This is a portion of the Superintendent’s Update by Superintendent Cliff Chuang mailed to Bedford Public School community on Friday, Feb. 9. Please find this week’s full issue of Superintendent’s Update and back issues at bedfordps.org.
By George Lee, Davis School Parent and Bedford Finance Committee Member
2024 is the Year of the Dragon, the fifth animal in the 12-year cycle of Asian Zodiac signs. Growing up, I often hear from my Asian elders that those born in the year of a dragon are destined for good fortune and greatness, and a reason for why in many Asian nations more babies are born during Dragon years than any other [1,2]. The dragon is also the only mythical creature of all 12 zodiacs!
This year’s Bedford annual lunar new year celebration, hosted by the Bedford Library and the Parents Diversity Council, was held at Lane Elementary School as the event had outgrown the prior year’s space in the library. Or, I like to think the prominence of the dragon year had something to do with bringing out the extraordinarily large community showing this year!
Nevertheless, like all years, it was a fun-filled event with many amazing Asian cultural arts and crafts and performances enjoyed by people of all ages. In one moment, I observed my Davis School-age son work diligently on a dragon arts and crafts project with his grandmother, and another moment where he was sitting quietly next to his friends from school, several whom are of different ethnicities watching the Korean drum performance and the Chinese musical instrument orchestra. Superintendent Chuang himself of Chinese/Taiwanese descent mingled and chatted with parents throughout the venue. The Lane School Stage was a nice, upgraded venue for the performers that put on a great show every year.
I was impressed by not just at the large attendance of the community, but also by the diversity of the crowd, not only of various Asian nationalities, but non-Asians as well.
This is one of many events at Bedford that highlights the diversity and unity of our community, where everyone can enjoy and support one another during Asian’s biggest holiday, Lunar New Year (LNY).
I hope in the years to come, Bedford’s LNY celebration will continue to grow and have even broader attendance and participation by all to enjoy, and perhaps additional activities and performances by other Asian nationalities that also celebrate LNY, but are not yet represented at Bedford’s celebratory event.
My sincere appreciation to all the volunteers, performers, and organizers of the LNY event and to our amazing Bedford community, and I wish everyone 新 年 快 乐! Xīn nián kuài lè! Happy New Year!
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