Middle and Upper School students recently participated in a Chinese New Year event, organized by their Mandarin teacher, Gina (Lanjing) Dong. The event, a ‘Dumpling Party’, was designed to introduce students to Chinese culture and food. Dong’s 8th grade and Upper School students shared their knowledge of Chinese culture with over 20 7th graders.
To prepare for the event, Dong worked with 7th grade Spanish teacher Mario Arango to include learning about the Chinese New Year. Many 7th graders were keen to join the Dumpling Party. At the event, students made dumplings, practiced Chinese calligraphy, made paper crafts with Chinese characters, and played games.
The event also had a prize draw, where students could win Chinese-themed gifts. To enter, students had to visit each station and get a stamp on their cards. The completed cards were then entered into the draw.
Upper School Mandarin students sang Chinese songs, adding to the festive mood. Dong provided Chinese candies and treats for everyone to enjoy with the dumplings they made.