COCC Chinese language immersion camp, offered for free with college credits, now accepting applications

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Central Oregon Community College’s “My Summer in China” Chinese language day camp, a free immersion program being offered to area high schoolers and college students July 7-18 — made possible by a National Security Agency STARTALK grant — is taking applications now through March 6.

Visit cocc.edu/mysummerinchina for complete details.

The 2025 program is a 10-day, 60-hour summer camp that will be held at COCC’s Chandler Lab in Bend. The camp will be comprised of 15 high school students and 10 college students. By the end, students will be at a mid-novice to high-novice Mandarin proficiency and will have a deeper understanding of Chinese culture.

In addition to language instruction, the innovative curriculum will create the feeling of being an exchange student in China, offering a Chinese cooking experience and a simulated Chinese street market. The program is intended to serve both Chinese-heritage and non-heritage students with little to no previous Chinese language knowledge.

Students may opt for college credit before the start of the program. After successful completion of the program, they will be eligible for up to four college credits at COCC, at no cost to the student.

STARTALK is a federal grant program of the National Security Agency that supports innovative programs for K-16 students and teachers to learn and teach critical-needs languages, including Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Persian and Russian.

This is the second time COCC has offered the camp. COCC also offers a range of credit and noncredit Chinese language classes.

For more information, contact COCC’s Community Education language immersion programs at 541-383-7240.