Our History
Our story began in the summer of 2020. A group of highly-trained language educators came together and established We As One Camp, a world language and culture program for Kindergarten to 8th grade students, offering a high-quality immersion experience in oral proficiency, cultural dialogues, and hands-on activities. Students engage with diverse instructors, collaborate with peers from other world language programs and heritage families, and interact with guest speakers with a variety of backgrounds.
The camp emphasizes language acquisition while fostering meaningful conversations on topics like race, identity, diversity, inclusion and belonging. Our goal is to use language and culture as a bridge and a window to provide real-life learning opportunities for young students to experience and discuss things that can sometimes be sensitive and difficult to talk about in a safe environment. All of the courageous conversations are done through social justice themed literature, personal stories shared by adults and peers, and open-ended discussions suitable for the student's cognitive development level.
Through our journey with We As One Camp, we recognized that many world language teachers are first-generation immigrants whose life experiences often differ from those of their students. To effectively educate students on culture and identity, we believe it is vital to grow alongside them and their families.
In March 2024, We As One Education was officially established to expand our mission. We continue to deliver high-quality world language and culture curricula and create meaningful language-to-community programs. Our organization also aim to advocate for world language teachers, help sustain language programs, and provide educators with professional development in intercultural competence and career growth. Additionally, we establish affinity groups to foster networking opportunities and build a strong sense of community for teachers and families alike.
OUR COMMITMENT
At We As One, cultivating a sense of belonging and inclusiveness is at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to building a welcoming and affirming community where all students, educators and families feel seen, valued, and supported.
As part of this commitment, we actively support equity-driven initiatives across Minnesota. In our first five years, We As One Camp has proudly contributed over $16,400 of camp proceeds to local organizations advancing equity - particularly those serving under-resourced Asian communities and supporting educators.
In our first year operating under We As One Education in 2024, approximately 5.8% of our students with needs attended camp free-of-charge with the support of the We As One Summer Camp Scholarship, reflecting our dedication to expanding access and opportunity for all learners.
If you are interested in hearing more about our programs, please connect with us here.
our impact
We provide summer camp scholarship for students who need financial aid. Some of those fundings are from our partnership with Asian Media Access and Minnesota Office of Higher Education . For more information on how to apply for our camp scholarship, please read 2025 We As One Scholarship Policy.
Click our reports below to see our impact in the past years!
We As One Education Nonprofit Fiscal Year Reports:
We As One Education Camp Reports:
