Friday, February 16, 2018

Terrace Elementary Celebrates Tet, Asian Heritage Day


Terrace Elementary students laughed and cheered as they were treated recently to a Dragon Dance. But the dance was only a piece of the Asian Heritage Day at Terrace.

“This is just one way to share the beauty of the many cultures and backgrounds that make up our school,” said Principal April Falcon-Blanco. “It’s a way for our students to experience other countries and continents without ever leaving our community.”


This year, Feb. 16 marked the Lunar New Year, which carries different names and customs across the Asian culture. Tết is Vietnam’s Lunar New Year and at Terrace, just like in Vietnam, preparations took weeks to accomplish. Parents and staff worked collectively to create decorations to transform the cafeteria as students learned and practiced their routines leading up to the celebration.




“I hope that it demonstrates our desire to celebrate and honor the diversity that makes Terrace such a great school,” said Falcon-Blanco. “I want all of our families to feel welcome and appreciated.”


“It recalls my childhood [and] how we celebrate the Tết in Vietnam,” said Danh Thanh Do, one of the dozens of parents and family members in the audience, as he watched students perform traditional dances and grace the runway in traditional clothes.


“I think many students have a new understanding and appreciation for other cultures,” said Falcon-Blanco. “Learning about the dances, the costumes, the symbols and decorations helped them to make connections to their own culture and see that we often have more in common than we may initially think.”


The celebration was narrated by two students, who wove in the traditions and customs behind each performance. One of the students was third-grader Thien-Hau Do.


After the celebration, the elder Do was a proud father. “The program helps the students learn more about [our] culture and language," he said.


Many of the students who performed are part of Terrace’s Vietnamese Dual Language Program, the only such program in SBISD. The program currently serves students in PreK through second grade.


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