Chinese Workshop at Gregorio Center

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

On Tuesday, March 25, 2014, ten LHS Chinese National Honor Society students visited the Gregorio Center to teach Linden’s seniors about Chinese language and culture. Chaperoned by Mr. Dejiang Hu and Ms. Helena Augustyniak, the event was a resounding success. Everyone had a great time, and both the students and seniors are looking forward to doing this again in the future.

The students carried their posters and supplies and walked from Linden High School to the Gregorio Center. Though it was pretty cold, the students were full of energy, enthusiasm and excitement. They were talking and laughing all the way. They had practiced and prepared for over a month in their club time and they were all looking forward to sharing their knowledge and skills.

The event began with the Chinese Honor Society students setting up six “stations” around the main room. These stations were each related to one aspect of Chinese culture. The stations were: Chinese Namer, Chinese Calligraphy, Chinese Bingo, Chinese Story Telling, Taiji and Chinese Paper Cutting.

Approximately 80 of Linden’s senior citizens had come to this event, prepared to learn about a different way of life.

They were divided into 6 groups leaning how Chinese name their children, what meanings are associated in naming. The senior lined up in front of the Chinese Namer Station for the chance to get their Chinese names. For most of them, it was the first time to have a Chinese name. LHS senior student Garrett Angulo hosted the Chinese Namer station.

The Chinese calligraphy attracted a large group of seniors. They were amazed by and proud of themselves of being able to going native – writing Chinese characters with soft brushes and Chinese ink. The station was hosted by LHS students, twin sisters, Cheyenne and Briana Green. Cheyenne Green is the CNHS president, and Briana Green is its treasurer.

Chinese bingo was a station hosted by LHS senior Richard Whitted-Leggett and Jhonatan Cruz. The Chinese bingo station not only helped reinforcing the memory of Chinese numbers that the seniors had learned at the Chinese calligraphy station, but also was full of fun. As a special prize for winning the bingo games, the Linden Garden Chinese restaurant at 897 N Stiles St, Linden, NJ 07036 donated six lunches.

The Chinese story station was hosted by Ninia Gonzalez and Ashley Altidort. They prepared a classical story, “Tiger Son”, from a Chinese fiction Legends from a Scholar’s Study by Pu Songling. This story captivated the participants, including Linden’s Mayor, Mr. Gerbounka.

Taiji was a station hosted by Ashley Theodule and Hakeem Ibrahim. These two students showed so much of their enthusiasm that they once became the focus of the whole hall. Groups of seniors could not wait for their turns to come to the station. Mayor Gerbounka also was demonstrating Kungfu at the station.

Chinese Paper Cutting was a station hosted by Aleksandra Kosakowska with Jhonatan Cruz as her floating buddy. This station taught the participants how to design, fold and cut snowflake-like patterns on paper. The two students also explained that Chinese have paper cutting on red paper as an auspicious decoration for the coming new year.

All the seniors and LHS Chinese National Honor students enjoyed teaching and learning so much that they both were saddened when they were reminded that it was time to end the workshop. They hugged, shook hands and said good-bye.