In honor of Lunar New Year, Lower School's Student Activities Leadership Council (SALC) put on their annual assembly that included an educational video about Lunar New Year traditions created by Middle School student government, and a dragon dance performance. 

This year, the council paraded across the Westridge campus for every division to see. In Chinese culture, dragon dances are believed to frighten away evil spirits and bad luck, and bring fortune. The pearl (held by the performer in the front) represents the wisdom the dragon chases throughout the dance. Check out the parade on our Instagram!

Middle School Mandarin Teacher Lily Shang had her 8th graders design and create Chinese lanterns with help from STEAMWorks Design Coordinator Mick Lorusso. Shang said she wanted students to understand the meaning of the lantern, what celebrations it is used in, how the shape and material has changed from ancient to modern times, and more.

And this week on Westridge campus, the Main Hall and Mudd are beautifully decorated in honor of Lunar New Year.

Two projects—including the lanterns pictured and described above—from Shang's 8th grade students adorn the Main Hall. For the second project, students created Chinese New Year reunion dinner plates. Using things like yarn, paper, and tissue, they shaped the materials into food. One student, for example, folded paper into a fish because "eating fish represents surplus luck & happiness!" Others included dumplings, which symbolize wealth and prosperity. See more photos here.

To all those who celebrate, we wish you a happy new year and wonderful Year of the Tiger!