Exchange teacher Min Haiwei received a CLP grant to increase exposure and understanding of Chinese culture in his host community of Cumberland, Maryland. Mr. Min organized a Chinese New Year event at a local shopping center to garner community support for the Chinese Immersion Program at West Side Elementary and to introduce members of the local community to the vast and rich heritage of China.
Several special activities took place during the day-long event. The celebration began with a traditional Chinese Lion Dance performed by the Wong People from Washington D.C. Attendees also had the opportunity to learn about the Chinese language, calligraphy, paper cutting, and traditional crafts related to Chinese New Year. Performers and craftsman from Shan’xi Province performed puppet shows and demonstrated their craftsmanship throughout the event. In addition, West Side students in the Chinese Immersion Program performed speeches in Chinese and cultural songs and dances. The celebration culminated with a Chinese New Year parade, in which children carried lanterns that they constructed during the program.
The project was hugely successful in raising awareness and appreciation of the Chinese culture. Many mall shoppers that happened on the event made a point to tell a staff member how much they learned and how they enjoyed the evening. Survey results were resoundingly positive.