Gung hay fat choy
February 2, 2009
By Christopher Huber
Rachel Carson Elementary first grader Jake Oveson took the lead as the dragon’s head in the school’s first Chinese New Year parade Jan. 28.Photo by Christopher Huber
Students, teachers and parents lined the hallways of Rachel Carson Elementary Jan. 28 to celebrate the Chinese New Year. They were anticipating the emergence of a fiery dragon from the first-grade wing. Some adults held their cameras poised as children sat cross-legged on the floor and waited for their friends and siblings to parade in front of them.
All four first-grade classes at Carson took part in the school’s first Chinese New Year celebration. It is the Year of the Ox and the new year celebration began officially on Jan. 26.
“It’s something that the kids remember every year and the other classes look forward to,” said first grade teacher Sharilynn Luck, the organizing teacher for the event. “It’s just to introduce the students to a new culture and a new cultural holiday.” The highlight of the parade, based on the many cries of excitement, was the colorful, ornate paper dragon, which came at the end of the parade to scare away all the bad luck and evil spirits that may come in the new year.
The beast stood about three feet tall and 25 feet long and followed Mrs. Brown’s students, who wore dragon masks. Other students led the parade, toting festive posters and chanting “gung hay fat choy,” which means, “wishing you prosperity.” Students in Mrs. Hart’s class carried lanterns.
The parade was the cap on a two-week project, where students learned about Chinese culture and the significance of the new-year celebration, which lasts 15 days.
First-grader Ben Allwright was one of the 18 students who made up the slithering dragon. He said his favorite part of the project was, “that everyone was clapping for the dragon. I like the parts when the dragon comes. It’s cool.”
Luck, who is Chinese-American, said she has organized the festivities with her students since 1990, while teaching in New York. She also taught the cultural unit at Samantha Smith Elementary from 2001-2008.
During the unit, students spent 30 minutes to an hour each day making the dragon and parade props, reading books about Chinese New Year and preparing reports to share with other Carson students.
Reporter Christopher Huber can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 242, or chuber@isspress.com. To comment on this story, visit www.sammamishreview.com.
Comments
Got something to say?
Before you comment, please note:
- These comments are moderated.
- Comments should be relevant to the topic at hand and contribute to its discussion.
- Personal attacks and/or excessive profanity will not be tolerated and such comments will not be approved.
- This is not your personal chat room or forum, so please stay on topic.
