The Chinese Community is at Home in Scarsdale

Judging from the number of new faces in the schools and around town, it appears that the Chinese population is on the rise in Scarsdale. According to the 2010 census, about 5.9% of the total population is of Chinese origin and the numbers seem to be growing each year.

From the information provided by the Scarsdale Chinese Association (SCA), the majority of these new residents came to the States as college or graduate school students many years ago. Upon graduation, they started working in various companies and eventually settled down in the US. Many have lived here for more than a decade and are naturalized U.S. citizens. They are professors, finance whizzes, doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs, and professionals from all walks of life. Job opportunities brought them to the New York area, and when it was time to raise their families, they came to Scarsdale for the same reasons that many young parents choose to relocate here: easy commute, nationally renowned schools and the close proximity to the city. There is access to the rich cultural life in Manhattan and its an easy trip to Chinatowns in Manhattan, Flushing Queens, and 8th Ave Brooklyn.

We spoke with several members of the Scarsdale Chinese Association including Claire He, Rita Pan, Vivian Lin, Sharine Chen, Laura Liu and Julie Zhu. They all have children in the school system, ranging from elementary to high school. On average they have lived in Scarsdale for five years. They are actively involved in the community working on the PTAs, SBNC, multicultural committees and the Boy Scouts and are passionate about issues surrounding the curriculum and STEM projects.

Scarsdale Chinese Association (SCA) chair Claire He commented, "The SCA members love Scarsdale as our adopted home, and are making every effort to contribute to the schools and community."

Vivian Lin added, "In addition to the excellent school systems, Scarsdale is a well-established community that shares our values including a focus on education and family. With the open atmosphere here in Scarsdale, Chinese Americans have opportunities to contribute and to have their voices heard."

While most of the Chinese families are professionals who moved here in the past ten years, there are also long-time residents with grown or college-age children. They are the "pioneers" and share their local knowledge with their younger neighbors. Occasionally, some families move here directly from China. As a new economic powerhouse, China has produced many successful business owners and professionals who want to seek new opportunities for themselves and their children. There are similar trends in top school districts in California and Boston area as well.

Since the children of the mothers we interviewed were born in the U.S., the kids are American citizens who speak fluent English. In order for the children to learn their native tongue, many attend weekend Chinese schools just like some local kids go to the Hebrew school. At the weekend school they practice language and also learn about Chinese culture. The largest Chinese School in the area conducts lessons every Sunday morning at the White Plains High School. It is a well-organized volunteer-run organization that serves more than 600 students --and many Scarsdale moms are actively involved in its operations.

Mandarin is now taught as a language course at Scarsdale High School and some parents are advocating for it to be added to the Middle School curriculum as well. Superintendent Thomas Hagerman said that the administration will consider the pros and cons of adding Mandarin to the Middle School curriculum.

Some Chinese families include grandparents who live with their children and grandchildren, and can often be seen bringing the children to school. The tradition comes from the Asian cultures, where seniors are highly respected and multi-generational families are common. While adult children bear responsibility for taking care of their elderly parents, Chinese grandparents, many who are highly educated, contribute by taking care of their grandchildren. The Scarsdale Senior Club is popular with the older set and meets at the Scarsdale Library.  Chinese seniors can network, celebrate holidays and enjoy each other's company at these meetings.

Where does the community shop to find authentic Asian ingredients? H Mart in Hartsdale and Kam Sam in White Plains are among the most popular Asian grocery stores here. Residents also travel to Flushing, Queens to shop. Local Asian fusion restaurants are also patronized by the Chinese community.

Given the large number of young Chinese professionals working in the New York metro area and their focus on educating their children, the women we spoke to believe that the Chinese population will continue to grow in Scarsdale. One SCA member said, "As long as Scarsdale's school district (amid ongoing and unprecedented pressure from the state) continues to strive for excellence, maintains its independence and global outlook, there is no reason why Scarsdale won't continue to attract like-minded families."