![Hosting the SCLA Casptone Mentor Dinner outside allowed for more attendees on September 27, 2021 at Silver Creek. This event would’ve usually been held inside. According to Lauren Kohn, a SCLA 12 teacher, “If we have a higher number of people, as long as we can host the event outside, then that seems to be keeping every[one] safe”.](https://schsnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/sxMAIGbSYGodZkqmrvTi5YWcJ1ssWA08ApkeMLpp-900x675.jpeg)
2025, the Year of the Snake, a time for personal growth, reflection, and deep thought. Silver Creek High School puts deep consideration into planning the Lunar New Year celebration each year. It brings the community together and gives people an insight into different cultures.
“The [Lunar New Year Event] at Silver Creek is the largest one in Colorado,” junior and volunteer coordinator Natalise Frea said. “So a lot of people attend and get to learn about Asian culture, not only from China but an extension to other Asian countries.”
The event is full of different performances, activities like henna, paper cutting, painting, other arts and crafts, and even food. These are all things that are significant to Asian culture. For example, paper cutting is a key part of Chinese social life as it expresses the moral principles, philosophies, and aesthetic ideals of the culture. It is all put together by a large group of volunteers from Silver Creek and the Asian Pacific Association of Longmont.
“I got to meet new people from different cultures and even work with an expert at the paper cutting booth to learn more things about an art that I didn’t know much about before,” sophomore and volunteer Lucy Barbour said.
This event is bigger than Silver Creek High School and working the booths and with other organizations gave students an insight on behind the scenes. The leadership needed to get this event going is a great lesson for students.
“It teaches high schoolers a lot about the importance of running such a large event. We have the opportunity to help actually put the event together…. and working together with an outside organization teaches students about leadership and helps the community learn about culture,” Frea stated.
This event has been held at Silver Creek for many years, but recently they have started to incorporate cultural dances and activities not just from Chinese culture but from more Asian countries.
“We try to include Thai, Bollywood dancing, and different Asian cultures too,” staff volunteer, and Silver Creek Librarian, Tina Fredo said.
The community is able to come together to experience this event and learn more or even just explore what they may already know. Silver Creek hosts up to thousands of people annually for this event and the hope is that they can learn about or experience more of this culture.
“I hope that the people that participate, either volunteering or attending, might go away with something that they've learned: a new culture, new art, taiko drumming, a dance performance, or even just doing henna,” Silver Creek Librarian and volunteer Tina Fredo said. “We just hope to be more inclusive and share different cultures with our community.”
