St. Louis, Mo. (January 22, 2025) With Chinese New Year quickly approaching, St. Louis Language Immersion School is preparing an immersive, two-part celebration of culture with its students and families. Students in the Chinese program from kindergarten through eighth grade will experience singing, dancing, dumpling-making, writing, traditional dress and more to celebrate the Lunar New Year while continuing SLLIS’ mission of providing a culturally immersive education.
In 2025, Chinese New Year begins January 29 and traditionally lasts as a 15-day celebration. SLLIS second-grade Chinese teacher Nannan Huang said because of the time difference between China and St. Louis, the school is able to host a countdown to the new year with its students during the day January 28. The countdown party acts as a fun event and includes traditional aspects of Chinese culture. During the celebration, students will wear customary costumes and parade around the entire school to show off their traditional Chinese attire to those in the French and Spanish programs. In some classes, students will also hand-make dumplings or do Chinese calligraphy. Huang was raised in Southeast China and said it's exciting for her to see her students so engulfed in her culture.
“SLLIS is truly about language immersion,” Huang said. “When you’re learning a language, you can never separate the spoken language and the cultural aspects of where the language originates. They go hand-in-hand. Immersing yourself in the culture enriches your understanding of the language and helps our students understand a different perspective. It’s valuable to teach them about the world outside the United States and help them grow into culturally well-rounded global citizens. They are so excited to learn all the songs and dances, and they always ask if we can keep practicing. I feel so fulfilled when they show such an interest in my culture.”
This year, SLLIS concludes the festivities on February 12, the final day of the new year celebration, also known as the Lantern Festival. Families are invited to attend a program at the school that includes an on-stage performance of songs and dances by students.
“I love to see my students speaking Chinese and learning about different cultures,” Huang said. “Not only is this celebration important to our students, but it’s also important to the wider community and parents. When community members learn about different cultures, it creates more understanding between separate groups of people and improves relationships. All around, Chinese New Year is a special time at SLLIS because it benefits all students, whether in the Chinese, French or Spanish program. It’s so meaningful.”
About St. Louis Language Immersion School
St. Louis Language Immersion School was founded in 2009 and is a charter school serving Pre-K through 8th grade to the City of St. Louis. The school provides students with a world-class, global, dual language immersion education in French, Spanish or Chinese, taught by native speakers. The one of a kind school was named the 2024 Best Public Charter School in Missouri and plays an essential role in the fabric of the St. Louis community. For more information, go to www.sllis.org.