Rancho San Joaquin Middle School community ushers in the Year of the Rabbit

Parents and staff members recently joined students from Rancho San Joaquin Middle School’s inaugural Chinese language class to celebrate the Chinese New Year. 

Students had devoted more than a week to researching the holiday, creating special displays and designing invitations that were hand-delivered to Rancho staff members, according to teacher Joy Chao. Their hard work paid off on Feb. 3, as they presented their Chinese New Year celebration for the entire school community, successfully ushering in the Year of the Rabbit.  “This is the first year we’re celebrating the Chinese New Year at our school, and it’s a great tradition to start here at Rancho,” said Mrs. Embree, the Algebra teacher.  Parents assisted with decorations in Rancho’s spacious multi-purpose room. They also made pot stickers – which symbolize Chinese gold nuggets – for the students. 

“It was a lot of work but we had so much fun,” said Megan Ling, a student from the class.  “One of the main objectives of this activity is to make students understand how certain practices are manifested in the Chinese society,” said Ms. Chao. “In turn, they realize the importance of exploring and respecting other cultures as well as the American culture they live in." "That’s why we learn a foreign language," she added, "to pique our curiosity about the culture behind the language.”  The celebration ended with the principal, Scott Bowman, congratulating students on their successful event – and encouraging them to keep up the good work in the New Year.