When Nicole Chaudry moved from Europe to the U.S., she knew that the transition would come with its share of challenges. However, she was also confident that her multicultural, multilingual upbringing had given her valuable skills – such as cognitive flexibility, cultural awareness and the ability to adapt anywhere in the world – that would ease the process. By Tamara Rahoumi
One Mother’s Vision Becomes a Global Legacy
When Nicole Chaudry moved from Europe to the U.S., she knew that the transition would come with its share of challenges. However, she was also confident that her multicultural, multilingual upbringing had given her valuable skills – such as cognitive flexibility, cultural awareness and the ability to adapt anywhere in the world – that would ease the process.
As someone who experienced firsthand how valuable being multilingual is, Chaudry was eager for her son to grow up with that same opportunity. But in the U.S., where multilingual immersion wasn’t as woven into daily life as it had been abroad, that goal required a far more intentional approach. She began looking for schools where language immersion was part of the curriculum, but she kept coming up short. When she couldn’t find what she was looking for, she decided to take matters into her own hands.
“I have a corporate background – I worked as a recruiter and HR manager – and with that business background in mind, I started looking into what it would take to get a school like this started myself,” said Chaudry. “Then, I began taking classes in education, got my degree in early childhood education and blended that with my business experience.”
In 2015, Chaudry opened the first WorldKids® School. What began as a deeply personal project for her son quickly resonated with other families.
“From day one, we were so busy we couldn’t even serve everyone,” she said.
Her vision was simple but powerful: a full-immersion program in Spanish or Mandarin paired with mixed-age classrooms inspired by Montessori philosophies. Children learn naturally through play, music, stories and daily routines, all in the target language. According to Chaudry, this approach not only accelerates language acquisition but also builds empathy, adaptability and confidence.
“It changes the path for children,” she said. “They develop cognitively, socially and emotionally in ways that give them a real head start in life.”
As the school flourished, parents and teachers began approaching Chaudry about opening their own locations.
“I realized I could take what worked for my son and help other entrepreneurs bring it to children across the country,” she said. “It was about creating something that lasts – a legacy.”
Today, WorldKids School operates as both a thriving educational model and a close-knit franchise network, and Chaudry remains hands-on with every new location.
“Because we’re an emerging brand, I can still give a lot of personal attention,” she explained. “We’re there for site selection, pre-opening, post-opening – whatever they need.”
In the end, Chaudry has built something more far-reaching than she could have imagined.
“You’re shaping lives, and futures,” she said. “And the impact doesn’t stop at the classroom – it ripples out into families, communities and even across the world.”
Chaudry’s journey is proof that one determined mother can change the course of countless lives. What began as a way to prepare her own child for the world has become a movement that’s preparing future generations, and it all started with her unwillingness to settle for anything less than the future she imagined.
Tamara Rahoumi