HBA’s faculty and students celebrated the beginning of another lunar year on January 31.

 

Chinese lion dancers came to HBA’s high school during lunch period to celebrate Chinese New Year with everyone on campus.

Chinese Club advisor Li Schoolland said that “the happy and energetic atmosphere [created] by the celebration is a blessing to the school.” She wanted to share the joy of a new year with others.

Since 2003, the Chinese Club and Schoolland have invited a lion dance troupe to HBA during Chinese New Year. “Some years, [they are] too busy, and sometimes they come when Chinese New Year has passed,” she said. “But this year, the lion dancers came exactly on the day of Chinese New Year.”

Sophomore Jaron Banes and junior Mina Lee are a part of the lion dance troupe, which makes it possible for them to come for free. Schoolland said, “I just think it’s great that our students are involved in this kind of activity outside of school. It just brings a blessing to others. I would like to see more people do things like that.”

The three lions marched through the Senior Pavilion and the mall area. Many students croweded around them and gave them red envelopes—called hong bao in Mandarin—and cash. According to Schoolland, the lion dancers said that they will schedule an extended visit so that they can also perform for the middle school.

Photographs by Jarrett Toyama (’15)