Press Release: Wah Mei School Celebrates 50th Anniversary

By Sunset Beacon on January 18, 2024 • ( Leave a comment )

From Wah Mei School:

Wah Mei Marks its 50th Anniversary With an Open House

Wah Mei opened its doors to the public on Wednesday, Jan. 17, to mark its 50th anniversary and showcase its newly renovated facility at 1400 Judah St.

Wah Mei school is one of the first and oldest organizations to offer bilingual education and care to San Francisco families.

More than 100 individuals, including Wah Mei families, local residents, community partners and local officials were on hand to help the organization commemorate the day California accepted its application to be an incorporated business.

SF Mayor London Breed helped Wah Mei School officials and local community leaders cut the ceremonial 50th anniversary cake celebrating the school’s five decades of serving the community. Left to right: **Jenny Lam, commissioner, Board of Education**; **Alan Wong, president, Community College Board**; **Supervisor Joel Engardio, District 4**; **Norman Yee, former president, SF Board of Supervisors, District 7**; **Superior Court Judge Lillian Sing (Ret.), founder of Wah Mei**; SF Mayor London Breed; Ben Wong, executive director, Wah Mei; and **Gabi Wu, president, Wah Mei Board of Directors**. *Photo by William Zhou*, ***courtesy of Wah Mei School.***

The newly renovated site will allow for additional classroom space for preschool-aged children, and more space for community events. Wah Mei currently serves more than 500 children (ages 0-17 years) through its daycare, after-school care, seasonal camps and Chinese language classes.

Wah Mei’s Executive Director Ben Wong explained that one aspect that sets the organization apart from others is its commitment to ensuring bilingual care and education is accessible to all families regardless of income level.

“Fifty years ago we were fortunate to have been given the opportunity to carry out our organization’s belief that quality bilingual education and care should be affordable and accessible to all families,” Wong said. “Our celebration of this milestone demonstrates the value this community holds in the bilingual model of teaching and learning.”

Though Wah Mei has a long history serving youth and children, it has also recently extended its programming to address the concerns and needs of the larger community.

“Wah Mei has served this community for a half century,” said Gabi Wu, board president of Wah Mei. “The organization is poised to do more and has done so by offering classes to community residents, addressing anti-Asian hate and neighborhood safety, as well as helping maintain the cultural identity of the Sunset District.”

Mayor London Breed was also on hand to proclaim Jan. 17, 2024, as “Wah Mei Day” and offer her remarks.

“Today’s celebration of its 50th anniversary and the open house truly demonstrate the foresight of those who came before us and planted the seeds for the future of our children,” Breed said. “I applaud Wah Mei School’s current leaders who continue to plant even more seeds for the growth and development of our children, families, the neighborhoods they serve and our City. San Francisco is committed to supporting their work and all early educators through our measures, resources and initiatives. We take this valuable opportunity to honor this institution’s endless dedication to serving and providing a supportive community for all San Franciscans.”

Learn more about Wah Mei School at https://www.wahmei.org.