Despite extreme weather forcing Jesuit Dallas to close for nearly a week, the Chinese Club persisted with their plans to host a celebration for the Chinese New Year. On February 5, the Chinese Club hosted a Lunar New Year event to celebrate the beginning of the lunar cycle, allowing students to share in the festivities. The festivities included a variety of events, ranging from dragon dances to dumplings. The Lunar New Year event was considered a tremendous success. Following the event, I had the opportunity to interview Ms. Lu (Chinese Club Moderator), Peter Loh ‘24 (Chinese Club President), and many other students and faculty members.
INTERVIEW WITH MS. LU
How were last year’s Lunar New Year celebrations different from this year’s?
In the past Lunar New Year events, we asked SAGE to help make food. This included dumplings, spring rolls, and more. We had booths set up in the cafeteria and hallways to advertise and give out food. I thought the old events were great. However, I feel that I preferred this year’s event, especially with the tai chi, lion dances, and games.
How did COVID change your preparation method for the Lunar New Year celebration?
Before the celebration, we had workshops and knowledge sessions designed to help club students learn more about the celebration’s history and importance. After COVID, we posted resources (videos and articles) for our club members and hosted a competition. This competition was a list of questions about the Lunar New Year, with the student answering the most effective winning a reward.
As a moderator, how did you prepare for the Lunar New Year event?
So, I have a group of students helping me run the Chinese Club. On a weekly basis, leading up to the event, I meet with Club President Peter Loh and three other student leaders to discuss preparations. We discussed who will run the advertisements and decorations, as well as writing invitation letters to club members’ parents to come and join us. Also, I went around and talked with many teachers about the Lunar New Year celebration, and I got many to join on that day.
Also, I had to contact the vendors and work on our club’s budget. The Chinese Club does not have a budget. But, we can request money from the Student Council to fund our events. Annually, STUCO sponsors us for the festival celebration.
What are some smaller events that the Chinese Club has conducted this year?
Because I feel like the leadership group this year is so strong, I want to have more activities for the students. Last year, the Chinese Club’s main events were the Mid-Autumn Festival and the Lunar New Year celebration. In addition, throughout this school year, we had chopstick competitions, tea tastings, and Chinese chess sessions. In the future, we would like to have more activities for the school and club members. Usually, we would send messages about upcoming events to our club members and encourage them to come and join us.
INTERVIEW WITH PETER LOH (CLUB PRESIDENT)
As club president, how did you plan out and organize this event?
We planned the Lunar New Year celebration a few months ago. Due to learning a lot from senior members like Joshua Lim last year, I believed that I was able to effectively organize and plan out this celebration. So, in December, I started to meet with Ms. Lu and club leaders on a weekly basis. Ms. Lu efficiently managed all of the tasks we needed to complete. Specifically, these tasks included a funding request from the student council, ordering food from a local café, scheduling the lion dance and gong fu activities, and all promotional activities required. Also, I prepared a speech to read as the commencement of the event, as well as working with club leaders and members to advertise across the school.
Are you planning on initiating any events in the future?
Yes, we are planning for future events. The one coming up is the Chinese spring dragon boat festival. There would be ornate and elaborate boats constructed to sail on rivers during competitions. The Chinese Club will probably find some way to celebrate this festival without the boats of course. Additionally, we plan to host smaller-scale activities accessible by the Chinese Club and faculty.
STUDENT & FACULTY THOUGHTS
“The celebration today was quite fun. I believe that the food was the best part of the celebration. Specifically, I enjoyed the dumplings and spring rolls.” – Matthew Chu ‘23, Senior Member of the Chinese Club
“It was great to see many people come together as a community.” – Augustine Matula ‘24, Chinese Club member
“Personally, I think it was a great way to immerse and experience Chinese culture without actually having to travel to China.” Sebastian Suwanda ‘26, Chinese Club member
“The activities were amazing. The dances were mesmerizing. The egg rolls were delectable.” – Jacob Morales ‘24
“Being allowed to perform the dragon dance was special to me. I definitely had a great time performing with Peter.” – Drew Noonan ‘24
“One of the most interesting things was the tai chi dance. I even recorded a whole video of the instructor and students performing the movements.” – Henry Casey ‘24
“I enjoyed watching fellow sophomore Leo Ramirez perform the dragon dance.” – Luke Lastelick ‘25
“I enjoyed watching the lion dances and musical performances. Also, it’s good to see students participate and truly enjoy the celebration.” – Mr. Wood
Overall, the Lunar New Year event will go down as one of the most memorable hallmarks of this school year.
Stay tuned to The Roundup for more news of schoolwide community events!
