Written by Class of 2026 and the DVGS Editorial Team 
Photos by Erica Lai (Class of 2024) and Amy Liu (Class of 2023)

On January 23, the air was filled with anticipation and joy as IGDVS prepared for the Lunar New Year festivities. To begin the celebration, the students gathered in the morning to prepare glutinous rice balls and red bean soup for all to enjoy.

As it neared lunchtime, the IGDVS students and teachers honored the new year tradition of commemorating ancestors after the meal offering ceremony and then headed towards the Tower of Blessings to share the new year spirit with the senior nuns. Before receiving delicious snacks and treats, the students greeted the monastics and sang a variety of cheerful Lunar New Year songs, expressing their well-wishes and joyous hopes for the new year.

After the festive caroling, the students and teachers gathered at the school picnic tables to enjoy a meal together. Ms. Cai’s Chinese class performed a lively rendition of a Chinese poem to brighten the atmosphere as everyone happily feasted on the scrumptious dishes and sweet red bean soup.

Next, the freshmen and sophomores hosted a variety of traditional new year activities and games including paper-cutting, story-telling, calligraphy writing, and kite-flying. Cheerful chatter and laughter filled the air as the students made colorful paper cutouts, played lively games, and chased after dancing kites.

The Year of the Rabbit thus began with joy and hope at IGDVS.