Bright lions in flashes of red, orange, and blue danced through Kings Court, heralding good fortune for the year ahead. Percussionists banged their sticks against drums while nimble fingers plucked the strings of a guzheng (a Chinese zither). Children dipped calligraphy brushes in ink to write their names in Chinese letters, and created paper lanterns to decorate their homes. Vendors scooped out servings of spring rolls from Banh Mi Ngon in Cherry Hill and yaksik from Ga Yeon Rice Cake in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania.
Haddonfield’s Lunar New Year festival was a beautiful representation of Asian culture in celebration of the Year of the Fire Horse. Community members packed Kings Court on February 21, but many may not have known that students from the Asian American Culture Clubs (AACC) from Haddonfield Memorial High and Haddonfield Middle schools were instrumental in bringing the day to life.
Planning began months earlier. In October, under the guidance of the high school AACC advisor Alice Lee, students ran a lantern-making activity during the school’s Multicultural Day. Those same handmade lanterns transformed Kings Court into a canopy of color for the February festivities.
On the day of the festival, members of both clubs, plus National Honor Society volunteers, manned stations in bracelet and paper-lantern making, calligraphy, and a book giveaway. Middle school students, led by AACC advisor Susan Sin, showcased an educational trifold display, sharing the history and traditions of Lunar New Year with curious visitors.
“I’m proud to share my Asian culture because it’s an important part of who I am and because Asian American experiences haven’t always been visible or understood,” said Alice Lee, advisor for the Asian American Culture Clubs (AACC) at Haddonfield Memorial High and Haddonfield Middle schools. Haddonfield’s Lunar New Year festival was a beautiful representation of Asian culture in celebration of the Year of the Fire Horse.
“As a young Chinese American, I really loved seeing how many people came to celebrate with us,” said Madisen Klumbach, a senior and AACC officer, adding, “especially because I am only half [Asian] and I didn’t get to experience all of this growing up.
“I really liked that we were able to create a fun environment for people to learn about Lunar New Year and the Year of the Fire Horse, along with the celebration we did last year.”
Members of the Haddonfield Education Association, the Haddonfield Human Relations Commission, and local business owners, like Julie Beddingfield of Inkwood Books, were also integral to the day’s success.
Rachel Chung, a Tatem Elementary School parent and educational assistant, offered the talents of the South Jersey Lion Dance club.
“Community members have shared that they enjoy the event and value having it included as part of a larger community celebration,” Lee said. “Students have felt proud and have enjoyed the interactions, especially knowing they help bring greater awareness to the community.”
The mission of the Asian American Culture Clubs is to engage students of all races in celebrating, embracing and increasing awareness of Asian and Asian-American identity. The purpose is to foster student development and success through cultural awareness, leadership, philanthropy and community service, most importantly in a safe space, Lee explained.
Each school has its own club, but they share a similar mission. Lee explained that the Memorial High School club was founded in 2020 in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the accompanying rise in anti-Asian hate, when the Dean of Students recognized the need for a safe space. There are now almost 20 students involved who meet once a month.
This school year alone, the high school club participated in the Multicultural Day celebration at the high school, a Diwali Fair in town, and club potlucks.
“For our Multicultural Day table, we decided to have students make lanterns which we saved to put up for our Lunar New Year celebration downtown,” Madisen said. “We had so many unique lanterns which I think really showed how many creative students we have as part of our club.
“I was at the bracelet stand the entire time, but we did have a handful of kids come and decorate their own bracelets to take home, which I personally really loved because I was able to see how many children were excited to celebrate with us.
“[And] I really like planning and being at our potlucks because they’re one of our events that students are guaranteed to come to and it’s a lot of fun being with the entire club every now and then,” Madisen said.
The AACC at the middle school started three years ago. There are about a dozen students who meet weekly. This club is a bit more informal, and students decide what activities they want, such as potlucks, food demos, visitor presentations, class activities such as calligraphy, fundraising initiatives and movies, Sin said.
As the next joint effort, the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Book Club in April will serve as an early kickoff to May’s AAPI Heritage Month. “This event is a crowd favorite,” Lee said. “We’ve been doing this now for five years. I read and select a book, then partner with Stacey Brown-Downham, the Community Events chair for the Haddonfield Education Association, to secure funding/the grant in providing the books (via Inkwood Books) for those who sign up for the event.”
All of these efforts help the students feel love and support, too, especially after some years of potential divisiveness. During the early days of the AACC, Lee said she tried facilitating meetings where students could openly share in a safe space about how they felt about any current events or their lived experiences in Haddonfield.
During the pandemic, there was a lot of hurtful stereotyping of Chinese people, but Madisen thinks significant progress has been made since then. “I’ve noticed we’ve had more and more participants [in the clubs] each year,” she said.
Now the clubs focus more on cultural events that traditionally occur in Asia and bringing those experiences to their schoolmates and community.
“I’m proud to share my Asian culture because it’s an important part of who I am and because Asian American experiences haven’t always been visible or understood,” Lee said. “Over the years, former students have shared that this work has helped them feel more connected to their culture, especially when I may be one of the only Asian women they know outside of their family. Knowing that students feel seen, supported, and affirmed makes sharing culture deeply meaningful to me.”
