Golestan Education, an Ashoka Changemaker School, Creates a Model for a Peaceful Future

BERKELEY, Calif. - Jan. 29, 2019 - PRLog -- After a decade of operating the first  Persian language immersion preschool in Berkeley, the award-winning Golestan Kids has expanded to add an international elementary school on a beautifully transformed campus.  The newly expanded school immerses all primary aged students in Arabic, English, Hebrew, and Persian languages.

Founded on the principles of kindness, creativity, mindfulness, curiosity, responsibility, and courage, Golestan's hands-on, nature-based learning environment has been in high demand for over a decade. In response to parent need, the school's leaders were inspired to expand the program into a full time PreK – 5th grade elementary school.

"As we fulfill our commitment to global citizenship, we are excited to open a new campus to support multicultural, nature-based, interactive learning," said Yalda Modabber, Golestan's founder and Executive Director. "Our new space feels more like a beautiful home than an institution. It is a place that smells like baked bread, tastes like fresh greens, and sounds like the United Nations."

Significant improvements to the 1950s era campus include opening up classrooms for seamless indoor/outdoor learning spaces, replacing the asphalt playground with a green schoolyard designed with dynamic play features, multiple sinks in each classroom, and building a new kitchen and dining area adjacent to the classrooms.  Plans are in place for building a working farm to source the kitchen, a 6,000 square foot maker's lab, and a teaching kitchen. Key collaborators in the renovation include MWS Consulting (Landscape Architecture), Oliver & Co Construction, REI Buildup (Structural Engineering), and Stromberg Architecture.

In addition to expanding their own program, Golestan continually seeks opportunities to make their unique model accessible to communities beyond the San Francisco Bay Area, including those with financial barriers through their Colab. Golestan's Colab empowers and supports educators, parents, and community leaders to create their ideal learning environments for children by offering pro-bono consultancy and resources.  This includes the integration and application of hands-on and experiential learning practices and approaches, as well as best practices in language immersion and cultural education. One project the Colab is proud to support is the establishment of an after-school program for orphans and other disadvantaged children in Nepal through its partnership with Sunsar Maya, a San Francisco Based non-profit organization.

"We are committed to working with educators in their pursuit to enhance their language immersion and experiential programs," said Amir Kia, Chair of the Board of Directors. "Nothing makes us happier than supporting other educators, parents, and community leaders to create their ideal learning environments."

For more information visit www.golestankids.com.