Students Welcome the Lunar New Year with Joy, Tradition, and Festive Spirit!
Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, marks the beginning of the lunar calendar. It is one of the most important and widely celebrated holidays in many Asian cultures.
Each year corresponds to an animal from the Chinese zodiac, rotating through a 12-year cycle. The Year of the Snake began on January 29, symbolizing rebirth, regeneration, and the pursuit of love and happiness. Students and teachers from Isaac E. Young Middle School and Daniel Webster Elementary School marked the occasion with celebratory activities.
Guided by Mandarin teacher Mengmeng Xiao, students participated in a variety of activities to honor the festive occasion. They practiced calligraphy and wrote Spring Festival couplets that conveyed their hopes and wishes for the new year. Students also embraced their creativity by crafting paper snakes, carefully drawing their heads and tails, and creating the bodies using traditional cutting techniques. To round out the celebration, the students learned and performed the song “Happy New Year to You” in Mandarin.
Middle school students were treated to a hands-on culinary experience as they prepared and tasted traditional Lunar New Year food—dumplings—a symbol of good luck and prosperity.
As part of the celebration, each student received a red envelope from their teachers, a gesture that symbolizes blessings for a prosperous and joyful year ahead.
This event was made possible by the generous support of the New Rochelle Fund for Excellence.