three kids in nature on a field trip

Youth PRograms

Ace Afterschool

Our Academic and Cultural Excellence (ACE) afterschool program is a Chinese language immersive enrichment that provides students with an amazing opportunity to expand their language capabilities, while learning and celebrating Chinese culture.

ACE is designed to excite Cantonese or Mandarin language in young learners. For either track, our cultural scholars explore four aspects of learning the Chinese language: Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing. Mastering the language is measured by monthly goal setting and achieved through collective learning, experiential activities, and engaging daily lessons and practice.

Highlights

Program Details

Location

Hours & Fees

Apply

FAQ

  • Bilingual Cantonese or Mandarin lessons

  • Dual Language Homework Support

  • Thematic Enrichment Activities in STEAM, language, and culture

  • Daily outdoor experiences at Golden Gate Park

  • Cooking classes, where youth will eat food they make themselves

  • Reading Buddies program with the Sunset Library

  • Walking escort to Wah Mei from Jefferson Elementary

Program Structure

Wah Mei staff will provide homework support, outdoor time, snacks, and thematic enrichment activities.


Outdoor Time

Our program will have trips to Mother’s Meadow located at (573 Martin Luther King Jr Dr, San Francisco, CA 94122) which is within walking distance of Wah Mei School. At the park, children will have time for free play and scheduled activities.


What type of activities are planned?

Our curriculum is designed around themes that keep kids interested and building skills around a specific topic. Activities include STEM projects, community building, Chinese language and culture, arts and crafts, games, and songs.


Chinese Learning Component

Participants will become familiar with Chinese vocabulary, characters, and speaking practice related to everyday use. Activities and day to day instructions will be led in English and Cantonese or English and Mandarin based on the language track you have chosen, participants will be encouraged to practice speaking Chinese though no prior Chinese language experience is necessary. We will have monthly goals and evaluations divided into four components: speaking, listening, writing, and reading Chinese which we aim for our participants to improve on, over time.

Cooking Classes

The ACE Afterschool Program and 19th Avenue Baptist Church partner up for fun monthly cooking lessons for our participants. The Church has agreed to lend their facilities to us so that we can make use of their kitchen. 19th Avenue Baptist Church is located on 1370 19th Avenue.


Library Visits

The ACE Afterschool Program does occasional library visits. Participants will visit the library for story time, reading with their buddies, and engage in scheduled activities provided by Vinnie the Librarian. We invite our participants to bring their library card if they would like to borrow books during our time there.

Classroom Ratio

We will have multiple groups with a ratio of 1 adult to 20 children.


Contact Information:

For general questions please email ace@wahmei.org. All other questions can be directed to our Main Office line at (415) 665-4212.

Location

1555 Irving St. Building

1555 Irving Street (cross street 17th Avenue)
San Francisco, CA 94122

(415) 603-2409

Our new location features 6 rooms, a community space, and a reception area. We look forward to welcoming our new participants in this space, as we have been busy working on getting the space ready with everything they will need to be successful.

This program follows the SFUSD school calendar for holidays and closures.

Afterschool Regular Hours (2:30pm – 6pm)

Monthly Plan Bundle Price *
5 days of regular afterschool hours $445
3 days regular afterschool hours $355

Afterschool Early-start Hours (2:00 pm – 6:00 pm, 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm Wednesdays)

Plan Bundle Price *
5 days of early-start afterschool hours $500
3 days early-start afterschool hours $445

* Fees Subject to Change

2024-2025: Open Enrollment right now!

If you are interested in applying to our ACE Afterschool Program for 2025 and beyond, please fill out the interest form.

“Today, our four kids have varying degrees of ties to their Chinese heritage and culture. All four kids are in their 30s and they still can speak Cantonese, with varying skills in terms of pronunciation and vocabulary. Wah Mei is amazing. Its success and endurance never ceases to amaze me.”


— Martin King, Board Member & Advisor

  • The  ACE Afterschool program serves Kindergarten children to 5th graders. We will not be able to serve children who are in TK (transitional kindergarten).

  • In this program we will prioritize enrollment for:

    • Families who are enrolled in Wah Mei programs this year or last 

    • Siblings of enrolled students

    • Families who need financial assistance

    We will do our best to serve as many families as possible.

  • Financial aid can be made available. To see if you qualify for assistance please first contact the Children's Council. The Children's Council helps families pay for childcare programs such as ours. Resource and Referral counselors available:

    Mon – Thu 8:30 AM – 4 PM; Fri 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM

    Resource and Referral Line: (415) 343-3300 rr@childrenscouncil.org

    If Children’s Council is not an option for you, please contact us at ace@wahmei.org

  • Payment will be processed upon official acceptance into the program. Payments can be made by check, cash, or credit card. The tuition fees for August will be prorated and combined with September’s tuition fees. Participants can join the program at any time and we will prorate based on your child/children’s start date.

  • The class groupings will depend on registration. We will do our best to divide groups by grade.

  • The program will provide snacks such as fruits, crackers, yogurt, and cheese every day. All snacks will be nut free. Please include food allergy information on your application. Participants are expected to bring their own water bottle. We will have water available for our participants to refill on site.

  • The ACE Afterschool program will begin at 2:00 PM which is the time parents/guardians can begin to drop off their child/children. Please note the program activities ends at 5:30 PM and participants will be engaged in activities until that time. Pick up time is from 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM. Late fees will accrue every minute after 6:00 PM at $5 per minute.

    For students who attend Jefferson Elementary, we will be able to pick them up from school and walk them to site. Families with students who attend other schools are still welcome to join the afterschool program but would need to arrange their own transportation to Wah Mei School.

  • Any authorized person over the age of 16. Parents/guardians must include all authorized family members on the registration form. Please email ace@wahmei.org to add or update the authorized persons pick up list.

    Please note for participants attending Jefferson or Alice Fong Yu Elementary schools, contact information may be shared with the school to ensure safety of pick up and drop off for all ACE Program participants. By signing up for this program you are agreeing to share this information.

  • Due to the ever-changing circumstances of the pandemic as it relates to our ACE Afterschool Program and all other programs, Wah Mei School is committed to implementing the necessary Health and Safety Guidelines for our staff and families in accordance with the San Francisco Department of Public Health. This program will continue to follow the SF Department of Public Health guidelines which may be subject to change.

  • Children should be kept home if they exhibit any of the following symptoms: fever, chills, or repeated shaking/shivering, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, feeling unusually weak or fatigued, loss of taste or smell, muscle pain, headache, runny or congested nose, or diarrhea. Please contact us at ace@wahmei.org if your child will not be in attendance. For children who are ill during the program, staff will call the parent/guardian for pick up. Any emergencies will be handled accordingly to ensure the health of the child.