On Saturday, September 23, 2017 Whitney Young Magnet High School hosted their annual Chinese Cultural Festival. Whitney Young’s own teacher, Lusha O’Mara and the Confucius Institute included a variety of traditional activities for students and parents from different backgrounds to experience Chinese culture. Whitney Young’s Chinese students volunteered to help facilitate the day’s activities. Their duties included greeting visitors, assisting with games, and adorning the Arts Bridge with traditional red, Chinese decorations. Mrs.O’Mara, states that the activities included “writing Chinese characters, using chopsticks, and Chinese chess.” The festival also included a wide range of games and activities to engage the students. In addition to the cultural experience project, the Confucius Institute also invited performing arts groups from Jiangsu, a northern province of China. The arts groups performed a traditional lion dance, acrobatics, singing, and dancing for the festival’s spectators. Whitney Young’s Chinese Cultural Festival was so successful that it was recognized by Xinhua News Agency, a leading news source in China. The Chinese department, Whitney Young, and the Confucius Institute were extremely satisfied with the festival’s outcome. They hope to continue their annual tradition for years to come and expose the city’s people to Chinese culture.

Photo courtesy of Confucius Institute