Paint Branch Elementary Celebrates Lunar New Year

Students showcase Chinese culture through song, dance, and martial arts

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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Children at Paint Branch Elementary School in Greenbelt, Maryland celebrated the Lunar New Year with a performance showcasing their understanding of Chinese culture. The annual event featured Mandarin songs, traditional Chinese dances, and a demonstration of Kung Fu Fan by students enrolled in the school's Chinese immersion program. However, the school district has proposed discontinuing the immersion program, leaving the future of the celebration uncertain.

Why it matters

The Lunar New Year celebration at Paint Branch Elementary highlights the value of the school's Chinese immersion program, which allows students to learn the language, math, and science in Mandarin while also exploring Chinese culture. With the district proposing to cut the program, the event takes on added significance as a way to demonstrate the students' progress and garner support to keep the immersion program alive.

The details

The Lunar New Year celebration featured students singing in Mandarin, performing traditional Chinese dances like Kung Fu Fan, and receiving a lesson on the role of lions in Chinese folklore from the Chua Martial Arts school. The event showcased the students' understanding of Chinese language and culture, which they have developed through the school's immersion program. However, the school district has proposed discontinuing the Chinese immersion programs at Paint Branch, Greenbelt Middle School, and Largo High School, leaving the future of the annual celebration uncertain.

  • The Lunar New Year celebration took place on February 12, 2026 in the Paint Branch Elementary School gymnasium.
  • The school has hosted the annual celebration for the past decade.

The players

Pei-Hsuan Liu

The academic dean of Paint Branch Elementary's Chinese immersion program.

Adam Chua

The owner of the Chua Martial Arts school in Gaithersburg, who provided a lesson and demonstration on the role of lions in Chinese folklore.

Anabel Carino-Aguado Ian

The mother of a fourth-grader at Paint Branch Elementary, who said the Lunar New Year celebration is fun for the kids to participate in and learn about the culture.

Ana Martinez De Rodriguez

The mother of a fourth-grader at Paint Branch Elementary, who said it's important for the children to learn Chinese as it is a complicated language, especially the writing.

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What they’re saying

“They are really passionate about showcasing their Chinese through singing, dancing, Chinese yo-yo and Kung Fu Fan.”

— Pei-Hsuan Liu, Academic dean of the school's Chinese immersion program (streetcarsuburbs.news)

“And they also bring a lot of educational components to help students to understand the culture.”

— Pei-Hsuan Liu, Academic dean of the school's Chinese immersion program (streetcarsuburbs.news)

“Kids are also learning about the culture, not only about the language.”

— Anabel Carino-Aguado Ian, Mother of a fourth-grader (streetcarsuburbs.news)

“It's such a complicated language to learn, especially the writing. But kids are like sponges. If they start learning early enough, they will absorb all the knowledge.”

— Ana Martinez De Rodriguez, Mother of a fourth-grader (streetcarsuburbs.news)

What’s next

The school district will decide whether to discontinue the Chinese immersion programs, which could impact the future of the annual Lunar New Year celebration at Paint Branch Elementary.

The takeaway

The Lunar New Year celebration at Paint Branch Elementary showcases the value of the school's Chinese immersion program, which allows students to develop proficiency in Mandarin and gain a deep understanding of Chinese culture. With the district proposing to cut the program, the event takes on added significance as a way to demonstrate the students' progress and garner support to keep the immersion program alive.