Gray’s Creek Middle School celebrated with great enthusiasm the beginning of the Year of the Dragon with a huge kickoff parade on the first day of the Chinese New Year - January 23, 2012.

The entire student body started preparation for this big event after returning from the winter holidays. They made decorations, and started making dragons to present during a school wide parade. On the 23^rd, the school had a festive air, even exhibiting signs in Chinese. Hallways were a replica of a Chinese street; the cafeteria staff joined the celebration by offering a choice of Chinese items on their menu.

To the sound of Chinese music, each grade level presented their wonderful creations to a panel of several judges who used a rubric to select the best dragon. In all honesty it was difficult to select only one so several winners were declared and they all received a gift for their classes.

Not stopping at a parade, students will be working on the cultural aspect of this festival all month by competing to win other prizes while learning about the intricate details of this holiday.

Weaving the Chinese New Year theme in all subject areas allowed students to experience it in many different ways and deepened their knowledge about the festival and its cultural significance.

GCMS faculty and staff were key in bringing this celebration to life.