(Charley B., Claudia K., Amiya T/Media and Staff)
Tuesday, February 1, was Lunar New Year, ringing in the Year of the Water Tiger, which occurs every sixty years and represents strength and bravery. Although the holiday is often called “Chinese New Year,” Lunar New Year celebrations can be found across countless East and Southeast Asian countries, including South Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, and Indonesia. Families worldwide celebrate reunion and rebirth by decorating their homes with traditional tassels and lanterns and opening red envelopes that relatives often fill with money.
The United States celebrates Lunar New Year annually by millions of Asian-Americans nationwide, and Columbus is no exception. On February 1, Asian American Community Services, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering Asian Americans and Asian immigrant families in Ohio, hosted a celebration, and Columbus State Community College held a cooking event where attendees were taught the inner workings of Lunar New Year cuisine.
Here at Academy, student and faculty leaders have gone beyond to promote an engaging and exciting Lunar New Year experience for each member of our community.
CA’s celebration kicked off during the weekend of January 29-30. Parents and students brought the tradition of Lunar New Year home decoration with symbols of luck, which is intended to bring good fortune for the entire year to our communal spaces. Volunteers adorned the dining hall, senior lounge, upper school hallways, and many more campus locations with red and gold, colors traditionally associated with good luck and auspiciousness. Chinese candies such as White Rabbit—delicious, chewy treats—were positioned around the Upper School for Vikings of all grades to enjoy as they entered school on Monday morning.
On Tuesday, February 2, EAST leaders (East Asian Students Together) Chris S, Fletcher S, Janet L, Andrea C, and faculty advisors Dr. Yan and Dr. Yang planned a competitive and creative advisory challenge to encourage Upper Schoolers to appreciate Lunar New Year.
Each advisory was tasked with decorating a poster-board incorporating themes of the Lunar New Year, such as red and gold colors, tassels, and Chinese characters. Decoration supplies were packed in envelopes personally decorated by Upper School Chinese classes. Every student also received special red envelopes filled with gifts and sweets. EAST leaders and advisors will judge the posters on Friday, February 4, and the advisory group with the most successful posters in each grade will be awarded a fully catered Chinese lunch.
The winning advisories will be announced at the Lunar New Year assembly, which will take place on Monday, February 7. Along with winner announcements, the assembly will feature various performances and speeches delivered by students within the Chinese department.
These fantastic events were made possible by the impressive work done by the Chinese Department, Dr. Yan, Dr. Yang, Dr. Losambe, Dr. Yan, Mr. Thompson, Upper School Chinese students, the EAST leadership team, and the students and parents who dedicated their weekend to carefully and beautifully decorating our spaces.
Their efforts have brought us all good luck for the new year to come.
Xīnnián hǎo (新年好), Saehae bok mani badeuseyo, (새해 복 많이 받으세요), Chúc mừng năm mới, or happy new year!
