Studies on second language acquisition show that the earlier a child is exposed to instruction the more likely he or she will be successful in attaining high levels of proficiency. The author knew that if real change were going to take place in Linden, New Jersey, the ideas and beliefs that embody multiculturalism and multilingualism would have to be implemented much earlier in a student's academic career than now happened in their district. Language instruction would need to start in elementary school. With that notion, some encouragement from colleagues, and a gut feeling that her district was ready for change, she did what all first year supervisors are warned against--she knocked on the superintendent's door with her mission in mind and the latest research on foreign language learners gripped tightly in her clenched fist, ready to rock the proverbial boat. Thankfully, the superintendent listened with a sympathetic ear to her pleas for an elementary program, and offered a promise of support. In this article, the author describes how the public school district of Linden was able to create an elementary Italian program, one of few in the country, with the funding and support of the Italian-American Committee on Education (IACE) and the Italian Consulate.