Written by Thuy Nguyen (Class of 2022) and Amy Liu (Class of 2023)

“Though we are still learning from a distance, much excitement awaits us as the 2021 school year unfolds. Everyone’s engagement in the classroom and participation in the activities and clubs have made the Fall 2020 meaningful and purposeful.”

– Dharma Master Jin Jr Shi, IGDVS Principal

Despite the pandemic and the transition from an in-person curriculum to an online curriculum, the fall semester has ended smoothly. Overcoming the difficulties of adjusting to the new way of learning, students and teachers worked together to make the school year as fluid as possible. Students – in-person and remote alike – kept in touch with the school’s core virtues by hosting customary events such as Honoring Elders Day and Virtue of the Month. 

This year’s Honoring Elders Day was entitled Paying Tribute To Our Guardians and Envisioning the Future, a theme that has never been more relevant. The event commemorated the service of front-line healthcare professionals, teachers, blue collar workers, and elders. The digital production was made possible through the efforts of students and the guidance of their teachers.

Students stayed connected through weekly school wide meetings where they engaged in collaborative activities and shared uplifting insights. Through Virtue of the Month, classes presented videos and examples about the virtue that they were in charge of. At the end, students compiled short reflections that were displayed on an Appreciation Board in the hallway. Another tradition that continued was school sisters, a support system where the younger students of IGDVGS are paired up with older students. 

From face to face – 
Now screen to screen – 
Settling into a new pace
And in a new direction, we lean.

What unfolds remains untold
But with hope, we persevere,
Spreading love manifold,
Welcoming the new year.

Free verse by Thuy Nguyen and Amy Liu

As we welcome the new spring semester, we hope everyone stays safe and healthy!

Check out additional activities IGDVGS held and participated in throughout the fall semester below!
Back to School–with a Twist
Commemorating Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Discover Yourself Project: Photowalk
Discover Yourself Project: Personal Objects
A Hybrid Halloween Celebration
A Fantastical Election
Honoring Elders Day 2020
A Cordial Christmas Luncheon
Coding for Christmas: Celebrate with a Python Card
Welcome to the Fair: 5th-6th Grade Science Exposition