Alice Boucher Elementary School offers Mandarin Chinese

Being bilingual will give children a better understanding of linguistics, give them a more worldly view in a changing international world and allow them to receive better jobs in the future, the panelists said.

"The benefits of immersion are great. Our immersion students usually do as well - but mostly better - than regular (education) students on standardized tests,"

About two dozen parents interested in enrolling their children in French, Spanish and the new Mandarin Chinese immersion programs attended the informational session Thursday at the Clifton Chenier Center.

Starting next year, Alice Boucher Elementary School will start offering Mandarin Chinese Immersion, which experts said could put children at a strong advantage in the future as China emerges as an economic leader.