The Purple School

"Mbahasa Melayu, a Malaysian language, has different words signifying several degrees of saltiness (for example, as salty as soy sauce, as salty as sea water, as salty as salt, and horribly salty). Speakers of this language can make finer distinctions about how much salt is in a solution than can English speakers tasting the same solution. Thus an extra language may actually influence our senses in subtle ways, causing us to experience the world a little more discerningly." -- Living Language, a Random House Company

The Purple School was founded in 2001 by Joyce Nadolny Shui in order to support and sustain bilingualism among children. Joyce's (then three-year-old) daughter named the school the "Purple School," and the rest is history.

In raising her own children with and around multiple languages (English, Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, and Spanish), Joyce realized that lifelong bilingualism would depend on early childhood access.

Starting with one classroom (in Bellevue, WA) and one language (Chinese) in 2001, The Purple School continues to expand with more classes, more languages, and more languages. The Purple School has taught nine languages with a presence in four states now. It is Joyce's hope that increased access to bilingualism will increase children's potential and and also create a more tolerant, understanding world where all cultures are valued and embraced.