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Hernando Today

Students Celebrate Chinese Culture At Westside

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By LINNEA BROWN

Published: February 16, 2008

SPRING HILL - SPRING HILL - Justin Lamarre, 9, learned a new phrase Friday.

"Gung Hay Fat Choy," he proclaimed proudly, bowing his head solemnly and pressing his palms together in front of his chest.

"That means 'Happy New Year' in Chinese," he added, displaying a colorful, handmade dragon puppet.

Justin was one of 160 fourth-graders at Westside Elementary School in Spring Hill who participated in a Chinese New Year celebration at the school. Students rotated between outdoor learning tables completing various hands-on cultural projects, including bookmarks decorated with Chinese New Year signs, Chinese scrolls and laisees, or lucky fortune boxes.

Students munched on fortune cookies and traditional New Year's snacks of pineapple and mandarin oranges.

They also learned how to use chopsticks, as well as write and speak several Chinese words.

"It's so tricky to speak, but easy to write," said Alyssa Quinn, 9.

"It's the opposite for me," conceded Tara Wilshuser, 10, carefully pronouncing her two new favorite words: the numbers seven and three.

"Those are my lucky numbers," she said.

While the annual holiday began Feb. 8, it is typically celebrated for 15 days in China.

This is the first year the activity has been planned for all fourth-graders at the school, said teacher Glenda Shea, who organized the activity.

"This is a chance for them to experience a different culture in a very short period of time, and it's a reward for getting through the Florida rights (mandatory curriculum)," she said.

Every 15 minutes, the booming sound of a large gong prompted students to rotate to the next table.

"I've always wanted to go to China," Justin said. "I always wanted to see how it looks, taste the rice and play (the game) Mahjong — not on the computer."

Reporter Linnea Brown can be reached at 352-544-5289 or lbrown@hernandotoday.com.

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