Rabun Gap celebrates Lunar New Year

Rabun Gap celebrated Lunar New Year with a variety of activities across campus on Friday. February 16, bringing our students and faculty together to share culture. Everyone was encouraged to wear red to celebrate. 

 

At the Middle School, Ms. Kathy Corey's art students worked on a dragon, which they paraded around the school at the start of each class period. Middle School Mandarin teacher Mr. Corey Heselton and his wife/Lower School Mandarin teacher Ms. Jenny Wang, led students at the Middle School in dumpling making. Fifth-graders from the Lower School also joined in on the fun. Throughout the day, Middle Schoolers streamed the Lunar New Year gala from China, and also enjoyed games, paper cutting, and traditional Chinese cuisine for lunch.

Ms. Wang has been teaching our Lower School students about the Lunar New Year. They have been working on crafts, learning traditional songs and dances, and playing the Red Envelope game. 

Manadarin teacher Ms. Yujuan Zhang organized Lunar New Year celebrations for our Upper School students. During morning classes and tutorials, students made dumplings in the dining hall. Ms. Zhang's classroom was transformed into a festive Lunar New Year celebration, complete with a photo booth with masks created by Manadarin students. 

Lunar New Year is the most important and most festive holiday of the year in China and other Asian cultures. With a calendar dating from the third millennium BCE, the Chinese people have for thousands of years been building on ancient customs of New Year celebrations.  2018 marks the Year of the Dog. 

Check out the videos below, created by Ms. Wang!