Happy Lunar New Year!

I want to send a warm greet­ing to all members of the Waverly commu­nity. Lunar New Year is cele­brated in many cultures around the world and is espe­cially impor­tant in many coun­tries of East Asia. Many Waverly fami­lies with connec­tions to East Asia pay partic­u­lar atten­tion to this important holiday. 

All Waverly students partic­i­pated in a Lunar New Cele­bra­tion this past Thurs­day on the elemen­tary school yard. We were visited by Sifu Fenton Fong Eng and his students at Fong’s Kung Fu School. The show featured skilled perfor­mances from Shelby Tisuthi­wongse ​‘33 and Ezra Oriz­a­bal ​‘33. They performed the Lion Dance and spoke about how the Lion (not a dragon) scares away the nega­tive impres­sions and expe­ri­ences of the past, but also welcomes the bless­ings that are required to help the new year be fruit­ful. Accord­ing to the Chinese zodiac, 2023 is the Year of the Rabbit. ​“The Year of the Rabbit repre­sents peace­ful and patient energy. The water element suggests tapping into inner wisdom and trust­ing instincts. Together, the Water Rabbit indi­cates focus­ing on rela­tion­ships, diplo­macy, and build­ing bridges in profes­sional and personal rela­tion­ships.” (Welcom­ing the Year of the Water Rabbit). Sifu Eng noted that this year may be a more posi­tive and peace­ful year. Let’s hope so. To learn more, read How Lunar New Year is Cele­brated Around Asia.

Regard­less of whether you observe Lunar New Year or not, I hope you have a wonder­ful weekend and get time to cele­brate the bless­ings of life and the peace that lives within us all. 

恭喜發財,새해 복 많이 받으십시오, 中国新年快乐, 

Clarke Weath­er­spoon
Head of School