World languages classes celebrate Chinese New Year

Throughout the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District, Mandarin students engaged in a variety of activities to celebrate the Year of the Tiger.

The Chinese New Year is the most important and widely celebrated festival in China.

“To recognize the festival, Sanford H. Calhoun High School and Grand Avenue Middle School Mandarin students decorated their classrooms and doorways with red-paper cuttings, handmade paper firecrackers and spring couplets,” explained Renee Owenburge, a world languages chairperson. “They learned a traditional New Year song, completed a Year of the Tiger zodiac activity, practiced calligraphy, and created and exchanged red envelopes and best wishes for the New Year.”

“At Merrick Avenue Middle School, students learned about the cultural traditions of the holiday and engaged in tiger paper cutting, Chinese calligraphy and making red envelopes for gift giving,” added Rosa Kaplan, a world languages chairperson.

They also decorated the hallways with handmade lanterns to make the whole building festive. 

Mandarin students at Wellington C. Mepham High School decorated the hallways and classrooms with handmade lanterns and posters. In class, students watched authentic videos and made traditional red envelopes. John F. Kennedy High School students also learned about the holiday, watched videos and made red envelopes.

World Languages teachers Dr. Hui Chen, Helen Han and Lydia Qiu shared these Chinese traditions with students. 

Courtesy Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District; compiled by Jordan Vallone.