Edison High School’s Chinese Student Club Hosts Vibrant Lunar New Year Potluck, Fostering Cultural Unity and Community Engagement.

The Chinese Student Club at Edison High School successfully hosted its 2022-2023 Potluck to annually celebrate the Chinese New Year, filling the Edison Township community with a diverse and exuberant spirit of joy in the midst of the cold winter.

The event was held six days after the devastating mass shooting at a Lunar New Year event in Monterey Park, California, and Sam Joshi, the Mayor of Edison, participated to show support to students and the local Chinese community. In the heart of Edison, a bustling community with a rich cultural tapestry, the Chinese Student Club at Edison High School emerges as a vibrant phenomenon locally and globally, captivating not only its members but also reaching out to the broader community. 

During the event, students set up stations and each was focused on an activity related to Chinese culture. Kimmie Xu, a senior student at EHS and a member of the club, was managing the station where they taught people how to make Chinese Knots.  After preparing for a week to learn by herself, Xu at the event “had a video on my MacBook on the table [and] kept on replaying it for people who are learning I also printed out these booklets with each step to show them how to create the Chinese Knot,” Xu said. 

Most of their event food and beverage supplies were provided by local Chinese restaurants and boba tea shops. Through the collaboration with the Chinese Student Club, local businesses not only receive economically and commercially successful marketing, but also help residents in Edison connect and be inclusive with the Chinese heritage in the community.

Xu and Chloe Chan, a junior student and members of the club, mentioned that the club actively promotes inclusivity, attracting members from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. Many students joined the club after their interesting and informative events that were not only open to club members but to everyone at the school and community. 

As both active members, Chan and Xu expressed their passion for the club where they can explore more and connect with more people who have the same identity or are interested in learning more about Chinese culture. 

A significant highlight of the Chinese Student Club is its role as a cultural ambassador in the school and the community. The club's efforts extend beyond the school, involving the broader Edison Township community through their inclusive events introducing and spreading knowledge of Chinese culture. These initiatives foster community engagement, making the club an integral part of Edison's cultural mosaic.

The impact of the Chinese Student Club at Edison High School reaches far beyond the confines of the school, committing to inclusivity and positive community engagement. As we continue celebrating cultural diversity today, the Chinese Student Club serves as a shining example of unity in a world that thrives on shared experiences and understanding.

Being a club not only for students at school but also for the community as a whole, other events also bring tremendous impact to Edison Township. This semester, the club held the Dumpling Eating Contest in October, and the Principal of EHS also joined their students at the event. Their supplies were provided by a local Chinese restaurant business belonging to one of their member’s families. Such collaboration between the club and local businesses showed the strong bonding of the school and the community and the promotion of cultural heritage. 

Alyssa Mei, a graduate student from Rutgers School of Education, is interning as a student teacher with Mr. Huang at EHS. Loving to see students’ efforts for the club, she commented, “Participating in the Chinese Student Club is first and foremost a way to find a community of people with similar interests and maybe even similar cultural backgrounds. In any case, students can definitely find like-minded people they can fit in with. And then from there, they can enjoy all the events learn a lot about Chinese culture, and expand on their existing knowledge.” 

When talking about the experience of participating in the club, Chan said “The club is significant to me because I also learned more about [my] culture. And standing for the community can also [have people] learn [about our culture] and immerse themselves in the events we host.” It has been the third year since Chan has joined the club. She was introduced by her older sister, a recent graduate of EHS and a former member of the club. 

“I actually come from Long Island, NY. My home community’s demographic was about seventy percent white so there were no Chinese clubs or really any Asian cultural activities around my area. I had to go to a Chinese school 45 minutes away on the weekends, closer to where more Chinese diaspora lived,” Mei said,  “I really think it's great to see that EHS has such a strong Chinese population who are proud of their culture and can show everyone in their student club! It's something I wish I had as a high schooler.” 

With approximately 30 active members, the club transcends cultural boundaries, welcoming students of various racial and ethnic identities. The club's popularity is attributed to its engaging activities that showcase Chinese culture, fostering a sense of unity and understanding among students. The Chinese Student Club at EHS is more than just an extracurricular activity; it's a bridge that connects diverse individuals within the school and the wider community. 

The club started its official social media appearance on Instagram this semester, as suggested by Xu. Club members are efforting on promoting and getting more publicity for the club, to hold more and bigger events at EHS and for Edison Township in the future.