says the activities of the Indian and Jewish groups take place side-by-side.
Radihka Yadav says that students come from all over the state of Virginia. Some parents drive several hours each way so that their children can take instruction in Hindi, or traditional Indian music, or dance.
Padmini Iyer, a computer programmer, was waiting for her son to finish classes one recent Sunday. Mrs. Iyer says the family speaks English at home because she wants her children to fit in with their American surroundings. But she brings eleven-year-old Mouhed to the India School to study the Indian drum, the tabla, so that he will know something about his cultural heritage.
Poornima Vijayanagar, a computer software engineer, says she brings her 12-year-old son and seven-year-old daughter to India School every Sunday because it enriches them. They attend five different classes throughout the day. Mrs. Vijaynagar believes that the diversity of people in the school, who stem from all regions of India, helps her answer questions that her children have.
Nidhi Malek, a medical doctor, not only brings her two young sons to the India school, but also attends classes herself, studying the classical Indian stringed instrument, the sitar. Dr. Malek has another perspective on the benefits of the school for her boys.
Nidhi Malek believes that, with the help of the India school, it is possible for her children to grow up both Indian and American.
Next week on this program - the voices of parents, teachers and students at one of the Washington area's 60 or so Korean schools.