Honoring Traditions, Building Communities: Celebrating Lunar New Year

Maricela Guerrero, Executive Director, Rocketship California

“Celebrating Lunar New Year at school is important because it allows our school community to come together and celebrate the new year as a family.”

-Jade, 4th Grade Rocketeer at Rocketship Spark Academy

One of the things I am proudest of at Rocketship is the strong sense of community we build with our students, families and staff. We create schools where family voice is welcomed, educators feel valued and connected, and students feel safe to be their whole selves. A key part of fostering this community is celebrating and honoring the diverse cultures that make up our Rocketship family—because, as Jade Pham, a 4th-grade Rocketeer, shared, these celebrations allow us to come together as one Rocketship family.

Last week, as I drove down Story Road in San Jose, I could hear the crackling of firecrackers, set off to ward off bad luck and welcome the new year. Across our schools, Rocketeers learned about the Year of the Dragon and the many traditions that make Lunar New Year so special to our families and staff. Hallways were filled with students and educators proudly wearing red or donning traditional attire like áo dài and cheongsam, sharing their cultural pride with the community.

For Lan Lieu-Coughlan, a STEM teacher at Rocketship Spark, Rocketship’s commitment to celebrating cultures has been a defining part of her journey. Ms. Lan, who began at Rocketship Discovery Prep in 2015, reflects on how deeply our schools embrace cultural traditions:

“At Rocketship, we don’t just learn about different cultures—we celebrate them. As a staff member, I have learned so much about Latino culture, while also sharing my Vietnamese background. Together, staff and students develop a deep respect for one another and a true sense of belonging.”

This spirit of inclusion extends beyond our classrooms to our families. As a Rocketship Spark parent beautifully shared:

“Tết chẳng riêng ai, Tết mọi nhà. Quê hương, làng xóm, ông bà, tổ tiên.”
(“Tết (Vietnamese New Year) is for everyone—for our hometowns, our villages, our grandparents, and our ancestors.”)

By uplifting cultural traditions across our schools, we are fostering a community where every Rocketeer, family, and educator feels seen, valued, and connected. These celebrations are more than just moments—they are reflections of our shared commitment to honoring identities, embracing diversity, and strengthening the bonds that unite us.

Thank you to our families and educators who make this possible, ensuring that every child feels a deep sense of pride in their identity, while embracing and celebrating the identities of others.

Published on February 12, 2025