By Jessica Easthope
It’s a graceful step toward understanding and a bold move of inclusivity. St. Athanasius Catholic Academy doesn’t have a big population of Chinese students, but here they have endless love for their neighbors.
“I mostly go with my mom,” said Ryan Jaya-Cen, a fifth-grader at St. Athanasius Catholic Academy. “We usually go to supermarket, buy festive candy for Chinese New Year.”
Diversity and inclusion is the goal behind the Bensonhurst school’s Lunar New Year celebration. Jaya-Cen says he’s grateful to celebrate his Chinese roots at home and at school.
“It makes me really proud to be Chinese,” Jaya-Cen said. “I feel proud of my school they celebrate everyone together from every nationality, it’s really great.”
On March 5, students ate Chinese food for lunch, watched a traditional Chinese dance performance and then one-by-one volunteered to present facts about Lunar New Year.
“The horse has energy and the red gives good luck,” one student said.
“We have to wear red for our protection, because there’s a monster named Nian, and he hates red. So we have to wear this to keep us away from Nian,” another said.
“If you behave good you get a red envelope with money inside,” a student said.
“On the last day they put lanterns, and they either float, are manual or you can carry them,” another student explained.
The Year of the Fire Horse began on February 17, and while the traditional festival lasts 15 days, Principal Gina Auricchio says it’s another stop on the school’s mission of celebrating diversity.
“Everyone who is in Saint Athanasius Catholic Academy is accepted, valued and supported,” Auricchio said. “So showing that even though we have a small population of Asian students, they’re still recognized. And the celebrations that they will celebrate at home, seeing it in school really, really brings it all together for them.”