Schools
Moiola Students Embrace Year of Dragon
Former teacher Heidi Sinay comes back every year to provide students with a cultural experience for the Chinese New Year. But this year was even more memorable.
Heidi Sinay was a teacher at Moiola School for 35 years. She retired a few years ago and moved to Northern California, but for the last three years she has returned to her "home away from home" to interact with the students and provide a little cultural learning about the Lunar New Year.
"I love it here and I love the community," Sinay said. "I come back each year because I want the kids to experience and have an appreciation for other cultures. A lot of families who go to school here now celebrate the Chinese New Year, so I wanted everyone to learn about the holiday."
"The Year of the Dragon" is a bittersweet one for Sinay, because it will be her last one before Moiola closes in June. But Sinay and the other teachers at Moiola refused to let the future overshadow the present when they celebrated the Lunar New Year Wednesday with arts and crafts, games, and an authentic Chinese dragon and clothes that students could wear.
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"I'm going to miss it next year, but today I want to enjoy it with all the students," Sinay said. "I hope it can continue wherever the kids go."