Feature: U.S. students immersed in Chinese New Year with cultural experiences

Sacramento [California], January 29: "If you really dive into Chinese history, stay dedicated, and love it the way I do, it's a lot of fun," 12-year-old Zoe Gorham Wilson told Xinhua on Tuesday, her face aglow with excitement as she recalled her journey of learning Chinese at the William Land Elementary School in Sacramento, California.
For Wilson and many of her classmates, studying Chinese is more than just learning another language -- it's an invitation to explore a cultural heritage spanning thousands of years.
Brimming with pride about Chinese Lunar New Year festivities, Wilson noted that her school has organized several activities to celebrate the holiday, which falls on Wednesday this year.
At William Land Elementary, the festivities transform classrooms into vibrant cultural hubs where students practice traditional calligraphy, create "Fu" characters for good fortune, and decorate windows with intricate paper-cut designs. Some teachers even hand out red envelopes, following the time-honored custom of giving monetary gifts during the festival.
Eager to share her knowledge, Wilson told Xinhua, "I have friends in Colorado and in lots of other places. I always let them know when it's Chinese New Year and teach them how to say 'Happy New Year' in Chinese."
She added that she now knows quite a lot about the holiday after six years of immersion in both language and culture.
This year, Wilson's class will mark a historic moment in the school's century-long history: the entire sixth-grade cohort plans to gather around steaming hotpots on campus, sampling Chinese cuisine and culture firsthand.
Hotpot is especially popular around Chinese New Year, serving as a beloved way for families and friends to bond and celebrate.
"Some students have never tried hotpot before, although they may have seen it online," Chinese language teacher Feifei Xie told Xinhua. "They're really looking forward to it."
Xie uses creative methods to keep students engaged, often drawing on their curiosity about food to deepen their appreciation of Chinese culture. "By tapping into their passion for cuisine, we can inspire greater enthusiasm for the culture as a whole," she explained to Xinhua.
As part of her lessons, Xie introduces students to popular Chinese shows like the documentary series A Bite of China and the food-preparation videos of internet star Li Ziqi. These resources, she said, showcase the diversity of Chinese regional cuisines and traditions.
"When students engage in hands-on experiences, they can understand and value Chinese culture from different angles," Xie added. "It opens their eyes to these cultural differences."
Despite the challenges of learning the language, Wilson finds Chinese quizzes particularly gratifying. "After taking a test, you feel really happy," she said. "It's exciting to face a challenge and realize how much you've learned."
Wilson's parents enrolled her in a Chinese immersion program when she was in kindergarten. "It was a really cool idea, and my parents were very interested in it. They thought I should learn Chinese," she said.
According to Xie, many parents are convinced that Chinese language skills will benefit their children's future.
William Land Elementary began its Chinese immersion program in 2011 to help students "compete in the international community," Xie told Xinhua.
Demand for Chinese language education continues to rise. Many parents are now petitioning the Sacramento City Unified School District to introduce Chinese programs in middle and high schools so their children can keep advancing in the language.
One such parent, Kenneth Fine, wrote to the district, underscoring the importance of Chinese language classes. "We consider Mandarin language fluency an essential part of their education, on par with English composition or mathematics," he stated in his letter.
His son, Sam Fine, a recent William Land graduate, clinched the Americas championship in the fourth "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Show for Foreign Primary School Students in China last October.
The accomplishments of students like Sam Fine serve as a powerful source of inspiration for educators.
"His success has been a huge encouragement for us teachers," Xie told Xinhua. "Working with limited resources makes these achievements even more rewarding."
Source: Xinhua News Agency