More schools offer Chinese to children.

More schools teach Chinese

MASON - China's expanding global reach is taking hold in the classrooms of Greater Cincinnati as more schools are offering courses to teach Chinese.

And some schools are reaching halfway around the world to learn more about Chinese language and culture - and to recruit teachers.

Next school year, the Mason school district will join a small but growing list of area schools adding Chinese to the traditional menu of Spanish, French and German offered at most public schools.

"We are very excited to be able to offer this," said Nicole Huelsman, an assistant principal at Mason High School. "With China accounting for about 21 percent of the world's population, it is necessary to look in this direction."