Lunar New Year 2021

DaVinci students celebrated the Year of the Ox on February 12 by learning about the origins of this special day, holding a festive parade and making lucky gift boxes for each student. The Ox is the second animal of the zodiac and the Lunar New Year is celebrated by many cultures and countries such as China, Vietnam, Tibet and Korea.

The gift boxes were made by Level 3 students, who collaborated on what items would go inside and then worked together to construct a box for every child in the school. Some of the items inside included a red envelope with chocolate gold coin, a mandarin orange, a small ox figure and other goodies.

The highlight of the day was a colorful parade. Level 3 and Level K dressed up in traditional clothing and carried noisemakers around the campus while chanting, "Gong Hey Fat Choy!" to wish everyone a Happy New Year. Exiting from the back of the school, they paraded past the swimming pool, around the conference rooms and down the path to the fountains. Six-foot distances had already been marked in chalk along the sidewalk, where each student came to a stop in front of the school along the road. Here, they paused to make noise, wave their ribbons and sound their drums. Passersby were cheered by the sight and waved, called out or honked their horns.

The students then paraded past the school, the banquet hall, and returned to the back courtyard, happy and full of good cheer. A few members of the community along the way expressed their thankfulness for the students' joyful parade and let the staff know that seeing the childrens' enthusiasm raised their spirits.

Wishing everyone a prosperous, healthy and joyful 2021!