On September 28th, 2024, BCNC Acorn Center for Early Education & Care celebrated its 50th anniversary. The event brought together current and former staff and participants, as well as community partners to reflect on half a century of impactful dual language Chinese and English early education and dedicated service to immigrant families.

Founded in 1974, BCNC Acorn Center for Early Education and Care was established to meet the needs of local families. For 50 years, it has offered full-day, dual-language education and care in Chinese and English for children aged 15 months to 5 years. Under the guidance of experienced teachers and leaders trained in early childhood education, BCNC Acorn became nationally accredited, licensed and contracted by the state to provide care to low-income families, and expanded to offer pre-kindergarten education in partnership with Boston Public Schools.

BCNC CEO Ben Hires opened the event with a heartfelt acknowledgment of the dedicated staff and teachers who have made BCNC Acorn a welcoming community for children of immigrant families: “Over the last 50 years so many children and staff have made Acorn a vibrant and wonderful place. Acorn was the first BCNC program to reopen in-person in July 2020 to provide care and education for children of first responders and those who had no work from home options. I want to especially call out and honor all our teachers, staff, cooks, and operations team that keep the program running.”

Photo Credit: Andrew Chen

We also honored Master Teacher and Assistant Director, Lai Chan for 43 years of teaching at BCNC. [Read more about her journey.] Her commitment and lasting impact on children and families was recognized by City of Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn. Lai Chan’s niece shared about her aunt in a heartfelt speech.

“I witnessed first-hand how she has touched the lives of countless children and families over the years. She is passionate about her work, not just because it’s her job, but because she genuinely cares about people. Many of her friends and colleagues call her “Si Fu”, which means master, because of her wisdom and mentorship. Lai is not just an incredible teacher – she is a leader and a pillar of the Chinatown community.” - Melissa Li

We extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who joined us for this special occasion and to those who contributed to our program. Your support helps us continue to provide essential services to the Greater Boston Asian community for many more years to come.