In honor of Lunar New Year, which began on February 10, Rye Country Day hosted a variety of activities and lessons throughout the divisions to celebrate the Year of the Dragon. 

Lower Schoolers Share Their Traditions
In Lower School Community Meeting, students from different grades shared their experiences and favorite parts about the holiday with their peers and teachers, as well as their family traditions and customs. 

Middle School Chinese Language Students Teach 
In a cross-divisional collaboration, students from Grades 6, 7, and 8 in Dr. Huang’s Chinese Language Class visited the fourth-grade art room to teach calligraphy. During the session, students practiced writing Chinese character dragons and crafting their own Happy New Year messages. Additionally, they had the opportunity to paint their own dragons using the traditional Chinese brush style.

Upper School Community Meeting
Celebrations continued at the Upper School Community Meeting. Students from the Chinese Language Program brought the Lunar New Year to life with a vibrant showcase of cultural heritage.

The festivities kicked off with a spirited Lion Dance, followed by a dazzling QiPao fashion display, a skillful Nunchaku demonstration, and the lively 'Subject 3' dance, which has captured hearts online worldwide.

The AAPI club also took the opportunity to announce a series of engaging events for the week, including a dragon raffle, the exchange of kindness notes, dragon-themed origami sessions, and lantern crafting workshops.

Adding to the celebration, students with Chinese heritage put on a New Year Ensemble, featuring piano, clarinet, viola and drum; culminating in an exuberant dragon dance that infused the event with joy and tradition.

To top off the festivities, RCDS Parent Volunteers generously distributed red envelopes and traditional Lunar New Year treats –Wang Wang rice crackers and mandarin oranges–symbolizing prosperity and good fortune for the year ahead.

Thank you to our community for a beautiful celebration.